By a unique coincidence, the greatest of all jazz singers, Ella Fitzgerald, owed some of the greatest moments in her amazing career to two remarkable men who were both named "Cole" — the legendary songwriter Cole Porter and the iconic singer-pianist Nat King Cole. That inflection point came in 1955 with the breakthrough album titled Ella Fitzgerald Sings The Cole Porter Songbook, which officially launched her epic series of Songbook albums and the new Verve Records label for years to come. But how did this series come to be, and what led her to create some of the most popular jazz albums of all time? It's time to explore a revolutionary series of recordings that put both the songbook concept, and Ella's music label, on the musical map.

Join New York Adventure Club as we take a deep dive into the historic collaborations of jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald. In Part III, we'll explore the legendary musical combinations between Ella, Nat King Cole, and Cole Porter.

Led by award-winning author Will Friedwald — one of the most respected and widely-read historians of music and popular culture — our epic virtual experience and conversation around these jazz greats will include:

• A look at all the times Fitzgerald and Cole sang the songs of Cole Porter over a 20 year period, including the classic duets performed by the trio
• A discussion of Ella's choice of which classic Cole Porter songs from the Great American Songbook to sing, such as Just One of Those Things, Love For Sale, I've Got You Under My Skin, and dozens more
• The historic moments that took place on The Nat King Cole Show, which featured Ella several times (the only guest to be on more than once) to sing several duets with Nat
• Moments when Nat King Cole sang his own masterful solo interpretations of classics from The Cole Porter Songbook
• Which album had Cole Porter responding enthusiastically even though he was never known as a champion of jazz interpretations
• Ella Fitzgerald's long-running world tours that brought Cole Porter and The Great American Songbook to European locales including Paris, Milan, and Belgium

Afterward, we'll have a Q&A with Will — any and all questions about Ella Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole, or Cole Porter are welcomed and encouraged!

Can't make it live? Don't worry, you'll have access to the full replay for one week!

See you there, virtually!

*Immediately upon registering, you will receive a separate, automated email containing the link to join this webinar

**For the best possible viewing experience, please ensure you're using the latest version of your internet browser — Google Chrome is the most compatible. Exact technical requirements and a webinar user guide will be shared in the automated confirmation email upon registration.

***A full replay of the experience will be available to all registered guests for up to a week

About Will

Will Friedwald is a featured arts writer for The Wall Street Journal and Vanity Fair, and the award-winning author of ten books on music and popular culture, including the new Straighten Up and Fly Right: The Life and Music of Nat King Cole, as well as A Biographical Guide To The Great Jazz And Pop Singers, Sinatra: The Song Is You, Stardust Melodies, Tony Bennett: The Good Life, Looney Tunes & Merrie Melodies, and Jazz Singing. He has written over 600 liner notes for compact discs, received ten Grammy nominations, and appears frequently on television and other documentaries. He is also a consultant and curator for Apple Music.

Ella Fitzgerald Songbooks Series

Part I: George & Ira Gershwin

Part II: Duke Ellington

Part III: Nat King Cole & Cole Porter

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Categories: Virtual, Art & Entertainment