Thanks, Mark and Jay for the items about the late, great Paul Smith, the most famous jazz pianist nobody (except we happy few, we band of brothers, we Ella Fitzgerald fans) has ever heard of. As Mark correctly noted, Smith was the principal pianist for Ella Fitzgerald during her ascension into jazz heaven as the greatest female vocalist — and, I would argue — greatest singer in any musical category of all time. Truly, Ella had the Voice of God.

Smith was her accompanist (although that is too modest a word) on the legendary “songbooks” cycles that she undertook, a comprehensive survey of the great American popular songs and songwriters that will never be equalled. He was also the driving force at the keyboard during what is widely regarded as the single greatest jazz vocal concert ever, and on this song in particular, seven minutes of stupefying virtuosity and the apogee of CinderElla’s vocal artistry. Listen to it, see how many musical references you can pick out (everything from Mozart to Charlie Parker) and marvel.