Vasili Sha's video: Ella Fitzgerald Louis Armstrong - Dream a Little Dream of Me - 2018 2023 - Washington D C

Dedicated to Ella Fitzgerald Ella Fitzgerald was born 25 April 1917 in Newport News, VA. Three years later, her mother started a new life with a new partner in Yonkers, NY. Here, Ella’s growing soul was fascinated forever by the black gospel songs that she sang at the Sunday service of the Bethany African Methodist Episcopal Church. At home, she had listened gramophone records of old-fashioned Scott Joplin’s ragtime and blossoming jazz of the Harlem Renaissance whose hits such as “Dream of Little Dream of Me (1931)” she will be performing with Louis Armstrong in 1950. She has a lucky childhood: she is a good student; she has many good friends, she is dancing, singing, playing the piano, and dreaming of becoming a great jazz singer. But in 1932, on the wake of the Great Depression, Ella’s beloved mother, Temperance “Tempie” Henry, was tragically died, and all her life dramatically changed. The feeling of irrevocable loss and the rudeness of stepfather had moved her to the home, as it turned out, the unfriendly aunt in Harlem, NYC. Very soon, the spirit of the indocile, incorrigible, and creative Ella encouraged her to break connections with ordinary world of miserable but safe existence to live independently at the Negro Harlem streets controlled by criminal bands. She did not drop down her dreams of becoming “the number one” at the jazz stage. At first, it was “a street stage” where she imitated the Boswell Sisters’ songs, then her victory at the weekly Amateur Night’s contest of the Harlem’s Apollo Theater. In that legendary contest of 14 November 1934, Ella Fitzgerald reward was $25. At present time, the grand prize of the Apollo’s Amateur Night is $20,000. The Apollo was emerged in 1934 because of the radical rebranding of established in 1914 for the Whites only a “New Burlesque Theatre.” It seemed was executed for the Black only vaudevilles (burlesques), however, the Apollo morphed into a current prestigious stage of the American music with African American roots. The Queen of Jazz, Ella Fitzgerald whose dreams were beginning here to turn into reality is the most famous female exponent of Afro-American jazz of the United States. At the sunset of her almost 60-year career, she has 13 Grammy awards and sold over 40 million albums. Presented in this video song “Dream of Little Dream of Me” is a single by Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong; a jazz standard released in September 1950 on Decca (USA). The video was created with my photographs as: Raphael’s paintings: “The Niccolini-Cowper Madonna” (1508) and “Portrait of Bindo Altoviti” (c. 1515) was taken at the National Gallery of Art (NGA) in April 2020 (also, they presented in my video “500 Years Immortality – Raphael and High Renaissance – 1520-2020” -- with Mozart's performed by Russian soprano Julia Lezhneva). All other photographs were taken on June 1, at the Sculpture Garden of NGA, where the U.S. Army Blues Swamp Romp performed at the Friday’s “Jazz in the Garden” concert series, 2018. Then, the Sculpture Garden was overcrowded with happy people without masks, without keeping distance, and without jabs. All enjoyed music, fresh air, and social connections. Two years later the covid-Mafia scared the majority to death. And the concerts at the Garden and everywhere were abolished, and the Sculpture Garden was closed. The coldness of socially disconnected existence was feeling of all. However, since May 19 of 2023, DC’s summer concerts series NGA promised to come back. So, you’re welcome! ...But as it turned out you must be registered and donate. Those times of freedom are passing away. All is under the control. @vasilisha72