JAZZ SPOTLIGHT

ELLA FITZGERALD

“The War Years (1941-1947)”

Decca

* * *

“Best of Ella Fitzgerald: First Lady of Song”

Verve

* * * 1/2

Listen to these two reissues in chronological order--collectively, they cover the years 1941 to 1965--and you witness the remarkable growth of a truly gifted jazz artist who evolves from prodigious, semi-ingenue to a mature, commanding performer fully capable of handling any sort of material.

The first CD of the two-CD Decca set finds Fitzgerald sounding particularly girlish and innocent--her voice is bright and narrow, as one would expect from someone in her early-to-mid ‘20s. Still, she brings a remarkable sense of candor and believability to such tear-at-your-heart numbers as “Jim,” “You Don’t Know What Love Is” and “That Old Feeling.”

Though most of the 42 selections on “The War Years” are slow and--despite Fitzgerald’s consistently first-rate performances--forgettable, there are also numerous medium and up-tempo numbers that show off her dynamic capacity for swinging and, occasionally, scat singing. The latter skill is deftly depicted on two versions of what became her theme song, “How High the Moon,” a bustling version of “Flying Home,” and “Lady Be Good,” where she imitates both Lester Young and bassist Slam Stewart.

She’s in good company, too, backed by Bob Haggart’s band, teaming up with Louis Armstrong, Louis Jordan and the Ink Spots.

By the time Fitzgerald first records for Verve in 1956, her voice exhibits impressive grain and timbral color, and her renditions reveal depth and canny maturity. These 16 tracks, culled from the three-CD “First Lady of Song,” offer wide variety as she sings mostly evergreens with orchestras led by Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Nelson Riddle and Buddy Bregman and then moves into combos and duets with the likes of Herb Ellis, Oscar Peterson, et al.

Here highlights abound. “Just a Sittin’ and a Rockin’ ” finds Fitzgerald working with the wondrous wall of sound that was the Ellington band. The succulent “Can’t We Be Friends” and the boisterous ‘I Won’t Dance” are both done with Armstrong, whose voice seems to split in two: a guttural bottom and breathy, resonant top. “Detour Ahead,” with co-composer Ellis, is especially poignant. A few numbers, like “Swinging Shepherd Blues,” are hardly gems.

Still, these packages together make for an insightful introduction into this jazz giant.

Albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor) to four stars (excellent).

Hear Ella Fitzgerald

* To hear a sample of Ella Fitzgerald’s album, “The War Years (1941-1947),” call TimesLine at 808-8463 and press *5740.

In 805 area code, call (818) 808-8463.