By Carlos Passage
It’s a live album from 1967 at the height of her three-year tour with Duke Ellington. “The Moment of Truth: Ella at the Coliseum” was recorded at the iconic stadium in Oakland, California.
It was a very busy period for Ella Fitzgerald, who had started the decade by winning a Grammy for her live version of “Mack the Knife.” Consequently, she found herself in high demand maintaining an intense touring schedule.
Touring with Duke Ellington made sense: not only were both stars of the Swing Era, but they had recorded two very successful albums: 1957’s Ella Fitzgerald sings the Duke Ellington Songbook and 1965’s Ella at Duke’s Place.
