Louis Armstrong: Love Songs (2002)

Matt Robinson

Recent articles (86 total)

Published: January 25, 2003

The first thing to notice about this lovingly-crafted collection is its clarity. So much so, that listeners might be send fumbling for the liner notes to see that these tracks originally appeared not in the digital era, but deep in the analog and pre-analog days. Though some of these sides date back to the Depression, even the victrola-mono tunes seem more charmingly retro than archaic.

Next is that tone— both on the horn and on the mike. If he did not invent it, Armstrong brought "scat" to the masses and, combining this lyrical nonsense with his brassy horn and rusty golden vocal chords, revolutionized the ways of instrumental and vocal jazz, earning him at least a place on the "artist of the century" podium. Though the female vocalists who accompany and parry with King Louis pale greatly in comparison with Satchmo and the women who might have been available at the time, Armstrong’s own range shines on this compilation, from the trademark gravelly rasp of "I’m Crazy ‘Bout My Baby" to the surprisingly open matinee croon of "I Can’t Give You Anything But Love." Louis throws ina bit of Jolson-esque mugging as well on Hoagy Carmichael’s "My Sweet."

In addition to the contemporary cleanup apparent on this disc are moments of very modern tecording technology, including a two-track self harmonization on Thomas "Fats" Waller’s "I’ve Got A Felling I’m Falling" (taken from the seminal recording Satch Plays Fats). Live cuts from the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival and a concert in Milan and a previosuly unreleased version of "Ko Ko Mo" make this set all the sweeter. From the dixieland sources to the original interpretations, Love Songs draws from Columbia’s vast Armstrong archives and wraps up a brilliant career in a tidy package...with love.

Track Listing: 1. I'm Crazy 'Bout My Baby [Edited Alternate Version] - Louis Armstrong & His All-Stars 2. Keepin' Out of Mischief Now - Louis Armstrong & His All-Stars 3. I Can't Give You Anything But Love - Louis Armstrong & His All-Stars 4. Squeeze Me - Louis Armstrong & His All-Stars 5. Body and Soul - Louis Armstrong & His Sebastian New Cotton Club Orchestra 6. I'm Confessin' (That I Love You) - Louis Armstrong & His Sebastian New Cotton Club Orchestra 7. Honeysuckle Rose - Louis Armstrong & His All-Stars 8. I've Got a Feeling I'm Falling - Louis Armstrong & His All-Stars 9. One Moment Worth Years - Louis Armstrong 10. My Sweet Hunk O' Trash - Louis Armstrong & His Orchestra 11. I'm in the Market for You - Louis Armstrong & His Sebastian New Cotton Club Orchestra 12. If I Could Be With You (One Hour Tonight) - Louis Armstrong & His Sebastian New Cotton Club Orchestra 13. Ko Ko Mo (I Love You So) [Live] - Louis Armstrong & His All-Stars 14. All of Me [Live] - Louis Armstrong 15. I Didn't Know Until You Told Me - Louis Armstrong

Record Label: Columbia Records
Style: Straight-ahead/Mainstream