DivaDiane SM’s Reviews > Becoming Ella Fitzgerald: The Jazz Singer Who Transformed American Song > Status Update

Argh. Another instance of the narrator and/or the producer/editor of the audiobook not doing their duty of checking pronunciations. This time mispronouncing the opera singer’s name, saying Reese Stevens rather than Risë (Ree-say) Stevens.

Oh wow. Some critic (don’t remember who) said of the news that Ella would be recording a Cole Porter songbook thus, “CP’s songs have always been distinguished by a definite measure of intelligence… Intelligence is not something to which her voice could ever lay claim”
As a vocalist, I find that particularly insulting since Ella’s voice and singing and musicality is almost 2nd to none.

Wow, this narrator is really a dud. In describing the Woody Woodpecker Song (made famous by Danny Kaye), she said “Ho ho ho - ho ho ho ho ho - ho ho” and Not with the Woody Woodpecker inflection. I mean even if you are too young to have ever seen the cartoon (or not (North) American, which she clearly is), it’s really not hard to look it up and listen. Sigh. This is not the first time.

I’m enjoying going back to listen to the recordings that are referred to. Too bad the really early ones are so rare. Hard to fine on YouTube

I love this! Setting the stage for one of the most spectacular vocalists of our time.