Your Online Shop for Classical Music

Read reviews, listen to the music, and purchase the CD ARMSTRONG, Louis: Stop Playing Those Blues (1946-1947) (Louis Armstrong, Vol. 7)

Narrow your search
with our Music Browser

Classical Music

        Ballet
        Chamber Music
        Choral
        Concertos
        Film Music
        Folk Legends
        Instrumental
        Musicals
        Opera / Operetta
        Orchestral
        Vocal

Recently Released

Upcoming Releases

Special Offers

NaxosDirect Audio

Other Genres:

Audio Books

        Anthologies / Collections
        Classic Fiction, Modern Classics & Contemporary Fiction
        Classical Music Audio Books
        Drama
        Junior Classics and Children's Favourites
        Non-Fiction
        Poetry
        Samplers
        Shakespeare

Blues Legends

Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra

BSO on NaxosDirect

DVD

        Ballet DVD
        Classical Concert
        Classical Documentary
        Opera DVD
        Pop/Rock Concert
        Pop/Rock Documentary

Gospel Legends

Jazz

Jazz Contemporary
Jazz Icons

Naxos Label

        Naxos American Classics
        Naxos Best Of...
        Naxos Books
        Naxos Box Sets
        Naxos Cinema Classics
        Naxos Classics
        Naxos DVD
        Naxos DVD-Audio
        Naxos Instrumental
        Naxos International
        Naxos Jazz
        Naxos Limited Edition
        Naxos Milken Archives
        Naxos Night Music
        Naxos Opera
        Naxos Orchestral
        Naxos Samplers
        Naxos Special Release
        Naxos Wind Band Classics
        Naxos World

Nostalgia

Other Genres

SACD

We Recommend….

Essential listening

World

        Ballad
        Bhuddist
        Chinese Music
        Classical (World)
        Early Music (World)
        Folk
        Gamelan
        Gypsy
        Hindustani
        Jazz (World)
        Klezmer
        Vocal (World)
        World

Subscribe to Newsletters

Top 40 Bestselling Naxos CDs

Critics' Choice

Labels
Composer/ Authors
Conductors
Ensembles
Orchestras
Choirs
Artists
Instruments
Producers

SecurityMetrics for PCI Compliance, QSA, IDS, Penetration Testing, Forensics, and Vulnerability Assessment

ARMSTRONG, Louis: Stop Playing Those Blues (1946-1947) (Louis Armstrong, Vol. 7)

Home

Jazz

Jazz Icons

ARMSTRONG, Louis: Stop Playing Those Blues (1946-1947) (Louis Armstrong, Vol. 7)

View large image

Total playing time: 01:03:09

£6.99
£4.99 (CD)

In Stock - Usually ships within 48 hours.

Link to this CD Link to this page

Louis Armstrong, Vol.7

'Stop Playing Those Blues' -- Original Recordings 1946-1947

During 1946-47, Louis Armstrong was at the turning point of his career. He had been leading big bands since 1929 but there was increasing pressure on him to break up the orchestra and form a smaller all-star band. Satch was reluctant to put his sidemen out of work, but a series of events made it obvious to him that this change would make sense.

Louis Armstrong had already been a major jazz star for nearly 25 years and a household name for over fifteen by 1946. He was born on 4 August 1901 in New Orleans. Raised in poverty by a single mother, he grew up loving watching the New Orleans brass bands. Little Louis sang in a vocal group on the streets and began to play cornet in hopes of playing with the bands he admired. On New Year's Eve of 1912 his life changed. To celebrate the New Year, he shot off a pistol in the air, and was arrested. Viewed by the courts as an unsupervised delinquent, Armstrong was sent to live in a waif's home. But instead of treating this as a tragedy, he thrived in the disciplined setting. He worked at studying cornet and it was a highlight of his early life when he was given the chance to play with the school's band.

Released from the home after two years, Louis Armstrong worked odd jobs, befriended his idol cornetist Joe 'King' Oliver, and worked his way up in the New Orleans music world. By 1919 when Oliver moved up North, Armstrong was considered such a promising player that he was recommended for the King's spot in Kid Ory's important band.

In 1922, King Oliver sent for Armstrong to join his Creole Jazz Band in Chicago as second cornetist. Louis Armstrong was more than ready and it was soon obvious that he was surpassing his idol. He made his recording debut with Oliver in 1923 and married pianist Lil Hardin, his second of four wives. In 1924 Lil urged Armstrong to accept an offer to join Fletcher Henderson's big band in New York, feeling that he would never make it big if he was content to be someone else's second cornetist. She was right for Armstrong became a sensation in the jazz world, changing the way that most New York jazz musicians played. Armstrong knew how to use space dramatically, he 'told a story' in his solos, his phrasing was smooth and legato, he had very impressive technique and his tone was beautiful.

After a year with Henderson, Armstrong returned to Chicago where in his series of Hot Five and Hot Seven recordings during 1925-28, he recorded one classic after another, permanently changing jazz from an ensemble-oriented folk music into a solo vehicle for brilliant virtuosos. In addition to his trumpet solos (he switched from cornet in 1926), his raspy vocals featured horn-like phrasing, inventive scat-singing and a perfect placement of notes. If Louis Armstrong had passed away in 1929, he would still be remembered as one of jazz's true giants.

But he had many accomplishments ahead of him. Moving back to New York in 1929, he led a series of big bands for the next eighteen years, orchestras that largely acted as a backdrop for his trumpet solos and vocals. He became an international star, helping to make dozens of songs into standards, being a hit in Europe during 1931 and 1933-34, making appearances in a few Hollywood movies and becoming a sort of father figure for the swing era. Although his big band was never one of the pacesetters, he was the main influence on other trumpeters, from Bunny Berigan and Cootie Williams to Harry James.

However by the early 1940s, Louis Armstrong was in danger of being thought of as merely a nostalgic figure, and his big band was sounding stale and uninspired. He kept the orchestra together despite its cost, but there were strong hints that it was time for a change. At a special concert put on by Esquire in 1944, Armstrong played with combos that included trombonist Jack Teagarden and clarinettist Barney Bigard. There were a few special small-group dates recorded as V-Discs and for the 1946 movie New Orleans, Armstrong was heard with a freewheeling group that included Kid Ory. Finally, with the success of his concert at Town Hall in 1947, it was clear that it was time for him to finally give up his orchestra and form the Louis Armstrong All-Stars.

The music on this highly enjoyable collection is from the transitional period of 1946-47. The first eight selections were recorded during the time that Armstrong was filming New Orleans, and many of the players on these numbers appeared in the film. Sugar, I Want A Little Girl, Blues For Yesterday and Blues In The South are all played at moderate tempos and given tasteful and swinging vocals by Armstrong, who is assisted in the septet by trombonist Vic Dickenson and future All-Star clarinettist Barney Bigard. Endie features the Louis Armstrong big band about seven months before their final record date.

The future standard Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans was introduced in the film New Orleans(a very interesting if flawed production) as was Where The Blues Were Born In New Orleans while Mahogany Hall Stomp was revived for the picture. Kid Ory's presence on trombone gives these numbers a welcome vintage New Orleans feel.

The great success of the 17 May 1947 Town Hall Concert led to the final breakup of the Louis Armstrong Big Band. Armstrong and trombonist-singer Jack Teagarden made for a perfect team, having been friends since 1929, and Teagarden would be a major part of the All-Stars for the next four years. Pianist Dick Cary and drummer Sid Catlett would soon join the new group while clarinettist Peanuts Hucko would have to wait until the late 1950s. Cornetist Bobby Hackett and bassist Bob Haggart were long-time lovers of Armstrong's music, making this a perfect band for Satch. Ain't Misbehavin' is given a definitive treatment, Armstrong and Teagarden share the honours on a memorable version of Rockin' Chair, and Louis sings the blues on his witty Back O' Town Blues. Pennies From Heaven is played beautifully, Save It Pretty Mama is a revival of a tune last recorded by Satch in 1928 and St James Infirmary is a showcase for Teagarden. This miniset is quite wonderful and points the way towards Louis Armstrong's future.

Less than a month later the same frontline along with baritonist Ernie Caceres and a different rhythm section waxed a pair of classic titles. Jack-Armstrong Blues, with some fine Basie-style piano from Johnny Guarnieri and banter between Armstrong and Teagarden (both vocally and instrumentally), is climaxed by one of Louis Armstrong's greatest trumpet solos, arguably his finest one of the 1940s. Fifty-Fifty Blues contains plenty of the Armstrong-Teagarden charm as does Please Stop Playing Those Blues from six months later which features the set lineup of the first Louis Armstrong All-Stars.

The final selection on this collection, A Song Was Born, is taken from the soundtrack of the Danny Kaye film A Song Is Born. Louis Armstrong is joined by some notable swing era bandleaders, the Golden Gate Quartet and Jeri Sullavan who ghosts the vocal for the lead female star Virginia Mayo.

The phenomenal success of the Louis Armstrong All-Stars led to Satch becoming even more famous, prosperous and influential during the 24 years before his death in 1971. This set shows how it all began.

Scott Yanow

author of nine jazz books including Jazz On Film, Swing, Classic Jazz, Trumpet Kings and Jazz On Record 1917-76, has a website, www.scottyanow.com

---

Sugar (Maceo Pinkard–Edna Alexander–Sidney Mitchell)

RCA Victor 40-0136, mx D6-VB-2150-1. Recorded 6 October 1946, Los Angeles

I Want A Little Girl (Billy Moll–Murray Mencher)

RCA Victor 20-2612, mx D6-VB-2149-1. Recorded 6 October 1946, Los Angeles

Blues For Yesterday (Lester Carr)

RCA Victor 20-2456, mx D6-VB-2151-1. Recorded 6 October 1946, Los Angeles

Blues In The South (Lester Carr–William Johnstone)

RCA Victor 20-2456, mx D6-VB-2152-1. Recorded 6 October 1946, Los Angeles

Endie (Louis Alter–Eddie DeLange)

RCA Victor 20-2087, mx D6-VB-2190-1. Recorded 17 October 1946, Los Angeles

Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans? (Louis Alter–Eddy DeLange)

RCA Victor 20-2087, mx D6-VB-2192. Recorded 17 October 1946, Los Angeles

Where The Blues Were Born In New Orleans (Cliff Dixon–Bob Carleton)

RCA Victor 20-2088, mx D6-VB-2193-1. Recorded 17 October 1946, Los Angeles

Mahogany Hall Stomp (Spencer Williams)

RCA Victor 20-2088, mx D6-VB-2194. Recorded 17 October 1946, Los Angeles

Ain't Misbehavin' (Fats Waller–Andy Razaf–Harry Brooks)

RCA Victor 40-4005, mx D8-VC-73. Recorded 17 May 1947, New York

Rockin' Chair (Hoagy Carmichael)

RCA Victor 40-4004, mx D8-VC-74. Recorded 17 May 1947, New York

Back O' Town Blues (Louis Armstrong–Luis Russell)

RCA Victor 40-4006, mx D8-VC-75. Recorded 17 May 1947, New York

Pennies From Heaven (Arthur Johnston–Johnny Burke)

RCA Victor 40-4005, mx D8-VC-76. Recorded 17 May 1947, New York

Save It, Pretty Mama (Paul Denniker–Joseph Davis–Don Redman)

RCA Victor 40-4004, mx D8-VC-77. Recorded 17 May 1947, New York

St James Infirmary (Joe Primrose)

RCA Victor 40-4996, mx D8-VC-78. Recorded 17 May 1947, New York

Jack-Armstrong Blues (Louis Armstrong–Jack Teagarden)

RCA Victor 20-2348, mx D7-VB-952-2. Recorded 10 June 1947, New York

Fifty-Fifty Blues (Billy Moore, Jr.)

RCA Victor 20-2530, mx D7-VB-955-2. Recorded 10 June 1947, New Yok

Please Stop Playing Those Blues (Claude Demetrius–Fleecie Moore)

RCA Victor 20-2648, mx D7-VB-1083-1. Recorded 16 October 1947, Chicago

A Song Was Born (Don Raye–Gene de Paul)

Capitol 10172, mx 3426/7. Recorded 6 August 1947, Los Angeles

Disc 1

Sugar

Your name:
Your email:
Friend's Name:
Friend's Email:
Write a personalized message:

Your name:
Rating:
Title:
Review:

ARMSTRONG, Louis: Stop Playing Those Blues (1946-1947) (Louis Armstrong, Vol. 7)

£6.99 £4.99 (CD)

Reviews

£6.99
£4.99 (CD)