This Black History Month, Lorelei Piper nominates Ella Fitzgerald, and shares an inspirational documentary.
Lorelei says:
“I just discovered that this documentary about Ella Fitzgerald, called “Just One of Those Things”, is up on iPlayer https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000jr4f/ella-fitzgerald-just-one-of-those-things. I saw this in Oxford at the Phoenix picture house when it was first released in 2019 and it’s absolutely fascinating. Ella Fitzgerald is unquestionably an icon and a huge source of inspiration (and comfort!) for me. She was incredibly private about her personal life and there is only one acclaimed biography available to read (which I can say is equally fascinating). This documentary is a very enjoyable way to learn about one the woman behind one of the most familiar voices of the 20th century, and reveals quite a bit about the racial prejudices of America during her lifetime. It’s also a great excuse to listen to her gorgeous music!”