And some would say Ella had a sweet, pretty voice that was smooth and always under control. She never seems to hit a wrong note. Sarah clearly had better range and power. As scat singers though Ella had better variety and a never ending creativity. Two for the ages, though I say toe-maa-toe.
) is a joy. Here is another of her many tracks worthy of note in an unforgettable voice and era for us old folks, when music was simple. (For the young: she wrote this about Bob Dylan...) . 
Baez list is long. Replaying her albums (on vinyl
It was such a pleasure hearing this again. Those of us who, for example, saw those 2 at Newport way back then can't help but be touched, to embrace tons of emotions from the era. In another cut from that album she thanks Dylan, "For writing the best songs". True, but Diamonds and Rust is no slouch itself.
Interesting. Some would say Sarah slid into every note and after a while this becomes monotonous and annoying. Some would say Sarah's timbre was unpleasing and hard to listen to over extended periods. Yes, I enjoy both. But for creatively, extended listening, hitting every note on the fundamental, scatting on pitch, and overall musicality, not to mention that beautiful timber, give me Ella all day. Now, if you were to say, well, although she was a great technician Ella wasn't the greatest interpreter of lyrics and in this she leaves me cold, maybe then okay.
To say the only way to compare singers is to have seen either or both live is pure unadulterated nonsense of the highest order. A recording allows you to better hear the details of the singing voice: The articulation, how they breath, how their throat vibrates, how their chest vibrates, how their voice moves air. In person you're hearing the microphone, the hall and the audience. Nonsense. Now, if you'd said Sarah was the better PERFORMER, well, perhaps. Sammy Davis Jr was a better singer/performer than Sinatra, Eckstin, and Nat King Cole combined. Was he a better singer than those three? I don't think so. But believe it or not these are two different and often disparate aspects of a singer.
Agree. A lot of them I don't find distinctive at all, but rather boring voices. But to each their own.
I saw Edith Piaf's grave when I was in Paris. A talent who didn't have nearly enough longevity.
