Welcome back to the home of the oxymoron. Evil genius. He asked the newspaper to print his obituary early so he'd enjoy it. That's like hiding at your own funeral. Yeah, a big, great gig. I'm Russell Kane. Join me to weigh in on whether the biggest players in history are more evil or genius. Becoming that rich, I'd say that is some level of genius. It also helps that it's a long time ago, right?

It's like the podcast version of telling your kids the ice cream van plays music

when it's out of ice cream.

Listen to evil genius on BBC Sounds.

I'm Kevin Lejean.

Thank you for downloading this podcast from BBC Radio 3's Proms Extra.

Thank you for downloading this podcast from BBC Radio 3's Proms Extra.

Hello, we're here to talk about one of the great voices in jazz,

the woman who was known as the First Lady of Song,

who started her career in the 30s with big bands and helped to redefine the art of jazz singing through the finesse of her tone, an incredible scat technique.

She worked with some of the best writers and arrangers, and whether she was singing a nursery rhyme, a Broadway show tune or the Beatles, she was the voice that was easily on a par with the greatest of jazz instrumentalists.

She was, of course, Ella Fitzgerald.

The story of Ella Fitzgerald's debut in the world of music

was something of a happy accident.

In 1934, she went to a talent night

at the Apollo Theater in Harlem,

a venue with a notoriously tough audience.

But Ella went not to sing, but to dance.

However, one look at her rivals in the clothes they were wearing convinced Ella,

who was from a modest background, her family wasn't well off, that she couldn't compete.

When I saw all those lights out there, and there's no way in the world I was going to dance.

And the man said, well, do something.

...