Ella Forever: A Jazz Bomb That Still Bangs in 2007 (Yeah, You Heard Me Right)
Alright, let’s get this straight—Ella Forever isn’t just another dusty jazz relic collecting mold on your grandpa’s shelf. Released in 2007 by Universal Music Classics & Jazz, this album slams together Ella Fitzgerald’s timeless vocals with some remix magic that somehow works. The genre? Jazz. The vibe? Easy listening with a twist. And yeah, it came outta Europe, because apparently they still know how to treat legends over there.
Now, don’t get me wrong—I’m not about to sit here and gush over every track like some pretentious critic sipping espresso in a velvet chair. But lemme tell ya, two songs stuck in my brain like gum under a table: “Angel Eyes (Layo & Bushwacka Mix)” and “Wait Till You See Him (De Phazz Remix).”
First up, Angel Eyes. Holy crap, this remix is fire. It takes Ella’s smooth-as-silk voice and drops it into a beat that feels like you’re walking through a neon-lit city at midnight. Layo & Bushwacka didn’t mess around—they kept the soul but added enough electronic edge to make you wanna move. Honestly, I wasn’t expecting to lose my mind to jazz remixed for clubs, but here we are. This track punches you in the chest and makes you feel things you didn’t even know you had feelings for.
Then there’s Wait Till You See Him. De Phazz took this classic and gave it a modern spin that’s kinda genius. The bassline hits hard, and Ella’s voice floats above it like she doesn’t even care that she’s chilling in 2007 instead of 1957. It’s playful, sharp, and weirdly addictive. If I could bottle this song and sell it as confidence juice, I’d be a millionaire by now.
The rest of the album’s packed with bangers too—“Summertime,” “Cry Me A River,” all the good stuff—but those two tracks hit different. They remind you why Ella’s still relevant decades later while proving that remixes don’t have to suck.
So what’s the deal? Is Ella Forever perfect? Nah, not really. Some purists will probably cry foul over the remixes, saying they ruin the originals or whatever. But screw that noise. This album proves that jazz can evolve without losing its heartbeat. And honestly, if Ella were alive today, I bet she’d be vibing to these beats herself.
Here’s the kicker though: Listening to this made me realize something kinda wild. Maybe forever ain’t such a bad idea after all. Sure, people change, music changes, but some voices stick around no matter what. Ella’s one of those voices. And damn, I’m glad she is.
