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LOUIS ARMSTRONG

Intégrale Louis Armstrong
Volume 14

Frémeaux & Associés FA 1364

 

 

CD1

1. A Song Was Born

2. Please Stop Playing Those Blues

3. Before Long

4. Lovely Weather We’re Having

5. Intro and Back ‘o Town Blues

6. Bidy and Soul

7. Stars fell on Alabama

8. High Society

9. Basin Street Blues

10. Rockin’ Chair

11. I Gotta Right to Sing the Blues

12. Dialogue (Part 1)

13. Dialogue (Part 2)

14. Interview with Louis Armstrong

15. Presentation by G. Cazeneuve & Roger Pigout

16 Muskrat Ramble

17. Rockin’ Chair

18. Boogie Woogie on the St Louis Blues

19. Rose Room

20. I Gotta Right to Sing the Blues

CD2

1. When It’s Sleepy Time Down South

2. Mahogany Hall Stomp

3. Royal Garden Blues

4. Them There Eyes

5. Panama

6. On the Sunny Side of the Street

7. Black and Blue

8. Dear Old Southland

9. Royal Garden Blues

10. My Monday Date

11. Oh! When the Saints Go Marchin’ In

12. That’s My Desire

13. I Cried Last Night (Velma’s Blues)

14. Presentation and Steak Face

15. Ain’t Misbehavin’

16. I Cried for You

17. Boogie Woogie on the St Louis Blues

18. Interview by Loys Choquart

CD3

1. Dear Old Southland

2. Black and Blue

3. Royal Garden Blues

4. You Rascal You

5. How High the Moon

6. Someone to Watch Over Me

7. Honeysuckle Rose

8. Back ’o Town Blues

9. Steak Face

10. Theme: When It’s Sleepy Time Down South

11. Mahogany Hall Stomp

12. On the Sunny Side of the Street

13. High Society

14. Basin Street Blues

15. Baby Won’t You Please Come Home

16. I Cried Last Night

17. That’s My Desire

18. Muskrat Ramble

Louis Armstrong – Trumpet, vocals

Jack Teagarden – Trombone, vocals

Barney Bigard – Clarinet

Dick Cary – Piano (tracks I/1-11)

Earl Hines – Piano (tracks I/16-20, CD2 and 3)

Arvell Shaw – Bass

Big Sid Catlett - Drums

Velma Middleton – Vocals (tracks II/12, 13, III/16, 17)

Fans of Louis Armstrong may already feel familiar with many of these tracks, recorded in New York and Nice between 16 October 1947 and 2 March 1948. Thus we reach the fourteenth volume of a remarkable series intending to present us with Louis’ complete recordings. However familiar they may be, these tracks are always welcome, as they encapsulate the Armstrong All Stars in some of their finest performances. Their appeal is accentuated by the fact that most of these tracks are concert performances, as Louis seemed to be particularly stimulated by the presence of a live audience.

The memorable elements of these performances are well known, such as Jack Teagarden’s velvet-smooth trombone; the amiable duets between Armstrong and Teagarden; Earl Hines’ classic piano; Barney Bigard’s authentic New Orleans clarinet; and Big Sid Catlett’s histrionic, unpredictable drumming. Above all there was Louis: singing in a way which was the template for many subsequent vocalists and playing the trumpet with supreme assurance. There have been critics who gave the impression that the era of the All Stars was mere entertainment (mere?) or a circus, but nobody could play trumpet like Armstrong, moulding shapely solos and reaching high notes with the greatest of ease.

Certainly some songs crop up more than once in these three CDs but they are generally the popular items like Rockin’ Chair andThat’s My Desire. Otherwise the repertoire is remarkably varied for a hard-working touring band. Highlights include Jack Teagarden’s melodious Stars Fell on Alabama, Earl Hines’ variegated solo in Panama, and Sid Catlett’s feature on Steak Face (his drum solo is different in the two versions here).

There are also announcements and interviews, some of them in French, which may be considered fairly expendable. Recording quality is variable but this is a useful instalment in a brave enterprise which should be serviceable in re-assessing the achievements of the genius known as Satchmo.

Tony Augarde
www.augardebooks.co.uk

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