[Dixielandjazz] favorite Armstrong recordings.

[Charles Suhor]

I haven't heard the range of Louis' recordings that Teachout has, and I  
don't like being conventional, but I'd have to vote for the the  
long-celebrated Hot Fives and Sevens where he blew everybody's mind  
with playing and singing that essentially defined jazz perfection for  
the first time--especially, Hotter Than That, West End Blues, Heebie  
Jeebies, Struttin' With Some Barbecue; and also the incredible Weather  
Bird duet with Hines that Teachout names. Louis' big band during the  
swing years underwent a critical revival after being ignored for  
decades, but I believe the revisionist praise went too far. Louis the  
fluent improviser seldom showed up in a big band setting.  I really dug  
the All-Stars Band of the forties with Teagarden, Bigard, et al.-- but  
they were past the pioneering stage. The long-range picture, though,  
was best stated by Dizzy Gillespie when he said that every note that  
Louis played was perfectly placed, the essence of jazz conception.

Charlie

On Dec 3, 2009, at 9:25 AM, Norman Vickers wrote:

> To:  Musicians and Jazzfans list ; DJML
> From:  norman
>  
> Here’s a link to NPR—Terry Teachout’s comments about Louis Armstrong.   
> ( All  of you should know that Teachout has a new biography of  
> Armstrong)  Also comments about Teachout’s favorite Armstrong  
> Recordings and some audio links.
> So—if interested, enjoy!
>  
> 'Pops': Louis Armstrong, In His Own Words
> NPR
>  The greatest jazz musician of all time started making records in 1923  
> and kept at it until 1970, a year before his death. And he didn't play  
> favorites. ...
>  
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>     --end--
>  
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