A songwriter's dream, Ella Fitzgerald had a way of taking even the best songs to a new level, and she clearly had a deep affinity for George Gershwin's music. Her renditions have a way of seeming definitive, as heard here on Nelson Riddle's arrangements of "I Got Rhythm," "Lady Be Good," "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off," "They All Laughed," "Funny Face," "Nice Work If You Can Get It," "The Man I Love," "They Can't Take That Away from Me," "How Long Has This Been Going On?" and the Grammy-winning "But Not for Me." With 55 tracks and more than three hours of primo performances, there's room here for some less frequently heard Gershwin, including "Lorelei," "By Strauss," "Slap That Bass," "Looking for a Boy," and "The Half of It, Dearie, Blues."

• Ella Fitzgerald, vocals.
• Jazz Manifesto (3 CDs) (71'59, 65'17, 55'20/2010)