Ella Fitzgerald in 1940s

Without Chick Webb, Ella Fitzgerald had to find her own way trough 1940s - somehow simultaneously she lived her biggest triumph ("A-Tisket-A-Tasket" became huge million-selling hit single) and sorrow (Chick Webb passed away) around the same time. Without him, Fitzgerald at first fronted remains of the band and than went on as a solo artist but apparently "Decca" was adamant about keeping her as a novelty singer of little happy ditties.

I completely agree with Will Friedwald about his claim that everything before and after her "Verve" years was either only prelude or afterthought.
Ella had spent her 20s and 30s singing happy little jingles for "Decca" until finally Norman Granz gave her royal treatment and only in her 40s (roughly when she started recording albums for "Verve") we could witness what incredible voice she had. To anybody discovering Fitzgerald's huge discography I would recommend anything she did for "Verve" (1955-63) first. However, I understand that curiosity might lead you to her earlier two decades to "Decca" and besides some earliest, hard swinging work with Chick Webb, Fitzgerald had tons of singles particularly well assembled on 2 CD compilation "The War Years". This is strictly for fans as there is hardly anything quintessential - clearly "Decca" didn't really know what to do with her and the music represents artist in a search of identity. There is an occasional curiosity as collaborations with Louis Armstrong or The Ink spots but music clearly points at strange phenomenon where Fitzgerald clearly enjoys and gives her best at uptempo little nonsense ditties ("Mama Come Home", "Cow Cow Boogie", "Stone Cold Dead In The Market", "Petootie Pie") but sounds uncomfortable, strained and subdued in ballads.

As this compilation shows, it is not true that "Decca" served her only with jingles - they actually gave her healthy dose of ballads (even song written by Frank Sinatra "This Love Of Mine") but on each of these ballads Fitzgerald is like frozen with awe when faced with "serious" material and her interpretation is to put it simply, mournful. When at the same time Lady Day sang "Strange Fruit", Fitzgerald couldn't muster enough courage to raise above sentimental sigh. You listen this "Decca" repertoire and there is nothing wrong with it - its simply that Fitz was so darn serious that her true spark becomes visible only in uptempo novelties. Towards the end of second CD she started to experiment with wordless Be-Bop vocalising ("Flying Home", "Oh Lady Be Good") and here she was clearly inspired far more than in her dirge-like ballads.

Contrary to public perception of Ella's "Decca" years as time wasted on peppy jingles, this cute little 8 songs album shows that "Decca" had occasionally gave her first-rate material but Fitz wasn't that hot yet. Even when she had chance to finally sing Duke Ellington, "Cabin In The Sky" or "Showboat" standard, Fitz sounded as little orphaned girl (which she was), sad and mournful, cautious not to raise her subdued voice above sentimental whisper. She was excellent on happy little ditties like "A-Tisket-A-Tasket" but give her something more serious like "I Must Have That Man" and she was just another radio voice. A lot has been written about her problems with finding the right material and supposed racial prejudice that keep her away from getting her anything sophisticated, but in my opinion 1940s were simply not her greatest years - as this sad little album shows, her fat little voice was simply not suited for ballads. Sounds fine as 1940s pop but her best work lies in the future.

"Ella Sings Gershwin" is probably the best thing she had ever recorded for "Decca" - voice-and-piano album (with Ellie Larkins on piano) where for the first time she doesn't sound strained and uncomfortable on ballads but actually shines nicely. It helps that songs are first-rate gems by Gershwin brothers and they obviously suit her fine. Not everything are ballads - Larkins sets a rhythm on "My One And Only" and "Maybe" though Fitz somehow finds something new in old standards like "Someone To Watch Over Me" or "I've Got A Crush On You". Everything works so fine here that there is no surprise Norman Granz later decided to have her recording a complete serial of  "Ella Sings..." tributes to greatest American composers. Absolutely recommended.