Embracing Ella — The First Lady of Song
Celebrating Her Birthday in Poetry and Song
RIDGEWOOD – Musicians, poets, fans, and anybody who’s interested or curious, will gather Saturday, April 27, at 1 p.m. at Ridgewood Christian Reformed Church (271 Lincoln Avenue corner of West End Avenue) to celebrate Ella Fitzgerald, the incomparable “First Lady of Song,” upon the 96th anniversary of her birth.
Singer Victoria Warne will lead a jazz combo and perform much-loved Ella hits, and poets Stanley Barkan, Tara Betts, Maria Mazziotti Gillan, and Joe Weil will share poetry. Besides these scheduled performers, there will be an open mic session for poets to offer readings on Ella’s themes of the “great American songbook,” jazz, love, and joy, and drop-in musicians are invited to perform.
A free-will offering to aid a local cause will be taken.
The event follows area poets’ and musicians’ rousing tributes to Woody Guthrie, Fats Domino, and Elvis Presley, held previously at the same church.
As with previous events, a sampling of Ella’s favorite food will be available during the intermission. This time, local Ridgewood food establishments have contributed to the festivities. While Ella supposedly loved all hearty foods, she especially loved pizza. We are pleased that Ridgewood’s own award-winning A Mano has contributed their authentic Neopolitan pizzas. Also, Turkey Meatballs from Muscle Maker Grillwill be shared along with Natalie’s Restaurant providing a tasting of Pasta Natalie.
Any chef, restaurant owner, or food business proprietor interested in participating should call Emily Rose at (973) 473-0368 or e-mailergo.therefore@gmail.com
Fitzgerald (1917-1996), a Virginia native, lacked formal training yet became the most popular female jazz singer in the nation for half a century. During her career she won 13 Grammy awards and sold over 40 million albums. As an African-American star, she broke many racial barriers during the Jim Crow era.
Background on personalities who will appear:
Victoria Warne, from Clifton, NJ, is the lead singer and guitarist for the band that carries her name. She will be joined by Damian Cremisio on sax and Andy McDonough on piano. Warne has recorded two CD albums and has performed at the JVC Festival and numerous other venues in the New York area and, most recently, at the International Rory Gallagher Tribute in Scotland. Her collaborators have included Spyro Gyra’s Julio Fernandez and jazz great Billy Eckstine.
Warne and her combo will perform Ella’s first huge hit, “A Tisket A Tasket,” recorded when she was only 21, along with such favorites as “A Fine Romance,” “Moonlight in Vermont,” “Lady be Good,” “It Don’t Mean a Thing,” “The Nearness of You,” and of course “How High the Moon.”
Stanley Barkan is publisher of Cross-Cultural Communications, which has produced 400 works in 55 languages. The latest collections of his poetry are “ABC of Fruits and Vegetables” and the forthcoming “More Mishpochech.”
Tara Betts, a doctoral candidate at Binghamton University, is the author of “Arc and Hue” and a Cave Canem fellow. Her poems have been featured in numerous anthologies and periodicals,
Maria Mazziotti Gillan, from Hawthorne, NJ, directs the Poetry Center at Passaic County Community College and the creative writing program at Binghamton University. She won the 2011 Barnes and Noble Writers for Writers award and a 2008 American Book Award.
Joe Weil is a Binghamton University lecturer and the poetry co-editor of “MAGGY” magazine and the incoming fiction editor of “Ragazine.” His poems appeared most recently in the “Saranac Review,” “Paterson Literary Review” and online Best American Poems.
For further information, photos, and interviews, contact Emily Rose. 973.473.0368; ergo.therefore@gmail.com. Photo copyright LOC.