Louis Armstrong: Love Songs

Jim Santella

Senior Contributor since 1997

Jim Santella has been contributing CD reviews, concert reviews and DVD reviews to AAJ since 1997. His work has also appeared in Southland Blues, The L.A. Jazz Scene, and Cadence Magazine.

Recent articles (1,677 total)

Published: May 1, 2000

Louis Armstrong’s career covered many separate chapters and cemented a solid influential framework around just about every jazzman that followed. Columbia’s ballad compilation features several facets of that career and captures "Pops" in his prime. Recorded from 1929-61 (most are from 1930 and 1955 sessions), the program teams Armstrong with Lawrence Brown, J.C. Higginbotham, and later with Velma Middleton, Carmen McRae, Barney Bigard, Trummy Young and others. Billy Kyle, Arvell Shaw and Barrett Deems constituted a superb rhythm section for the trumpeter.

The album includes two slow ballads by Dave Brubeck with lyrics by his wife, Iola. From a 1961 session, "One Moment Worth Years" and "I Didn’t Know Until You Told Me" are performed with Brubeck’s quartet in support of singers Carmen McRae and "Satchmo" Armstrong. His trumpet doesn’t get a workout at that point; however, these two pieces stand out as an event tracing Armstrong’s deeper involvement in expressive vocal music.

Live performances of "All of Me" from Milan, Italy (closing out 1955) and "Ko Ko Mo" at Newport (1958) feature Armstrong fronting his sextet on the former and trading scat phrases and witty asides with Velma Middleton on the latter. The sweet trumpet sound and expressive vocal approach represented by Louis Armstrong will remain a pleasure for hundreds of listening generations to come. What makes performances such as his so special is that they appeal to such a broad audience. Rather than pinning on genre labels such as inside, outside, pre-this, post-that, classic, retro, or mainstream, the listener has only to relax, enjoy the music and remember that it’s all about jazz.

Track Listing: I

Personnel: Louis Armstrong- trumpet, vocals; Trummy Young, J.C. Higginbotham, Luther Graven, Henry Hicks, Lawrence Brown- trombone; George Orendorff, Ed Anderson, Harold Scott, Leon Elkins- trumpet; Barney Bigard, Peanuts Hucko- clarinet; Bobby Holmes- clarinet, alto saxophone; Leon Herriford, Theodore McCord, Willie Stark, Albert Nicholas, Charlie Holmes, Marvin Johnson- alto saxophone; Les Hite- alto saxophone, baritone saxophone; Charlie Jones, Castor McCord- clarinet, tenor saxophone; Teddy Hill, William Franz- tenor saxophone; Eddie Condon- banjo; Bill Perkins- banjo, guitar; Ceele Burke- banjo, steel guitar; Lonnie Johnson, Bernard Addison- guitar; Billy Kyle, Luis Russell, Joe Turner, Buck Washington, Henry Prince, Dave Brubeck- piano; Gene Wright, Arvell Shaw, Joe Bailey, Mort Herbert, Pops Foster- bass; Reggie Jones, Lavert Hutchinson- tuba; Barrett Deems, Paul Barbarin, Willie Lynch, Danny Barcelona, Joe Morello- drums; Lionel Hampton- drums, vibraphone; Velma Middleton, Carmen McRae- vocals.

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