THIS WONDERFUL PABLO ALBUM FROM THE EARLY 1970'S SHOWCASES ELLA'S PARTNERSHIP WITH THE MELLOW, JAZZY GUITAR OF JOE PASS - HER PERFECT FOIL / PARTNER IN A SELECTION OF STANDARDS MANY OF WHICH SHE HAD RECORDED BEFORE. THESE VERSIONS SHOW ELLA AT HER MOST MATURELY INTIMATE. HER VOICE WAS CHANGING. NO LONGER THE LITTLE GIRL SWEETNESS OF THE 50'S AND EARLY 60'S.THIS WAS A MATURE WOMAN SINGING HER HEART OUT AND SHOWING JUST ABOUT EVERY OTHER FEMALE VOCALIST EXACTLY HOW IT IS DONE. THERE ARE SUPERB VERSIONS OF 'ONCE I LOVED','GEE BABY, AIN'T I GOOD TO YOU' AND A COMFORTING 'I WANT TO TALK ABOUT YOU' TO CONCLUDE. TWO OTHER OUTSTANDING TRACKS ARE 'LUSH LIFE' AND 'YOU'RE BLASE' - SONGS THAT ONLY A MATURE ELLA COUL;D TACKLE SUCCESSFULLY. SEVERAL MORE 'CHAMBER MUSIC' ALBUMS WERE TO FOLLOW THIS ONE INCLUDING, I THINK, THREE MORE WITH PASS. THIS IS THE FIRST AND OUTSTANDINGLY THE BEST. ONLY TWO COMPLAINTS. THE ARTWORK AND NOTES ARE ALL IN MONOCHROME; ALSO, TO HEAR ELLA'S MANY VOCAL NUANCES YOU NEED TO PLAY IT AT HIGH VOLUME.