HAPPY HOUR

 

Happy Friday Bitches!!!! Are we glad the weekend is here...finally?!?! Just in the knick of time you ask me. This calls for some nice cock-a-tails! How about a Pegu Club Cocktail! One of the chiefs, if unsung achievements of the British colonial era was putting good gin into the hands of people who knew how to use it. And one of the results was this delightful cock-a-tail, born in the 1930's at the Pegu Club, outside Rangoon. Within a decade it became one of the most popular drinks anywhere in the world. The Mistress urges a rediscovery of this forgotten beauty, and is prepared to drink a hundred of them on the capital steps, if need be, to draw attention to my cause.

Pegu Club Cocktail

2 oz Gin, no rubbish

3/4 oz of curacao

1 dash Angostura bitters

1 dash orange bitters

Juice of 1/2 lime, strained of seeds.

Place ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Stir well and strain into a nice, chilled cock-a-tail glass.

Now, may I present two grande divas to ring in Happy Hour...the fabulous Ella Fitzgerald and the glowing Dinah Shore in this lively clip. Love this! 

Cheers!

IN THREE WORDS

In this weekly feature, I'll share a guest with you all each week, and you tell me in only three words what come to mind. 

In Three Words...

Ella Fitzgerald

Ella...doing what she does best...

ELLA-GANZA.....IT DON'T MEAN A THING

The birthday celebration week continues with Ella Fitzgerald, Joe Pass and others performing this Duke Ellington's and Irving Mills' song in London, in 1974. This live date was recorded at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club in Soho. Note the fun she makes in the beginning of the song and also while singing it. Ella was and still is majestic. She sure did feel the music and have fun. I do like her best when she is doing her jazz thing.  I would have loved to she her perform in a jazz club just once.

ELLA-GANZA...FLY ME TO THE MOON

One of my favorite songs. It's doesn't matter who does it, but Ella does a beautiful version of this. Fly me to the Moon from "Ella in Japan:'S Wonderful" With a beautiful array of pictures of the great through her life.

ELLA-GANZA- BEWITCHED, BOTHERED AND BEWILDERED

We're celebrating the first Lady of Jazz all week with my favorites!

Here is Ella Fitzgerald, with a studio orchestra conducted and arranged by Buddy Bregman, from her album "Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Rodgers & Hart Songbook" recorded in August of 1956.

FIRST LADY OF JAZZ

"It isn't where you came from, its where you're going that counts."

"The only thing better than singing is more singing."

"I stole everything I ever heard, but mostly I stole from the horns"

"Just don't give up trying to do what you really want to do. Where there is love and inspiration, I don't think you can go wrong."

"I'm very shy, and I shy away from people. But the moment I hit the stage, it's a different feeling I get nerve from somewhere; maybe it's because it's something I love to do"

"Kids in Italy call me 'Mama Jazz; I thought that was so cute. As long as they don't call me 'Grandma Jazz."

"One of these mornings your goin to rise up singing. Then you'll spread your wings and you'll take the sky.

The First Lady of Song, Ella Fitzgerald, would have turned 100 years old this year had she not passed away June 15, 1996. Also known as the Queen of Jazz and Lady Ella, Fitzgerald was born in Virginia April 25, 1917, grew up in Yonkers, NY and rose to fame after she competed in one of the first Amateur Nights at the Apollo. As her career progressed, Fitzgerald performed as a solo artist and collaborated with jazz greats including Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington and Dizzy Gillespie. Her scat singing skills helped usher in the bebop era of jazz. Later, Fitzgerald returned to more classic arrangements in an attempt to find a wider audience. Her Cole Porter Songbook and Great American Songbook recordings had more universal appeal and sealed her legacy as one of the most talented American singers. In honor of Fitzgerald’s 100th birthday, I do believe I'll sprinkle the week with some of my favorite Lady Ella songs.

Happy Birthday Lady Ella!!

Up first is Ella singing a lively Mack the Knife.....

HAPPY HOUR WITH ELLA FITZGERALD

 

It was a long day, so lets all enjoy tonight's happy hour with Ella Fitzgerald and a nice strong libation....of course.