Ella Fitzgerald Quoted Wagner and Gershwin Mid-Solo on ‘Blue Skies’ and Made It Sound Like They Belonged There

In her 1958 recording of "Blue Skies," Fitzgerald's scat solo builds from casual to bebop-level complexity, quoting Wagner's "Bridal Chorus" and "Rhapsody in Blue" with impeccable phrasing. Here's what makes the performance a masterclass in improvisation.