‘Swingin’ with Strings – Ella and Louis sing Gershwin’ (The Jazz Repertory Company)

The Jazz Repertory Company is set to bring a landmark moment in jazz history back to life at Chelsea’s Cadogan Hall on November 22, as part of the EFG London Jazz Festival. This concert marks the sixth orchestral presentation by the company, spotlighting the revered vocal partnership of Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong through a program centered on their renditions of Gershwin compositions.

In the late 1950s, Verve Records, under the direction of Norman Granz, released a series of celebrated albums featuring Fitzgerald and Armstrong accompanied by the Oscar Peterson Quartet. Their third collaboration, recorded in 1959, focused exclusively on selections from George Gershwin’s opera "Porgy and Bess," enriched by full orchestral arrangements initially crafted by Russ Garcia. However, these original scores had become unavailable over time.

To restore this musical treasure, Ryan Quigley undertook the meticulous task of transcribing Garcia’s arrangements, reviving the orchestral texture that defined the 1959 album. Quigley’s work has previously been showcased in performances with the RTE Orchestra in Dublin and the Hallé Orchestra in Manchester. Now, after nearly seven decades, London audiences will experience these orchestrations live for the first time since the album’s recording.

The concert’s lead roles are performed by Enrico Tomasso as Louis Armstrong and Nicola Emmanuelle as Ella Fitzgerald. Tomasso’s connection to Armstrong is deeply personal; as a child in Yorkshire, he encountered Armstrong during a 1968 visit and shared the stage with the jazz icon during his residency at the Batley Variety Club. This unique relationship informs Tomasso’s interpretation, preserving Armstrong’s distinctive trumpet style and vocal delivery. Recently, Tomasso also performed at the Louis Armstrong Museum in New York, further solidifying his role as a contemporary ambassador of Armstrong’s legacy.

Nicola Emmanuelle embodies Fitzgerald’s spirit with a performance style that captures both her rhythmic vitality and emotional nuance. Though not an impersonator, Emmanuelle channels the essence of Fitzgerald’s artistry, offering audiences a compelling homage to one of jazz’s most influential vocalists.

The concert program is divided into two halves: the first devoted to "Porgy and Bess," while the second showcases a selection of songs from Fitzgerald’s 1959 Gershwin Songbook album, including classics such as "Embraceable You" and "I Got Rhythm." Additionally, the repertoire will feature Gershwin tunes from the collaborative albums of Ella and Louis with Oscar Peterson, alongside pieces associated with Armstrong’s Allstars and arrangements from his 1957 album "Louis and the Angels." The latter has been freshly transcribed by trombonist Ian Bateman for this event.

This presentation not only celebrates the enduring influence of Fitzgerald and Armstrong but also highlights the continued relevance of Gershwin’s compositions within the jazz canon. By reviving these orchestrations and pairing them with performers deeply connected to the original artists’ legacies, the Jazz Repertory Company offers a rare and authentic glimpse into a pivotal era of jazz history.

It is important to note that this concert is distinct from the "Swing With Strings" event occurring a day earlier at St John’s Downshire Hill, also part of the EFG Jazz Festival, underscoring the variety and richness of the festival’s programming.

While details about ticket availability and additional concert logistics remain limited, this event represents a significant opportunity for jazz aficionados and newcomers alike to engage with a seminal chapter in the genre’s evolution, brought vividly back to life in London’s vibrant jazz scene.