Ella's Capitol and Reprise recordings of 1967-70 are not on the same level as she attempted to "update" her singing by including pop songs such as "Sunny" and "I Heard It Through the Grapevine," sounding quite silly in the process. But Ella's later years were saved by Norman Granz's decision to form a new label, Pablo. Starting with a Santa Monica Civic concert in 1972 that is climaxed by Ella's incredible version of "C Jam Blues" (in which she trades off with and "battles" five classic jazzmen), Fitzgerald was showcased in jazz settings throughout the 1970s with the likes of Count Basie, Oscar Peterson and Joe Pass among others. Her voice began to fade during this era and by the 1980s her decline due to age was quite noticeable. Troubles with her eyes and heart knocked her out of action for periods of time although her increasingly rare appearances found Ella still retaining her sense of swing and joyful style. By 1994 Ella was in retirement but she remained a household name and dozens of her recordings were easily available on CD. Fitzgerald died in the spring of 1996. ~ Scott Yanow
--All Music Guide