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Ella Fitzgerald: Just One of Those Things

Tracing the story of Ella Fitzgerald’s life, this special film explores how her music became a soundtrack for a tumultuous century.

Tracing the story of Ella Fitzgerald’s life, this documentary film explores how her music became a soundtrack for a tumultuous century.

From a 1934 talent contest at the Apollo theatre in Harlem, the film follows Ella’s extraordinary journey across five decades as she reflects the passions and troubles of the times in her music and her life.

Moving beyond conventional biopic, the film uses images and music to evoke the feel of those times, bringing to life the context of Ella’s unique career, featuring interviews from Smokey Robinson, Jamie Cullum, Tony Bennett, Norma Miller and Laura Mvula.

1 hour, 29 minutes

Last on

Sat 14 Nov 2020 02:15
BBC Four

Music Played

Timings (where shown) are from the start of the programme in hours and minutes

  • 00:03

    Hoagy Carmichael & His Orchestra, Hoagy Carmichael

    Judy (Remastered 2002)

  • 00:07

    Billie Holiday

    Billie's Blues (Take 1)

  • 00:09

    Duke Ellington & His Orchestra, Duke Ellington

    Diga Diga Doo (Album Version)

  • 00:13

    Jimmie Lunceford

    Harlem Shout

  • 00:14

    Louis Armstrong and His Hot Seven

    Wild Man Blues

  • 00:19

    Count Basie and His Orchestra

    One O'Clock Jump

  • 00:21

    Chick Webb and His Orchestra

    Harlem Congo

  • 00:22

    Ella Fitzgerald

    I'm Just A Jitterbug

  • 00:24

    Ella Fitzgerald

    Love and Kisses

  • 00:25

    Ella Fitzgerald

    (You'll Have To Swing It) Mr. Paganini

  • 00:26

    Ella Fitzgerald & Chick Webb and His Orchestra

    A-Tisket, A-Tasket

  • 00:30

    Sammy Kaye and His Orchestra With Vocal Trio

    My Buddy

  • 00:35

    The Andrews Sisters

    Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy

  • 00:36

    Ella Fitzgerald

    Flying Home

  • 00:37

    Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker

    Sweet Georgia Brown

  • 00:42

    Ella Fitzgerald

    How High the Moon

  • 00:50

    Ella Fitzgerald

    Isn't This A Lovely Day

  • 00:51

    Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong

    A Fine Romance

  • 00:52

    Ella Fitzgerald, Paul Weston & His Orchestra

    Cheek To Cheek

  • 00:52

    Ella Fitzgerald

    Let's Do It (Let's Fall In Love)

  • 00:52

    Ella Fitzgerald, Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra

    The Way You Look Tonight

  • 01:08

    Ella Fitzgerald

    A House Is Not A Home

  • 01:11

    Ella Fitzgerald, The Paul Smith Quartet

    Mack The Knife

  • 01:21

    Ella Fitzgerald

    The Man I Love

Credits

Narrator Sophie Okonedo
Interviewed Guest Norma Miller
Interviewed Guest Laura Mvula
Interviewed Guest Ray Brown Jr
Interviewed Guest Margo Jefferson
Interviewed Guest Gregg Field
Interviewed Guest Tony Bennett
Interviewed Guest Johnny Mathis
Interviewed Guest Jamie Cullum
Interviewed Guest Kenny Barron
Interviewed Guest Cleo Laine
Interviewed Guest Smokey Robinson
Interviewed Guest André Previn
Interviewed Guest Patti Austin
Interviewed Guest Izsak Perlman
Interviewed Guest Will Friedwald
Interviewed Guest Jim Blackman
Singer Alexis Morrast
Director Leslie Woodhead
Producer Reggie Nadelson
Production Company Eagle Rock Films

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