Ella Sings with Louis Jordan

In 1934 after two years of singing on the streets of Harlem Ella Fitzgerald won one of the earliest 'Amateur Nights At The Apollo Theater'. Chick Webb offered her the opportunity to test with his band when they played a dance at Yale University and was offered to join Webb's orchestra and gained acclaim as part of the group's performances at Harlem's Savoy Ballroom. It was with the Chris Webb Orchestra she sang her first duets with Louis Jordan in New York, in 1937. In 1942 the advent of bebop led to new developments in Fitzgerald's vocal style, influenced by her work with Dizzy Gillespie's big band. It was in this period that Fitzgerald started including 'scat singing' as a major part of her performance repertoire.