A Classy Pair is a 1979 studio album by the American jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald, accompanied by the Count Basie Orchestra, with arrangements by Benny Carter.

This was Fitzgerald and Basie's second studio recording after Ella and Basie! (1963), and features re-recordings of two songs from the earlier album, "Honeysuckle Rose" and "Ain't Misbehavin'. The two musicians worked together much more frequently during her Pablo years than they had during her years on the Verve label, and this album marked the end of a connection that had begun in 1957.

Reception

The AllMusic review by Scott Yanow said that "Basie's sidemen are unfortunately restricted in the Benny Carter arrangements to backup work but Basie has a few piano solos and Fitzgerald is in good voice and in typically swinging form".

Track listing

CD Edition

Some CD editions not only altered the order of the tracklist, also included two tracks without crediting them: 5 and 11. Times listed on booklets and backcovers are also usually wrong.

Personnel

• Ella Fitzgerald – vocals

• The Count Basie Orchestra

• Count Basie – piano

• Ray Brown – trumpet

• Sonny Cohn – trumpet

• Pete Minger – trumpet

• Nolan Andrew Smith – trumpet

• Bill Hughes – trombone

• Mel Wanzo – trombone

• Dennis Wilson – trombone

• Mitchell "Booty" Wood – trombone

• Bobby Plater – alto saxophone

• Danny Turner – alto saxophone

• Eric Dixon – tenor saxophone

• Kenny Hing – tenor saxophone

• Charlie Fowlkes – baritone saxophone

• Freddie Green – guitar

• John Clayton – double bass

• Butch Miles – drums

• Benny Carter – arranger, conductor

Credits

• Produced by Norman Granz

• Mastered by Eric Miller and Greg Fulginiti

References