A free two day celebration of  ELLA FITZGERALD will be held at 15 Washington Street, Newark, March 24th-25th. The event  brings together musicians, historians, authors, record producers, critics, and fans, and will feature performances by vocalists Alexis Morrast and Carrie Jackson. From the world of jazz studies are distinguished archivist Dan Morgenstern, and Norman Granz’s biographer Tad Hershorn, who has had a major hand in shaping the event. Eminent journalist and critic Will Friedwald will be showcasing rare footage, and musical demonstration will be provided by Mike Wofford and Richard Wyands, both of whom worked with Ella Fitzgerald.

LINK: Full program and link for registration.

SPEAKERS & TOPICS INCLUDE:

Dr. Judith Tick, whose biography Becoming Ella: The Jazz Genius Who Transformed American Song, will be published by W.W. Norton in 2018

Jim Blackman, Ella’s road manager at the end of her career

Lewis Porter, Grammy-nominated jazz educator, author and pianist on Ella’s extraordinary approach to improvisation; Dan Morgenstern, Grammy Award-winner, author, former editor of Down Beat, historian and IJS director for 36 years and Sheila Anderson, author and WBGO host, on where Ella fits in the tradition of jazz singing

Vincent Pelote from IJS on the decades-long interactions between Ella and Benny Carter

Tad Hershorn, IJS archivist and author of Norman Granz: The Man Who Used Jazz for Justice, on the historic relationship between Ella and Norman Granz, her longtime manager and record producer

Mike Wofford, Fitzgerald’s pianist for the final three years of Ella’s career and Richard Wyands, her musical director in 1956, will discuss her approach to singing and play examples of how they accompanied her

Phil Schaap, independent record producer, broadcaster and historian; Harry Weinger, vice president of A&R and product development at Universal Music; and Scott Wenzel, producer, Mosaic Records, will discuss getting historic Ella records out of the vaults and on their way to successful releases

Rhonda Hamilton, WBGO host, will play and discuss favorite recordings by Ella

Will Friedwald, Wall Street Journal columnist and producer of Clip Joint, will show rare film and video clips of Ella

LINKS:

LondonJazz review of Tad Hershorn’s biography of Norman Granz

BBC Radio 2 Celebration of Ella Fitzgerald featuring BBC Concert Orchestra, starring Clare Teal, April 11th.