Ella Fitzgerald (1917-1996)
Who can fail to be moved by the voice of this angel? Ella Fitzgerald taught me the importance of trusting in who you are, unselfconsciously. She has impeccable groove in the swing of her improvisations and handles tone with perfect ease.
Check out her renditions of Cole Porter’s Night & Day (1932) and Arlen & Mercer’s Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive (1944). She recorded songs from George Gershwin’s Porgy & Bess (1935) with Louis Armstrong – this is the best recording of the work I know of. A voice to melt your heart.