Jazz Articles

Louis Armstrong All Stars: Live in Zurich, Switzerland 18.10.1949

by John Barron
September 26, 2008

If you're looking for a quick-fix, musical pick-me-up, Louis Armstrong is usually a sure-fire guarantee. A wonderful example can be heard in this gem of a radio broadcast, recorded in Zurich, Switzerland in 1949. Featured with the trumpeter is the incomparable Jack Teagarden (trombone) and Barney Bigard (clarinet) romping through a set of toe-tapping familiar fare.

The feel throughout the concert is loose and relaxed. Armstrong and company are obviously relishing in the enthusiastic response of the audience, who seem ...

Duke Ellington: Live in Zurich, Switzerland 2.5.1950

by David Rickert
April 20, 2008

The end of the Swing Era and the advent of small group jazz signaled the death for many of the big bands, but some, like Duke Ellington's, were able to soldier on and continue to produce some compelling work. In 1950 Ellington toured Europe to enthusiastic crowds; Zurich, where this concert was recorded was no exception. Caught between the innovations of the Blanton/Webster band and the resurgence marked by the Newport Jazz Festival later, we find Ellington taking advantage of ...

Louis Armstrong All Stars: Live in Zurich, Switzerland 18.10.1949

by David Rickert
April 9, 2008

Just how good was Armstrong's band in 1949? For one thing look at the lineup; you have some of the best players associated with him, like Jack Teagarden, Barney Bigard, and the crack rhythm section of Earl Hines, Cozy Cole, and Arvell Shaw. This version of the All-Stars, weaned on Armstrong's music, was very familiar with the intricacies of every tune. Also, the group was playing to enthusiastic Europeans who still embraced Armstrong's music as the real deal, which positively ...