Published on Sep 26, 2001
There were two sides to the late Louis Armstrong. There was the
public Armstrong: a smiling, charismatic, gravelly voiced singer
and trumpet player who sang memorable pop songs such as “What A
Wonderful World” and “Hello Dolly”. This is the Armstrong that most
people know.
However, there was another side to Armstrong that many people
are not aware existed: a musical genius who helped invent two
indispensible styles to jazz music: the instrumental solo and scat
singing. His early recordings as a leader with his band known as
the Hot Fives and later the Hot Sevens are not only blueprints for
virtually every jazz record that came after it, but many pop
recordings immediately after (two of the biggest singers of the
standard era, Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra, both sited Armstrong
as a major influence).
If you are looking for the genius side of Armstrong, then the CD
Louis Armstring Plays W.C. Handy will not disappoint. This
1954 album was his first for Columbia and has Armstrong and his
band, The All Stars, interpreting the music of W.C. Handy, one of
the earliest blues songwriters. Handy was still alive at the time
of this recording and visited the sessions. Armstrong rose to the
occasion to perform many familiar songs of his youth and gave one
of the most spirited performances he had ever put on record, much
to Handy’s apparent delight, and of course the delight of many
Armstrong fans.
From the very first song, “St.Louis Blues”, you know this is not
going to be a pop recording. The song lasts over eight minutes
long, starting out with a lengthy Armstrong solo on trumpet. The
first vocal we hear is from singer Velma Middleton (this song was
written from the woman’s point of view). Armstrong joins in on
vocals, and his banter with Middleton is pure delight. Then we get
solos from clarinetist Barney Brigard, and trombonist Trummy Young,
and a duet with Armstrong and Young that ends this wonderful
rendition with a bang.
While Armstrong and the All Stars show considerable chops on
this CD, it is the feeling of the playing that makes this such an
enjoyable recording. They never lose their touch as entertainers.
For example, “Long Gone (From Bowling Green)” is a humorous song
with Armstrong and Middleton ad-libbing, and Young playing jaunty
trombone passages that keep the mood light.
However, much of Handy’s music depicts the quality of life for
turn of the 20th Century African-Americans. While there is a
playful side to this CD, there is also clearly a serious side as
well. A definite highlight here is the band’s rendition of “Beale
Street Blues”. As a singer, Armstrong effectively tells the story
of life in this section of Memphis, but it is when he picks up the
trumpet that he tells an even more vivid story without the benefit
of words. His solo on this song drips with passion, and if you
doubt his genius, then you need to listen to this performance.
There are a few other songs in the same vein: with “Yellow Dog
Blues”, “Aunt Hagar’s Blues” and “Chantez La Bas”, Armstrong shows
the same degree of depth in both his vocal and instrumental
performances. At this point of his career, he did not quite have
the explosive energy he had with the Hot Fives and Sevens, but he
more than makes up for it with world-weary experience. It’s as if
he had an understanding of the material that he couldn’t possibly
have had as a young man.
Armstrong remained a dixieland musician and never embraced the
bop style that was prevelent in jazz at the time of
Louis Armstring Plays W.C. Handy, much to the consternation
of jazz critics of the day. I think history has proven those
critics wrong, and what could be more jazz than the instrumental
“Ole Miss Blues”? The band is incredibly tight, thanks to a great
rhythm section highlighted by bassist Arvell Shaw.
“Atlanta Blues” is another jazz number that percolates. This
song uses studio trickery of having Armstrong briefly singing and
scatting at the same time. That technique is old hat now but was
quite innovative for its day. Kudos to producer George Avakian for
not only his imagination, but his respect for the material and the
players. He may add some production touches but never gets in the
way of letting the band just flat-out play.
Those of you that are used to Armstrong as a pop crooner may
need a little time to get used to
Louis Armstring Plays W.C. Handy, but it is time well spent.
This is accessible music that should grow on you. Jazz fans will
love it and might not realize Armstrong had it in him. I think this
is easily a top five album in Armstrong’s long and fruitful
career.