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  1. #1
    Suspended Smokey's Avatar
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    Smile Louis Armstrong, what an incredible singer!

    He was a guess on one of [early] 70's variety show, and sang couple of songs which blow me away. He also play Trumpet, but since he didn't play trumpet on that show, he imitate the sound of it with his mouth, note by note.

    Since I don't have any of his albums, I wonder what would a good album to get a start up on this legend. The way he sang on that show live, may be one of his live albums be the way to go


  2. #2
    Suspended markw's Avatar
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    My personal favorite is "Louis Armstrong plays W.C. Handy". I don't think it gets any better than this one. YMMV

  3. #3
    Suspended Smokey's Avatar
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    Thanks Mark. I will check it out.

    I will also be looking out to see if he got a [remaster] box set somewhere

  4. #4
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    oh yeah, I love Louis

    This guy was fantastic. He's so recognized for his later stuff but his early recordings are incredible and they're what really helped to shape jazz-to-come. (though he was influencing people his entire career) Not just his singing but the way he played. Anything from his Hot Fives and Hot Sevens is awesome though there are a number of tracks where he doesn't sing. Mind you, his trumpet playing is more than enough. Check out the opening on West End Blues for an example of that. There is a re-mastered four cd box set of all his Hot Fives and Sevens on the JSP label which is the bomb and better sounding than the Columbia releases of the same material. Keep in mind that these are recordings from the late twenties but it's the material that counts.

    Another cd which is inexpensive and is a great sampling of his earlier work is from a series of "jazz essentials" by Sony. This disc is nice since it spans a few more years and some of the recording quality was better. The series is called This is Jazz and the cd is Vol 1:Louis Armstrong. There is another cd in the series which covers his later stuff but Vol 1 has great highlights of a younger Louis. Great material from top to bottom. West End Blues is on that disc. I also love his version of Dinah. That early stuff is soooo good. This would be a GREAT disc to start with.

    Also if you ever get a chance to see Ken Burns Jazz documentary (I think it was there that I saw it) there is an awesome early film reel of a young Louis performing Dinah live in a club which is devine and I think really reveals him as a live entertainer. Fantastic.

  5. #5
    Suspended Smokey's Avatar
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    Thanks for great suggestions shaemus.

    Music of Armstrong from late twenties!! Now I definitely have to check that one out. If the materials is strong as blues Robert Johnson which have some recording from the same era, I am in. There is something magic about those early recordings.

  6. #6
    Forum Regular nobody's Avatar
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    Tons of great Armstrong stuff out there. Hard to go wrong and those Hot 5s and 7s discs are wonderful early sets.

    a personal favortite of mine is Satch Plays fats, an album of armstrong doing his versions of songs made famous by fats Waller. There's plenty of fun Armstrong vocals on that one. Excellent musicianship and great songs as well.

  7. #7
    Forum Regular Audio Girl's Avatar
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    Hi Smokey:

    Don't miss Louis Armstrong's incredible recording with Ella Fitzgerald called "Ella and Louis". Or is it "Louis and Ella". It is one of the all-time great Sunday morning recordings ever made. :-) These two had a great friendship and it oozes throughout this LP.

    Cheers!

    Ag
    "And the three gifts of moving on are forgiveness, hope, and the great beyond, After that perhaps peace can come, Peace will come." -- Mary Chapin Carpenter (2007)

  8. #8
    Forum Regular nobody's Avatar
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    Great call on the Louis and Ella. Were you the one I snatched that record from?

    That's got to be one of the best recommendations for Louis Armstrong vocal stuff, a true classic.

  9. #9
    Global Village Idiot mad rhetorik's Avatar
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    Lightbulb

    I third the Ella & Louis. Two titans of jazz together on every track--how can you go wrong?
    "...and then at the end of the letter I like to write <i>'P.S. - this is what part of the alphabet would look like if Q and R were eliminated.'</i> "


    <b>_R.I.P. Mitch Hedburg 1968-2005_</b>

  10. #10
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    yeah that Ella and Louis cd is beautiful. Like Audiogirl said, it's great for those sunday morning type of moods. Definitely more mellow than the earlier recordings I recommended but still a true classic.

  11. #11
    Suspended Smokey's Avatar
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    I don't have any records of Ella Fitzgerald either, so getting Ella & Louis album is like killing two birds with one stone.

    Good suggestion guys


  12. #12
    Forum Regular Bert's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Smokey
    I don't have any records of Ella Fitzgerald either, so getting Ella & Louis album is like killing two birds with one stone.

    Good suggestion guys
    Try this album, simply superb performance and great sonics:



    If you want an Ella suggestion, just ask...

    Bert

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