Ella Logan (1913-1969) was a versatile singer and actress who was always a bit difficult to pin down. She could sing jazz, dramatic ballads, songs in which she employed a thick Scottish accent, and novelties with equal skill. While she had a soft and attractive voice, she could also belt out songs when she needed to.
Born in Glasgow, Scotland, Ella Logan was part of a theatrical family and made her debut stage appearance when she was just three. A full-time professional at 15, she recorded with British bandleaders Jack Hylton and Ambrose in 1930. Logan moved to the United States in 1934, taking along her young niece who later became known as jazz singer Annie Ross. Logan appeared on Broadway and in films (introducing George Gershwin’s “I Was Doing All Right”) in addition to nightclubs and theaters. In 1947 she was a big hit in the Broadway production of “Finian’s Rainbow” where she sang “That Old Devil Moon,” “How Are Things In Glocca Morra,” “If This Isn’t Love,” and “Look To The Rainbow.” She continued working throughout her life including on television before passing away from cancer at the age of 56.
Alan Eicher’s latest compilation or the Jasmine label is The Scottish Volcano, a set of rarities from 1930-55. Ella Logan is heard on four early dance band numbers from 1930-31 and then in the U.S. including singing a swinging jazz version of “Ceilito Lindo,” the humorous novelty “I Love To Rhyme,” “I Was Doing All Right,” “The Curse Of An Aching Heart,” “Bill,” “Tea For Two,” “Sometimes I’m Happy,” “I’ve Got The World On A String,” and “That Old Devi Moon.”
While not all of the music on The Scottish Volcano is jazz, this set (which has 29 performances and Eicher’s definitive liner notes) gives one a strong sampling of Ella Logan’s singing talents and musical personality.
The Scottish Volcano
Ella Logan
Jasmine JASMCD 2795
www.jasmine-records.co.uk
Since 1975 Scott Yanow has been a regular reviewer of albums in many jazz styles. He has written for many jazz and arts magazines, including JazzTimes, Jazziz, Down Beat, Cadence, CODA, and the Los Angeles Jazz Scene, and was the jazz editor for Record Review. He has written an in-depth biography on Dizzy Gillespie for AllMusic.com. He has authored 11 books on jazz, over 900 liner notes for CDs and over 20,000 reviews of jazz recordings.
Yanow was a contributor to and co-editor of the third edition of the All Music Guide to Jazz. He continues to write for Downbeat, Jazziz, the Los Angeles Jazz Scene, the Jazz Rag, the New York City Jazz Record and other publications.
