Taurus: Ella the divine voice

If you would like to read about Kore the goddess of Spring, read my Substack here

“I guess what everyone wants more than anything else is to be loved. And to know that you loved me for my singing is too much for me. Forgive me if I don’t have all the words. Maybe I can sing it and you’ll understand.’[i]

Ella was an American jazz vocalist, often called ‘The Queen of Jazz’. Ella had a tough childhood and may have spent some time in care and homeless in Harlem. She loved to dance, a Taurean trait. On November 21^st, 1934 when she was seventeen, she entered a talent contest at the Apollo Theatre in New York. Originally, she was going to dance, but when she saw a previous dancing act, she felt intimidated, so she sang instead. Ella won first prize, but the Apollo did not offer her a week’s residency as promised, later it transpired they saw here as too poor and badly dressed to hire.

‘Just don’t give up trying to do what you really want to do. Where there is love and inspiration, I don’t think you can go wrong.’[ii]

Ella had the classic singer’s horoscope. She had a Sun Venus conjunction on her MC, that sweet and powerful voice was her gift to the world, Taurus rules the throat and voice. Ella had a vocal range spanning three octaves (D♭3 to D♭6) and was praised for the purity of tone, impeccable diction, phrasing, and intonation. Jupiter also conjunct the MC added luck (Jupiter) and wealth (Taurus) into the mix.

Mercury, also in Taurus in the 10^th shows her musicality and great communication skills (Mercury loves to network). Mercury was trine Saturn, showing her incredible work ethic. Like many Taureans, Ella was incredibly hardworking and serious about her work. For many years Ella spent forty to forty-five weeks a year on tour. Over the course of her sixty-year recording career, she sold forty million copies of her over seventy albums and won fourteen Grammy Awards.

‘She brings out the best in everybody, making everyone work that much harder to keep up with her.’ Andy Williams[iii]

Her Moon in Gemini also speaks to the voice, communication and especially working with other people. Ella was respected and adored by her friends and colleagues. Humble earth signs can elicit this kind of devotion, they work at their craft but are not showy or arrogant. Her Leo Ascendant would have helped her onstage and she certainly had a larger-than-life presence, radiating power and creativity. Her Mars in Aries gave her the courage her to be a trailblazer, she broke the mold of music in many ways. Following that trailblazing theme, her Uranus at 23’ Aquarius is trine her Gemini Moon, making her unusual, creative, and radical. Finally, she has Lilith, the rebellious on her Leo ascendant. Ella did her own thing, always, she broke barriers, she worked incredibly hard and always, she was just Ella, uncompromisingly herself.

Her debut was a piece of boldness, which paid off. On the day of the contest there was a Full Moon at 28’ Scorpio, which passed over her Mercury at 25’ Taurus, Venus was at 29’ Scorpio so her ruling planet was also triggered by the Full Moon. There was also a Jupiter Mercury conjunction at 8’ Scorpio moving towards the opposition of her MC at 12’ Taurus. I think this suggests that although she won the competition, she was denied the prize.

However, news spread about this new talent and in January 1935 she was hired by Chick Webb to do a gig at Harvard, she was a hit with the audience. Chick hired her to sing with his band and her musical career begun. In January 1935, Pluto was at 25’ Cancer conjunct her natal Saturn at 24’30. Pluto Saturn can be devastating, but it can also bring a dramatic change of circumstances. Uranus, at 27 Aries, was still conjunct her powerful, bold, Mars. Saturn at 26’ Aquarius had passed over her Uranus by then but was still in orb.

After the decline of the Big Bands Ella moved on to Bebop signing with Dizzy Gillespie and developing her scat style by imitating the horn section,

‘I stole everything I ever heard, but mostly I stole from the horns.’[iv]

Her 1945 scat recording of Flying Home was described by The New York Times as ‘one of the most influential vocal jazz records of the decade….Where other singers, most notably Louis Armstrong, had tried similar improvisation, no one before Miss Fitzgerald employed the technique with such dazzling inventiveness.’[v]

Ella moved on from BeBop to recording the Cole Porter Songbook which she referred to as the turning point in her life.[vi]It was the first time a songwriter had been the focus of one album, she went on to record seven other Song Book sets between 1956 to 1964 each one focused on particular composers and lyricists such as Gershwin, Irving Berlin and Duke Ellington (who played on the album).

‘She is amazingly creative, bringing so much more to a song than just a singer. She is a first-class musician and the most gracious person in the world.” Marty Paich.[vii]

In her personal life she was quiet and shy, with a small group of long-standing friends which you would expect with her modest Taurean Sun. Her fine Leo Ascendant came to the fore when she stepped out on stage, and she became the Queen of Jazz.

‘I know I’m no glamour girl, and it’s not easy for me to get up in front of a crowd of people. It used to bother me a lot, but now I’ve got it figured out that God gave me this talent to use, so I just stand there and sing.’[viii]

Ella married perhaps twice or maybe three times. She was reserved about her personal life.

‘I’ve had some wonderful love affairs and some that didn’t work out.’[ix]

Venus in Taurus is sensual and loving, her fifth house of lovers is ruled by voluptuous Jupiter in Taurus. Her lovers would be generous and powerful and be good to her (Jupiter) and maybe help her in her career (10^th house). Her seventh house of marriage is co-ruled by Saturn in Cancer in the 12^th and Uranus in Aquarius on the descendant. Saturn would be secretive (12^th house) and caring, Uranus unusual and dramatic. At the time, the colour bar was strong in the US, so perhaps her relationships broke some taboos. Uranus is the ruler of Aquarius would show powerful friends who were ahead of their time.

The seventh house also rules friendships. There is a famous incident concerning one of her closest friends, Marilyn Munroe. At the time, 1954, Marilyn was incredibly famous and anywhere she went the crowds and reporters followed.

Marilyn and Ella in the Tiffany Club in 1954. Public domain.

Ella said in Ms Magazine in 1972:

‘ I owe Marilyn Monroe a real debt. It was because of her that I played the Mocambo, a very popular nightclub in the ’50s. She personally called the owner of the Mocambo Charlie Morrison, and told him she wanted me booked immediately, and if he would do it, she would take a front table every night. She told him – and it was true, due to Marilyn’s superstar status – that the press would go wild. The owner said yes, and Marilyn was there, front table, every night. The press went overboard… After that, I never had to play a small jazz club again.’

This happened in November 18^th 1954. The astrology again is spot on. Mars was conjunct her Descendant at 19’ Aquarius, Saturn was exactly opposite her lucky Jupiter at 14’ Scorpio. Other people, (descendant and 7^th ruler Saturn) were lucky and expanded her world (Jupiter) bringing her more fame and fortune (Jupiter, 10^th Taurus).

Ella had the sweet-voiced Venus in Taurus conjunct her Sun, as well as the lucky, expansive Jupiter in Taurus conjunct her MC which shows a huge, international career which would bring her both fame and wealth. Music was her identity and her life’s work, but also her joy, that Jupiter again.

‘Music comes out of her. When she walks down the street, she leaves notes.’

Jimmy Rowles. [x]

This is an excerpt from my book Goddess Astrology which discusses famous women and their astrology from the perspective of the Greek goddesses. You can buy it here

Last 2 places for Greek Island Summer School, June 12th-19th on Lefkada, Greece.

The Class of 2023.

Questions Questions, Horary Astrology.

Will I get the job?

Should I buy this house?

Is he having an affair?

What is wrong with me?

Who stole my parcel and where is it?

Should I start my own business?

Did you know there was a whole branch of astrology related to answering questions? Horary astrology uses precise rules which can give yes or no answers to questions. Horary is a great tool in the astrologer’s toolkit as it provides both practical solutions and awareness into deeper motives. Horary astrology can give good timing measures, show directions, offer advice on decisions, and answer the real question a person is asking.

During the four-day course we will cover the following:

The rules of Horary, if a chart is ‘radical or not’ and what the planets, signs and houses mean. Fixed stars, important degrees, time, and distance and when a chart cannot be read.

Questions about property and houses.

Questions about theft and loss.

Questions about education.

Questions about work, career, and status.

Questions about health and which common remedies which are indicated.

No previous knowledge assumed. My classes are always mixed level which I have found an enriching format for both newcomers and those who have some knowledge as we can share not only our astrological knowledge but our life experience.

Students are encouraged to bring a question to the group which we will answer as a group. My teaching style is collaborative, there will be lots of opportunity for discussion and questions and the content will be aimed at the level of the students.

How do I book?

Often my group is fully booked, so do register your interest asap here where you will have the opportunity to reserve your place with a non-returnable £100 deposit, the balance is payable two weeks before summer school starts. The fee is £375.00.

Joanna Watters who lives on Nidri can answer any questions on accommodation and flights here and you can contact her directly at joannaw@otenet.gr. Joanna writes a great weekly astrology blog and is on instagram here.

Joanna will be teaching a course on Tarot and Astrology June 5th-12th details here If you book for both courses there is a 15% discount, £375 for my course and £325 for the second.

What is covered by the fee?

4 days of tuition usually 10-3 pm which leaves plenty of time to hit the beach later. Study days are Thursday, Friday, Sunday and Monday. This leaves Saturday and Tuesday to explore the island, book a 1:1 reading (at extra cost) or just relax.

Taxis to and from the venue from your hotel on study days.

What is not included:

Travel to and from the airport, Prevesa (PVK), we try to arrange a taxi share depending on when people arrive, the cost is around 60 euros which can be shared with other students arriving at the same time.

A group meal is organised on the first and last evenings, and optional evening meals on the other nights, average cost is 20-30 euros.