Louis' Jazz [Import]

Product Description
Japanese Exclusive Release.

Louis' Jazz,Louis Armstrong,Sony,Jazz

Jazz

Music

jazz

music

Average customer rating: Bestof Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong Ella and Louis sing of life as we know it--and wow, how I appreciate the ride!!! A Must-Have (in one form or another)--but think twice. No,they cant take that away from me... 'Your Daddy's rich and your Momma fine looking'

Best Of Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong Manufacturer: Polygram Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Bebop General | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Styles | Music Swing General | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Traditional Jazz General | Traditional Jazz & Ragtime | Jazz | Styles | Music Vocal Jazz General | Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Classic Vocalists | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Traditional Pop | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Pure Ella: The Very Best of Ella Fitzgerald Louis Armstrong - All-Time Greatest Hits The Best of the Song Books Love Songs Billie Holiday - Greatest Hits (Sony) ASIN: B0000047FO Release Date: 1997-08-26

Tracks:

1. Let's Call The Whole Thing Off
2. Love Is Here To Stay
3. The Nearness Of You
4. Stars Fell On Alabama
5. Gee, Baby, Ain't I Good To You?
6. They Can't Take That Away From Me
7. Autumn In New York
8. Summertime
9. Tenderly
10. Stompin' At The Savoy
11. Under A Blanket Of Blue
12. I Wants To Stay Here
13. I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm
14. There's A Boat Dat's Leavin' Soon For New York
15. You Won't Be Satisfied (Until You Break My Heart)

Amazon.com essential recording

Ella Fitzgerald's voice was satin to Louis Armstrong's sandpaper, but when you put them together on a single song, their chemistry was unimpeachable. This disc selects highlights from the three albums they made together at Verve (including their Porgy and Bess), and adds a spiffy live track from the Hollywood Bowl. Though they don't harmonize much (Armstrong's voice wasn't built for harmony), Ella's dignified swing and flashes of teasing wit play off Satchmo's gritty, good-humored roar symbiotically. The material is mostly lightweight Tin Pan Alley stuff (lots of Gershwin, plus the likes of "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm"), and they fly it like a kite. --Douglas Wolk

Customer Reviews:

Bestof Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong.......2007-01-11

AWESOME!!!! Bought this CD for my husband as Christmas gift. We were both astounded at how wonderful this duo, the music and the sound quality are. Recorded in the late 1950's, this music is still incredible, even after all these years! The songs are timeless, the execution by Armstrong and Fitzerald IMPECCABLE!

Highly recommend this one .... you won't be disappointed!

Ella and Louis sing of life as we know it--and wow, how I appreciate the ride!!!.......2006-10-26

On this CD Ella and Louis Armstrong join forces to make an album that is pure magic. They've been lovingly teased as satin (Ella) and sandpaper (Louis, because of his gravelly voice); but no duo compares to them when they sing together. Louis and Ella obviously enjoyed making this recording; their voices are in excellent form and impart a certain sense of genuine happiness that is hard to find. Ella and Louis have voices that are rich, vibrant and full of electricity! This CD proves it.

The CD starts off with the charming and playful "Let's Call The Whole Thing Off." The album then switches gears and goes into the more soulful love ballad entitled "Our Love Is Here To Stay." Sublime! Other great songs on this CD include "Stars Fell On Alabama;" "The Nearness Of You;" "Stompin' At The Savoy;" and "Tenderly." Louis performs great trumpet solos on songs including "Tenderly" and "Summertime" that make your heart melt. In fact, every song is special on this CD; I also admire their rendition of "Under A Blanket Of Blue."

The musical arrangements are very well done. These tracks feature several great opportunities for us to enjoy Armstrong's trumpet solos.

The liner notes impress me, too. There is an adaptation of an essay by William Ruhlmann who wrote the liner notes for The Complete Ella And Louis On Verve. There are beautiful photos of Ella and Louis; and you get the song credits, too. A nice plus!

Overall, the chemistry between Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong makes for an experience that is truly in its own league. They enjoy their work and it shows. You will appreciate their energy and powerful renditions of these wonderful songs. I highly recommend this CD for fans of classic pop vocals and fans of both Ella and Louis. This is also a great budget priced CD for people who want to know if they will like this style of music.

Moreover, if you do like this CD I suggest you listen to the CD box set entitled The Complete Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong and another CD entitled Ella and Louis again. You can also try solo CDs by both Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong; they produced great music individually as well. You truly can't go wrong with this classic CD; and I hope this CD brings you the same joy and thrills that Ella and Louis communicate when they perform these magnificent songs. ENJOY!!!

A Must-Have (in one form or another)--but think twice........2006-10-14

With all due respect to some other reviewers, this is not "an album" made by Ella and Louis: it's a sampler comprising three Ella and Louis albums. Normally I would not even consider, say, a Sinatra anthology mixing three masterworks like "Only the Lonely," "In the Wee Small Hours," and "Come Fly with Me": each is a unique and integrally whole project. But I have the Ella and Louis LPs, so I picked up this compressed anthology to take some pressure off of the vinyl.

Like most "best-of" collections, it suffers a bit from uneven textures (the lush orchestration of "Summertime" seems like an intrusion on the intimate rapport established in the preceding numbers) and audio quality (variances in mics, mixing and engineering can be hard to disguise). So unless some of the tunes on this anthology seem absolutely essential, go with "Ella and Louis," if only for its more coherent, unified feel--like two supreme musical storytellers having an irresistable conversation in real time and in real space. (If you have a piano, imagine inviting both into your living room for the evening.)

Louis' meetings with Ella were his most successful collaborations with another major star (the Ellington get-together doesn't compare), and unfortunately I know of no extended, full-fidelity vinyl sessions featuring Pops with Bing Crosby. What's most noteworthy about their pairing is Ella's restrained deference to Louis, and Louis' passionate, animated trumpet solos (it was not unusual for him to "coast" at this stage of his career). The duets are at times a bit sloppy, or "under-rehearsed," especially following the trumpet solo, but the absence of polish is in this case all for the better. This is a recording about communication of the most "natural" sort, not about perfection or disciplined performance. To hear Pops singing unison, then in 3rds, with Ella on an up-tempo "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm" defies description. Simply his presence is enough to showcase Ella's grace and set us up for the sound of surprise when it's Louis' turn to sing solo.

Recently I heard a Wynton Marsalis tribute to Louis at the Lincoln Center. As fluent and dazzling as Wynton was, his performance made me appreciate Louis all the more. Perhaps Leonard Bernstein hit it on the head in his musical essay about jazz, "What Is Jazz?" Alternating between Louis' vocals and trumpet playing, he pointed out the similarity between the two, noting the hint of "pain" intermingled with the joy, or the brilliance of the trumpet sound, as evidence of the triumph of the human spirit over adversity, which might be said to be the essence of the blues itself. Fortunately, that sound is captured in virtually every note that Louis sings and plays on this recording.

No,they cant take that away from me..........2006-07-14

Sixty odd years ago,over AFN,Europe,whistles and fade outs and sometimes only very feeble sounds of the devine trumpet or,the girlish , heavenly voice kept us hoping,kept us alive in the red quagmire.The thin ray of sunshine in the deep,dark well of the *paradise.No,they really cant take all this away.Yes , we will never meet again.Soon I would not be
able to remember the tunes I loved,but,thanks Heaven,we had the chance to hear them for so many years after THEY(and many others) left us.We may get sentimental,we may feel sorry for us,but we must be happy at heart,because thanks to vynils and CDs,they are still with us and the good old jazz can still be heard and enjoyed...
Mirko J. Stojnic oldtimer682005@yahoo.ca

'Your Daddy's rich and your Momma fine looking'.......2006-05-24

The two greats the one- and- only Satchmo and the one-and-only Ella get together and make music which makes the listener happy to be alive. As another Amazon reviewer has written one feels that they simply so much enjoy making music that their attitude is infectious. The way each one of them in his/her own way play with the lyric and the music is just a delight. They've got it , in the deepest way. And they give it to their listeners with such incredible swinging lilting grace( Ella) and raspy, gravelly, charm( Satchmo) that one just loves to listen.
I do not agree with the editorial review which says that this music is 'Tin-Pan alley frill" You have some of the great popular songs here including one which is arguably the greatest, " Summertime".
These are the songs:

1. Let's Call The Whole Thing Off
2. Love Is Here To Stay
3. The Nearness Of You
4. Stars Fell On Alabama
5. Gee, Baby, Ain't I Good To You?
6. They Can't Take That Away From Me
7. Autumn In New York
8. Summertime
9. Tenderly
10. Stompin' At The Savoy
11. Under A Blanket Of Blue
12. I Wants To Stay Here
13. I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm
14. There's A Boat Dat's Leavin' Soon For New York
15. You Won't Be Satisfied (Until You Break My Heart

Enjoy.

Average customer rating: The Definitive Collection - Louis Armstrong Satchmo's second career gotta love Louis!

The Definitive Collection Louis Armstrong Manufacturer: Hip-O Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Jazz | Styles | Music New Orleans Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Traditional Jazz General | Traditional Jazz & Ragtime | Jazz | Styles | Music Vocal Jazz General | Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Classic Big Band | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Traditional Pop | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music $9.99 and Under | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Pop | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Jazz | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music All Blowout Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music $9.99 and Under | Prices | Blowout Music | Stores | Music More Titles at Least 25% Off | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: The Essential Louis Armstrong Best Of Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong The Very Best Of Nat King Cole The Definitive Collection Pure Ella: The Very Best of Ella Fitzgerald ASIN: B000CQQHFO Release Date: 2006-01-24

Tracks:

1. What A Wonderful World
2. Cabaret
3. Dream A Little Dream Of Me
4. Hello, Dolly!
5. Our Love Is Here To Stay
6. I Gotta Right To Sing The Blues
7. Georgia On My Mind
8. When You're Smiling (The Whole World Smiles With You)
9. On The Sunny Side Of The Street
10. Mack The Knife
11. Basin Street Blues
12. Someday (You'll Be Sorry)
13. It Takes Two To Tango
14. Gone Fishin'
15. A Kiss To Build A Dream On
16. That Lucky Old Sun (Just Rolls Around Heaven All Day)
17. Blueberry Hill
18. Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans?
19. I Want A Little Girl
20. Ain't Misbehavin'
21. Struttin' With Some Barbeque
22. When The Saints Go Marching In
23. When It's Sleepy Time Down South (Live)

Customer Reviews:

The Definitive Collection - Louis Armstrong.......2007-03-24

I like it very much. I bought it for the song, "Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans". I miss New Orleans because of good memories of being there and I very much enjoy his rendition of it and other songs he does on the cd. It's definitely an "easy listening" cd and that's good for me. I think it's great and recommend it.

Satchmo's second career.......2007-03-02

The songs on LOUIS ARMSTRONG * THE DEFINITIVE COLLECTION generally follow a regression from 1968 to 1938. The album's liner notes conversely provide details of Armstrong's most influential years: the mid-Twenties until his lip broke, in 1933. The writer glows about Satchmo's influence on ALL subsequent musicians and vocalists, from Benny Goodman to the Rolling Stones! Truly a hyperbolic overview.

But the music is what matters most. Armstrong adapted to the realities of losing his superhuman playing abilities by developing a more expressive style, and by concentrating on vocalization. This album documents well that second phase of his performing career. Source material is drawn from all major labels: DECCA, COLUMBIA, VICTOR, ABC-PARAMOUNT, KAPP and VERVE. Transfer quality is excellent. This collection is particularly recommended for newcomers to the music of Louis Armstrong.

TOTAL RUNNING TIME -- 75:39

gotta love Louis!.......2007-02-21

I am definitely a hard core rock 'n roll girl, and this is the first jazz album I have ever purchased...and it blew my socks off! How can you not love Louis Armstrong?!! That gravelly voice, the depth of emotion when he sings...

His music is timeless and I don't think it matters what genre of music you love, you can't go wrong adding this to your collection. After listening to this cd, I am definitely going to look at purchasing the album Best of Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong. Their duet on this cd "Our Love Is Here To Stay" floored me. Her silken voice and his gravelly one are an amazing combination.

I highly recommend this album as a good introduction to anyone who wants to get to know Louis Armstrong. I'm sure you'll be left wanting more, like me.

Average customer rating: Good Prima The joy of life! How could you not? Prima's Primo Louis at his best

Capitol Collectors Series: Louis Prima Louis Prima Manufacturer: Capitol ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Traditional Blues | Blues | Styles | Music East Coast Blues | Regional Blues | Blues | Styles | Music Jump Blues | Blues | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Styles | Music Swing General | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Traditional Jazz General | Traditional Jazz & Ragtime | Jazz | Styles | Music Vocal Jazz General | Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music New Orleans & Dixieland Jazz | Compilations | Jazz | Styles | Music Dixieland | Jazz | Styles | Music Classic Vocalists | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | R&B | Styles | Music General | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Traditional Pop | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Louis and Keely! Louis Prima - His Greatest Hits Ultra-Lounge: Wild, Cool & Swingin' - Artist Series Vol 1 Wildest Louis Prima Keely Smith Live from Las Vegas ASIN: B000002UWF Release Date: 1991-05-21

Tracks:

1. Just A Gigolo - I Ain't Got Nobody (Medley)
2. Oh Marie
3. Buona Sera
4. Jump, Jive, An' Wail
5. Basin Street Blues - When It's Sleepy Time Down South
6. The Lip
7. Whistle Stop
8. 5 Months, 2 Weeks, 2 Days
9. Banana Split For My Baby
10. There'll Be No Next Time
11. When You're Smiling - The Sheik Of Araby (Medley)
12. Baby, Won't You Please Come Home
13. I've Got The World On A String
14. Pennies From Heaven
15. Angelina - Zooma Zooma (Medley)
16. Beep! Beep!
17. Embraceable You - I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good
18. Sing, Sing, Sing
19. That Old Black Magic
20. The Music Goes 'Round And Around
21. Hey, Boy! Hey, Girl!
22. Lazy River
23. I've Got You Under My Skin
24. You're Just In Love
25. Twist All Night
26. St. Louis Blues

Amazon.com essential recording

Band leader and lounge kingpin Louis Prima will be best be known for the classic, "Just a Gigolo," immortalized by David Lee Roth for a whole new generation of swingers. But Prima's output went much further: in his day he recorded for Capitol, acted in a movie or two, even owned a golf course. Prima's genius is infectious: lounge, swing, and Dixieland all fuse together into medleys that are fun, dance-worthy, and upbeat. Prima's duets with Keely Smith are the obvious highlights here: "That Ol' Black Magic," "Hey Boy! Hey Girl!," and "I've Got You Under My Skin" are essential Prima tracks. Sure, the cheese factor occasionally runs high, but it is a fun trip. --Jason Verlinde

Customer Reviews:

Good Prima.......2007-07-04

This is a good collection of the best hits of the unique Louis Prima with his very special Italian-jazzy style.

The joy of life!.......2007-05-31

This disk rocks, and is packed with great, upbeat music. It brims with humor and spirit. Even though it runs for well over an hour, I feel let down when it's over.

Unlike many of the people who have posted here before me, I have no particular interest in the swing revival, and I did not come across Louis Prima via Brian Setzer. Brian Setzer is, however, as good a link to Louis Prima as any. Prima was a mysterious figure who played heavily in the otherwise fictional 50's period Italian food film "Big Night" (1996). Intrigued, I bought this disk after seeing "Big Night" in the theatre.

The song "Beep Beep" is dated and corny, but it differs from the rest of the disk only in its space-age subject matter and "otherworldly" slide-guitar sound effects. It was topical during the late-50's space race. Everything else holds up perfectly well over 40-plus years.

Prima's band is tight, yet spontaneous and not sterile. He has a great onstage comic rapport with cohort Sam Butera, and also with his then-wife and straight-woman Keely Smith.

An example from "Embraceable You" --

Keely (singing): "Why don't you come and get your baby-do..."

Louis (aside to the audience): "Call from 'The Point'."

This disk is a must for any non-classical music lover with a pulse. This is in my top 5 CD's, out of perhaps 400 I own, and is certainly a "desert island disk." Deservedly, almost everyone on this page has given it 5 stars. It doesn't get any better than this, kids. (Adapted from my review of 10/27/1999.)

How could you not?.......2007-05-28

This is classic and cool. Reminds me of the jungle book! Highly recommended

Prima's Primo.......2007-03-10

A Baby Boomer like myself might have first thought that Louis Prima was too square. But I thought I would try his music and I liked it! I was aware of his catalog by current artists who had covered him (Van Morrison, Brian Setzer). I found the songs to be an entertaining,"retro" experience. I enjoyed the different vocal styles with Prima's Louie Armstrong-type voice and Keely Smith's crystal clear vocalizing. I loved the sophisticated, syncopated big band instrumental sound. And at a bargain price. I definitely recommend it!

Louis at his best.......2007-02-21

Amazing CD- excellent arrangements performed by a master musician and showman- his songs still work today - most recently in a GAP TV commercial.

Especially like Just a Gigolo and That Old Black Magic which are classics.

Average customer rating: What A Wonderful World, Louis Armstrong My Twins Song what a wonderful world A Wonderful CD! Great Recording!

What a Wonderful World Louis Armstrong Manufacturer: Verve ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Jazz | Styles | Music Traditional Jazz General | Traditional Jazz & Ragtime | Jazz | Styles | Music Vocal Jazz General | Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Traditional Pop | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music Verve | Verve Music Group | Specialty Stores | Music $9.99 and Under | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Pop | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Jazz | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music All Blowout Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music $9.99 and Under | Prices | Blowout Music | Stores | Music More Titles at Least 25% Off | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: What a Wonderful World (Jean Karl Books) 16 Most Requested Songs Louis Armstrong - All-Time Greatest Hits Best Of Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong The Essential Louis Armstrong ASIN: B000003N4G Release Date: 1996-02-27

Tracks:

1. What A Wonderful World
2. Cabaret
3. The Home Fire
4. Dream A Little Dream Of Me
5. Give Me Your Kisses
6. Sunshine Of Love
7. Hello Brother
8. There Must Be A Way
9. Fantastic, That's You
10. I Guess I'll Get The Papers And Go Home
11. Hellzapoppin'

Album Description

MCA. 1988.

Customer Reviews:

What A Wonderful World, Louis Armstrong.......2007-03-08

Delivered within a timely period. CD in really good condition upon arrival. Thanks.

My Twins Song.......2007-01-23

I love this CD. My Father in law would sing this to my tiny twins while in the hospital & then onto when they came home & everyday he would hear it on the radio & just ring our phones & let it play thru the speakers. My Babies would be Fussy or crying & as soon as i turn this song on you would hear nothing absolutely nothing!!! After searching for the cd we found it & was given to him for a christmas gift however he didn't get to hear it he passed away on christmas day morning so unfotunately now that cd has been put! We all miss him dearly & know that he is in a better place & is watching over us right now!!!

what a wonderful world.......2007-01-13

Louis Armstrong reminds us through his voice what a simple and wonderful world we once had. This record is a classic - will never fade. Even my 6 year old son liked it.

A Wonderful CD!.......2007-01-03

You can't go wrong with a collection of songs by Louis Armstrong. What a Wonderful World, Dream a Little Dream of Me, Cabaret were the most familiar to me; but even those I did not know are great.

Great Recording!.......2006-11-06

Quality of the recording is excellent. Captures the essence of Louis Armstrong. We have enjoyed listening to it.

Average customer rating: Ella Fitzgerald and Louie Armstrong The greatest A work of art... check out the thrift stores for mono vinyl Ella and Louis create music that is thoughtful, strong and satisfying!

Ella and Louis Ella Fitzgerald , and Louis Armstrong Manufacturer: Polygram Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Jazz | Styles | Music Swing General | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Traditional Jazz General | Traditional Jazz & Ragtime | Jazz | Styles | Music Vocal Jazz General | Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Traditional Pop | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music Pop | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Jazz | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music All Blowout Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music More Titles at Least 25% Off | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Ella & Louis Again (Dig) Sarah Vaughan W/ Clifford Brown Miles Ahead John Coltrane & Johnny Hartman Getz/Gilberto ASIN: B00004RD5E Release Date: 2000-03-07

Tracks:

1. Can't We Be Friends?
2. Isn't This A Lovely Day?
3. Moonlight In Vermont
4. They Can't Take That Away From Me
5. Under A Blanket Of Blue
6. Tenderly
7. A Foggy Day
8. Stars Fell On Alabama
9. Cheek To Cheek
10. The Nearness Of You
11. April In Paris

Amazon.com

What we have here is the mating of honey and molasses. Or is it the sound of melted butter over gravel? Never mind--sweeter, more joyous music has never been recorded (although the follow-up, Ella and Louis Again, may be even better). You can't listen to these two without smiling. It's such an inevitable pairing that you wonder what titanic forces of nature could have kept Ella and Satchmo apart until they made this record together in 1957, accompanied by the Oscar Peterson trio and Buddy Rich on drums. The songs are standards--extraordinary standards, of course, like "Moonlight in Vermont" and "A Foggy Day"--but nirvana is reached on "Cheek to Cheek." Heaven. --Jim Emerson

Customer Reviews:

Ella Fitzgerald and Louie Armstrong.......2007-02-24

Marvelous! The two artists together exceeded my expectations. I strongly recommend the CD to anyone who loves music!

The greatest .......2007-01-22

Mr. Jazz and the greatest feminine jazz vocalist sing together. Satchmo plays and Ella lilts , and there is such joy and fun in their singing. Both of them gravelly Louie and pure chrystalline Ella give the lyrics of these great songs their full due. One feels them both enjoying what they are doing, and inspired by each other's presence. Perhaps there is even a certain edge of rivalry at some point, the greatest meeting the greatest to see who the greatest really is.
What there is though and Louis also does on his great trumpet solos is the best popular music there is.

A work of art..........2006-12-08

This is pure perfection. This is what music is supposed to sound like. It is a spectacular work of art and mere words can't do it justice. I have listened to this album over and over again and never tire of it. Lady Ella and Pops are legends and this legendary meeting between the two not only lived up to everyone's expectations, it actually exceeded them! This is not music that 'grows' on you. This is music that from the moment you hear it you're hooked! It is not just about the two superstars and their unique albeit completely different voices which together create magic. It is also about the legends behind them as well -Oscar Peterson's trio and Buddy Rich on the drums. Not too shabby to say the least. I'm mean seriously folks, how can this be anything but great?

check out the thrift stores for mono vinyl.......2006-11-09

this album has been one of my all time favourites for more than two decades. i have several LP pressings of Ella And Louis. a couple of weeks ago i bought the CD for those moments when i'm too lazy to flip records. yesterday i played the CD for the first time. oh boy. yes, i did tap my feet. and yes, i did grin. but i missed that feeling of intimacy, of that just-feeling-good-feeling that usually sets in the very latest after 2 minutes into this record on vinyl. to make sure i was not hallucinating, i put the LP on the turntable. oh my... the LP sounds so much more immediate and intimate at the same time, i actually get a feeling of being there with them in the studio whereas with the CD (as well as the CD is remastered!) i feel like listening to the two performing. it's hard to put in words how the two formats differ. but the differences are not subtle. and i'm not talking audiophile BS! (i'm waaay past the format war; i listen to CDs as well as to LPs. both have their merits. usually the differences are much less prominent than with this record.)

so here's my advice to all of you still in possession of a turntable: by all means try to find this LP in garage sales, thrift stores, internet auctions and what not. you'll be rewarded with cracks, pops etc, but you won't notice them. no need to buy the pricey audiophile LP-reissues! you will notice, that ella's voice has more nuances and her phrasing is more precise on the LP compared with the CD. could it be that some music is just not made to be digitized?! (just as some cover art is not made to be shrunk to jewel case size - looking at the hilarious picture of ella and louis on a 12" LP cover and on a CD booklet is like day and night!)

i'm sure you can find the LP of Ella And Louis somewhere in your neighborhood or in your nearest thrift store for very little $. if you don't have a record player (anymore) ... hmm ... this LP alone would be more than a good reason to buy one!

last, not least: Ella And Louis was recorded in mono. i have several verve stereo LPs and one original mono pressing. if you find a mono version of the LP, grab it, hold it and don't never let it out of your hands. it SMOKES all (electronically enhanced?) stereo issues. the mono version is so much more open, transparent, direct, intense and natural. i hesitate to use the word, but the early red/yellow label verve mono LP is more organic than all later (re)issues. definitely worth looking for!

it seems to me that the newer the record format, the less intimate this recording becomes. the early mono pressings are better than the stereo LPs, and vintage stereo LPs imho are better than all audiophile LP reissues. (remember, stereo was invented, but not yet commercialized in 1956!) there are several CD masterings, and i also have a SACD of Ella and Louis. the two digital formats are ok, but sound somewhat veiled and slightly metallic compared to the LPs. (and when will Ella And Louis be reissued on DVD-A with 24 bit/192khz? this might be a worthy contender of the LP.)

to sum it up: try to find Ella And Louis on vinyl even if you have the CD. i'mm pretty sure, the rave reviews here on amazon of this one of a kind-recording would even be more enthousiastic, had the reviewers heard the LP... ;-)

Ella and Louis create music that is thoughtful, strong and satisfying!.......2006-10-28

Ella and Louis worked hard to produce this album in 1956; and today many fans of this music still marvel at its beauty. Their voices rich, vibrant and energetic as ever, Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong were a duo that remains incomparable. This CD proves it.

Although the CD starts off with the playful "Can't We Be Friends," most of the music on this CD has a slow, relaxed and pensive feel to it that is remarkable. I love their romantic renditions of "Moonlight In Vermont;" "They Can't Take That Away From Me;" "Tenderly" and "Cheek To Cheek." Moreover, they perform very gracefully on "Stars Fell On Alabama." The CD ends with the classic ballad "April In Paris."

I initially thought the CD was too slow and I was not sure if I liked the album. However, the second time I listened I felt more comfortable with the pace. After I listened to the CD the third time I finally understood the importance of the "slower" feel to the songs. The songs become much more romantic, pensive and substantial at this pace.

The liner notes include the original notes from the LP release of this album; and there are nice photos of Ella and Louis on the reverse of the liner notes. In fact, the cover photo of Ella and Louis is my favorite of them together. Ella and Louis appear warm, friendly and approachable--and that's precisely the way the entire album comes across once you get into its "slower" pace. Very clever!

Overall, this is an excellent CD for fans of classic vocals, jazz, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, and duets. It is affordable so it is also a great way to find out if you'll like this kind of music. The quality of the sound is excellent.

Highly recommended! ENJOY!!!

Average customer rating: Wonderful Collection Pops-- The king of jazz trumpet Fabulous What a wonderful world A Drop in the Ocean...

The Essential Louis Armstrong Louis Armstrong Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Jazz | Styles | Music New Orleans Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Traditional Jazz General | Traditional Jazz & Ragtime | Jazz | Styles | Music Vocal Jazz General | Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Classic Vocalists | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Traditional Pop | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music Musicals | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: The Definitive Collection The Hot Fives & Sevens The Essential Duke Ellington Louis Armstrong - All-Time Greatest Hits Best Of Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong ASIN: B0002JE8WU Release Date: 2004-08-03

Tracks:

1. Sugar Foot Stomp
2. Cake Walking Babies (From Home)
3. Pickin' On Your Baby
4. Heedie Jeebies
5. Willie The Weeper
6. Potato Head Blues
7. West End Blues
8. Basin Street Blues
9. Beau Koo Jack
10. St. James Infirmary
11. Tight Like This
12. I Can't Give You Anything But Love
13. Ain't Misbehavin'
14. Black And Blue
15. That Rhythm Man
16. St. Louis Blues
17. Bessie Couldn't Help It
18. I'm Confessin'

Tracks:

1. Memories Of You
2. Shine
3. Walkin' My Baby Back Home
4. Blue Again
5. You Rascal You
6. When It's Sleepytime Down South
7. Lazy River
8. Star Dust
9. Georgia On My Mind
10. Shadrack
11. On The Sunny Side Of The Street
12. When The Saints Go Marching In
13. Rockin' Chair
14. Blueberry HIll
15. Mack The Knife
16. Aunt Hagar's Blues
17. Honeysuckle Rose
18. A Fine Romance
19. What A Wonderful World

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful Collection.......2007-05-13

The sound quality is excellent and it is a fabulous selection of his music. Would recommend to new or old fans of Louis Armstrong.

Pops-- The king of jazz trumpet.......2007-03-02

THE ESSENTIAL LOUIS ARMSTRONG is a sweeping overview of THE most influential jazz musician of the 20th Century. Disc one contains Armstrong's New Orleans-styled electrical recordings of the late '20's (note that he had made some acoustic horn stuff prior), while the second CD continues the early sides until midway through, and then offers brief glimpses of Satchmo's career from 1938 to '67.

To mention a single outstanding example, Armstrong's early beautiful tone is clearly evident on his trumpet intro to 1928's "West End Blues," as is his fine scat voice. Beyond that track, all of disc one is certain to be a revelation to those only familiar with Louis' "Hello Dolly" pop-type tunes.

Mastering of the antique 78s in particular is remarkable-- they all sound great! THE ESSENTIAL LOUIS ARMSTRONG is a set that belongs in everyone's collection, not just jazz afficionados. Buy with confidence!

TOTAL RUNNING TIMES --
DISC ONE -- 57:53
DISC TWO -- 63:33

Fabulous.......2007-01-09

This CD package is absolutely wonderful. It came quickly, and I could not have been more pleased with it. Thank you!

What a wonderful world .......2006-12-24

I am not an expert on any kind of music, but like so many others I have long loved the sound of Satchmo. The purity of the horn , the raspy catchy voice, the soul. Satchmo is himself bound up with the Birth of the Blues but one of the things that most gets me is the optimism, and love of life in his music. When he plays and sings 'What a wonderful world' you believe it.

A Drop in the Ocean..........2006-01-24

...of what constitutes Louis' career, so it's hard for it to earn its "Essential" appellation, but still, it's hard to go wrong with this -while you're listening to it, every cut sure seems essential. Some listeners, used to recordings of more recent vintage may be shocked at how lo fi some of this is, but still, I think they'll be able to get past that...Wonderful and beautiful stuff from one of the alltime if not THE alltime, American immortals...

ps - Be sure and pick up LA's collaborations with Ella Fitzgerald: "Ella and Louis" and "Ella and Louis Again" - they are sublime and transcendant.

Average customer rating: Absolutely peerless once-in-a-lifetime greatness We love this album Simply great Porgy and Bess

Porgy & Bess Ella Fitzgerald , and Louis Armstrong Manufacturer: Polygram Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Gershwin | Gershwin, George | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Styles | Music Swing General | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Traditional Jazz General | Traditional Jazz & Ragtime | Jazz | Styles | Music Vocal Jazz General | Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Modern & 20th Century | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music English | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Classic Vocalists | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Traditional Pop | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Porgy and Bess Gershwin: Porgy & Bess [With Members of the Original Cast] Porgy & Bess: High Performance George Gershwin - Porgy & Bess / Trevor Nunn · Sir Simon Rattle · W. White · C. Haymon · Glyndebourne Opera Ella & Louis Again (Dig) ASIN: B0000046Z5 Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

1. Overture
2. Summertime
3. I Wants To Stay Here
4. My Man's Gone Now
5. I Got Plenty O'Nuttin'
6. Buzzard Song
7. Bess, You Is My Woman Now
8. It Ain't Necessarily So
9. What You Want Wild Bess?
10. A Woman Is A Sometime Thing
11. Oh, Doctor Jesus
12. Medley: Here Come De Honey Man/Crab Man/Oh, Deh's So Fresh And Fine (Strawberry Woman)
13. There's A Boat Dat's Leavin' Soon For New York
14. Bess, Oh Where's My Bess
15. Oh Lawd, I'm On My Way

Amazon.com

Getting the two most personable voices in jazz to sing an hour's worth of George Gershwin's opera Porgy & Bess (Ella doing all the female parts, Satchmo all the male) was a good idea, but not quite as great as it sounded. Armstrong savors the down-and-dirty Charlestonisms that inspired the cadences of the music and lyrics, and they fit his happy rasp like an old shoe; Fitzgerald, conversely, sounds almost prissy every time she has to sing the word "ain't," though her melodic genius gets Gershwin's bold, supple tunes over. The arrangements are full-throttle Broadway, with a few leaps into Dixieland (including some fine Armstrong trumpet solos), but the disc works best when the vocalists break character and let their jazz side out. --Douglas Wolk

Customer Reviews:

Absolutely peerless.......2006-11-17

"Porgy and Bess" has just opened (with some controversy) in London's West End, though as a musical and not as an opera as it was originally conceived. Reviews have been promising and I aim to go down and see it soon. I decided to listen to this CD to put myself in the mood. I hadn't listened to it for years and I'd completely forgotten how good it actually is. Ella's voice blends with Louis' perfectly and Russell Garcia's orchestration gives them a dreamy landscape to perform against. I have one or two other CDs by Louis and Ella but this one is by far my favourite. The CD opens with "Overture" and its orchestral performance of classics like "Summertime", "I Wants To Stay Here", "I Got Plenty O' Nuttin'" and "It Ain't Neccessarily So" set the tone nicely, leaving one ever so keen for the vocal versions. Louis Armstong has a very rough tone to his voice but the emotion he packs with it is moving, most especially on the mournful "Bess, Oh Where's My Bess?" And we get all this and Louis' wonderful trumpet playing too?

Gershwin and Gershwin must be among the top composers of the last century and this opera showcases their talents more than anything I've heard. Ella and Louis are peerless as a vocal duo and though I doubt the West End performance will capture the magic in the same way they did, I still remain very keen to go see it. Is it opera or is it a jazz performance? I don't really know. I just know that I love it. And strongly recommend it.

once-in-a-lifetime greatness.......2006-10-06

Two thousand five hundred musicians have recorded "Summertime" --- it's a classic. (I bet most Americans can name Janis Joplin and no other singer.) As for "Porgy and Bess," the folk opera from which "Summertime" springs, it's such a classic that it's hard to believe anyone ever had a harsh word to say about it.

But after its premiere in 1935, no less than Duke Ellington said, "It has grand music and a swell play, but the two didn't go together. It does not use the Negro musical idiom --- the times are here to debunk Gershwin's lampblack Negroisms."

A quarter of a century later, the producers of the film version had trouble assembling a cast. Harry Belafonte rejected their offer to play Porgy. Sidney Poitier took the part --- and wished he hadn't. Poitier later wrote that the movie insulted black people; when he chose clips of his best performances for his tribute at the American Film Institute, he picked nothing from "Porgy and Bess."

And in 1985, when Grace Bumbry was a sensation as Bess in a Metropolitan Opera production, she slammed the opera: "I thought it beneath me, I felt I had worked far too hard, that we had come far too far to have to retrogress to 1935."

All that may be. All I know is that I have, in a long life, rarely been confronted with more genius than in the Fitzgerald/Armstrong recording of "Porgy & Bess." Set aside the achievement of George and Ira Gershwin in transforming DuBose Heyward's novel into a folk opera. Let's just focus on Armstrong and Fitzgerald, who were at the peak of their popularity when this record was made in 1957.

"Summertime" --- the first song --- sets the tone. A baleful horn figure, then violins. And then Armstrong's trumpet: slow, steady, dignified. But wait --- here comes a slurred note. And a cool little improvisation. Just enough of each. Very tasty.

Fitzgerald sings a verse. She is cool and formal. A lady. Not to be taken lightly. Now it's Armstrong's turn. Tender, but let's not kid ourselves --- this is not singing as others define it. This is melodic speech: rough, gutteral. And thus he is ideally cast: His Porgy may have his charms, but he'll have to stretch to keep Bess.

And so it goes throughout the CD. Trumpet mastery --- Armstrong has dazzling control. His tone is bright, but never shrill; there's a warmth in his playing no one else could produce. And Fitzgerald is just a study in inevitability; to hear her is to wonder how anyone could sing these songs any other way.

"I Got Plenty O' Nuttin'." "Bess, You Is My Woman Now." "A Woman Is a Sometime Thing." "There's a Boat Dat's Leavin' Soon for New York." "Bess, Oh Where's My Bess?" "Oh Lawd, I'm on My Way."

All brilliantly conceived, orchestrated and recorded.

The greatest trumpet player in this history of jazz.

The father of scat singing.

The queen of the jazz vocal.

There are no-brainers, and then there is this Ella Fitzgerald-Louis Armstrong collaboration --- music that imprints on your soul.

We love this album.......2006-08-22

We hope they will someday bring this beautiful story back to the stage

Simply great.......2006-03-04

The fusion between the great two voices and the orchestra is just brilliant. Very good brass and violins that accompany Fitzeralds and Armstrongs magic voices leaves you with your mouth open.

A must have for everyone!

Porgy and Bess.......2005-10-14

Could not find this anyway locally. It is a great recording

Average customer rating: The Complete Piano Music of Scott Joplin Another Performer Rewrites Joplin's Masterpieces complete piano music of Scott Joplin on 4 CD's Ragtime Marvel Complete, but poor quality

Complete Piano Music of Scott Joplin Manufacturer: Compendia ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music Serenades & Divertimentos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music | Divertimentos Intermezzos | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Marches | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Styles | Music New Orleans Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Classical | Box Sets | Stores | Music Similar Items: Scott Joplin: Piano Rags The Greatest Ragtime of the Century The Sting: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Rags to Riches: The Essential Hits of Scott Joplin Joplin - Complete Rags for Piano (Schirmer's Library of Musical Classics) Vol. 2020 ASIN: B000003QWN Release Date: 1997-01-28

Tracks:

1. The Crush Collision March
2. Combination March
3. Harmony Club Waltz
4. Original Rags
5. Maple Leaf Rag
6. Swipesy Cakewalk
7. Reacherine Rag
8. Sunflower Slow Drag
9. The Augustan Club Waltz
10. The Easy Winners
11. Cleopha
12. A Breeze From Alabama
13. Elite Syncopations

Tracks:

1. The Entertainer
2. The Strenouous Life
3. March Majestic
4. Something Doing
5. Weaping Willow
6. Patr Leaf Rag
7. The Favorite
8. The Sycamore
9. The Cascades
10. The Chysanthemum
11. Bethena
12. Bink's Waltz
13. The Rosebud March

Tracks:

1. Leola
2. Eugenia
3. Antoinette
4. The Ragtime Dance
5. Searchlight Rag
6. Gladiolus Rag
7. Lily Queen
8. Rose Leaf Rag
9. Heliotrope Bouquet
10. The Nonpareil
11. Fig Leaf Rag
12. Sugarcane
13. Pineapple Rag

Tracks:

1. Wall Street Rag (1909)
2. Solace (1909)
3. Pleasant Moments (1909)
4. Country Club (1909)
5. Euphonic Moments (1909)
6. Paragon Rag (1909)
7. Stop-Time Rag (1910)
8. Felicity Rag (1911)
9. Scott Joplin's New Rag (1912)
10. Kismet Rag (1913)
11. Magnetic Rag (1914)
12. Reflection Rag (1917)
13. Silver Swan Rag (1917)

Customer Reviews:

The Complete Piano Music of Scott Joplin.......2007-06-08

John Arpin does a great job with these pieces. The songs carry a consistent sound and are played very close to as-written, which comes and goes with old ragtime pieces. The stamping on Stop-Time Rag doesn't have a consistent sound to it, can be a little distracting. Everything else is great, overall I think that it's a great buy, I'm very happy with it.

Another Performer Rewrites Joplin's Masterpieces.......2007-05-31

Once again, another performer feels the need to rewrite the music of the King of Ragtime. Scott Joplin spins in his grave each and every time this recording is played.

Again, to those who believe that concert music is meant to be rewritten by each and every performer I ask, is the same treatment also acceptable for Chopin's and Rachmaninoff's music? Would "Moonlight Sonata" sound better if played at twice the tempo and with a reprise of the first Adagio movement thrown in at the end? Obviously, the answer to these questions is a resounding NO!, so why does one of America's greatest composers get such disrespect?

Interpretation is an integral part of every performance. Adding one's own notes, phrases and chords where none should be is not. Randomly changing the structure of the piece is not. Playing a piece at twice the indicated tempo is not.

One the plus side, the depth of this collection is outstanding. Joplin's lesser known pieces like "Harmony Club Waltz" really shine. The recording is decent in quality, although a bit bassy in places.

While its been stated before, I feel its worth repeating: Buy Joshua Rifkin's performances of Joplin in order to hear how the Master intended his pieces to sound.

complete piano music of Scott Joplin on 4 CD's.......2007-02-14

Although all of the music is terrific it is rather a lot of a similar sound. I think I would have preferred 2 CD's of selected piano works of Scott Joplin. But I did get the music at a good price.

Ragtime Marvel.......2005-10-09

This collection of Scott Joplin's piano music is outstanding. As a lover of ragtime which was a prelude to jazz, I am thoroughly enjoying this collection. If you are not a lover of jazz, you may be a lover of ragtime. Jazz can sometimes be grating on the nerves, whereas ragtime lifts the spirit.

Complete, but poor quality.......2005-09-25

I have been learning some ragtime and wanted to hear more to find other selections to learn. Listened to Maple Leaf Rag, my favorite, first and was disappointed. Listened to others and was more disappointed. Maple flies - much faster than anyone would play it, you can't make out some of the phrases. And talk about ad libs - Tempo, dynamics, embelishments, nuances - I really think he plays some wrong notes too because he's going so fast. It's really a poor recording - and that's just on Maple Leaf. Others with "intros" start quick and then there's a grand pause, not a rest, but nearly a five second break. It's hard to argue how Joplin would have played it, but this is hardly anything I want to try to imitate. The only qualitating factor is the number of songs for the price. A lot of variety of a poor interpretation is only worth 3 stars. if that. Look for Rifkin or a copy that is as written to listen to first, then go for the ad libs and "artistic interpretations"

Average customer rating: The popular tracks EXCELLENT! Cookie Cutter Commercial Satch rocks SATCHMO!

Louis Armstrong - All-Time Greatest Hits Louis Armstrong Manufacturer: Mca ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Jazz | Styles | Music New Orleans Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Swing General | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Traditional Jazz General | Traditional Jazz & Ragtime | Jazz | Styles | Music Vocal Jazz General | Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music New Orleans & Dixieland Jazz | Compilations | Jazz | Styles | Music Dixieland | Jazz | Styles | Music Classic Vocalists | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Traditional Pop | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Best Of Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong Pure Ella: The Very Best of Ella Fitzgerald The Essential Louis Armstrong 16 Most Requested Songs What a Wonderful World ASIN: B000002ORZ Release Date: 1994-05-10

Tracks:

1. What A Wonderful World
2. Hello Dolly
3. Sittin' In The Sun
4. Mack The Knife (Theme From 'Three Penny Opera')
5. A Kiss To Build A Dream On
6. It Takes Two To Tango
7. That Lucky Old Sun (Just Rolls Around In Heaven...
8. Kiss Of Fire
9. (When We Are Dancin' ) I Get Ideas
10. Gone Fishin'
11. Skokiaan
12. La Vie En Rose
13. The Dummy Song
14. Chloe
15. I Still Get Jealous
16. When You're Smiling (The Whole World Smiles With..
17. Blueberry Hill
18. When It's Sleepy Time Down South

Customer Reviews:

The popular tracks.......2006-09-29

Many greatest hits compilations by current bands are worthwhile because they owed their success to radio and their best work was released to radio. "Greatest hits" does not always equate with "best of" and this compilation is an excellent example of that. Many of these songs I truly enjoy. Do many songs better than "What A Wonderful World" exist? The man owns "Hello Dolly" and "Mack the Knife," and "La Vie en Rose" is a timeless, beautiful song. However, it is difficult to fathom songs such as "Skokiaan," "The Dummy Song" and "Chloe" were ever hits. They aren't especially good songs and I assume MCA included them because they lacked rights to better material. I agree with the reviewers, who have directed readers to other Satchmo releases. In addition to those recommendations, the one I would suggest is the "Jazz `Round Midnight" series release, simply titled "Louis Armstrong." "All-Time Greatest Hits" isn't a terrible CD, though it does not give a non-fan an idea of just how great some of Mr. Armstrong's music is.

EXCELLENT!.......2006-02-21

This cd has all my favorites! I love Louis, and all his cheesy, but happy songs. It's good car music, and backround music for when your working or eating. I LOVE IT!

Cookie Cutter Commercial.......2006-02-13

I have not listened to this CD. I must agree with another reviewer that Satchel Mouth is one of our lasting cultural icons. There's no need to talk about his-- I was about to say "mastery of the music," but it's more about soul than mastery. The music was just there. My comments have to do with the music selection. These cuts are his greatest hits all right, they're pleasant and enjoyable etc. They are AM Radio Hits on a Disc! If you love Louis' music, I encourage you to call up "Ambassador Satch" and listen to a few of those cuts, too. That music or his "W.C. Handy" disc and some others tell the tale of his music better than Mack the Knife, much as I--and you, no doubt--enjoy it. Give them a spin and enjoy the real roots of Louis. Even the re-mastered "Original Hot Five" and "Hot Seven" discs--cut in the 20s--are great. You might like these "not for everybody" less commercial discs even better!

Satch rocks.......2005-09-21

There's no one like him but this is just a small slice of the man. Next time I'll be looking for a larger perspective. It's ok, the sound is no great shakes but no music collection is complete without an Satch cd.

SATCHMO!.......2005-09-14

Louis Armstrong is one of the greats. He practically invented New Orleans jazz (and now with Katrina, we think about how special this music is). This album has all the best tunes. "What a Wonderful World"- his classic. I like his "Blueberry Hill" even better than Fats Domino's (Or Richie Cunningham's)
This is just great music, especially if you are entertaining a special lady and want to show your sophistication and your tender side.

Average customer rating: This is beyond essential...Its a MUST HAVE Don't touch the hiss! Music is cornerstone...but the sonics? Mixed feelings. The Definitive Hot Fives & Sevens: Just Perfect! Brilliant!

The Hot Fives & Sevens Louis Armstrong Manufacturer: Jsp Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Jazz | Styles | Music New Orleans Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Traditional Jazz General | Traditional Jazz & Ragtime | Jazz | Styles | Music New Orleans & Dixieland Jazz | Compilations | Jazz | Styles | Music Dixieland | Jazz | Styles | Music Bargain Box Sets | Jazz General | Jazz | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Jazz General | Jazz | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music General | Jazz | Indie Music | Stores | Music Traditional Jazz | Jazz | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Never No Lament: The Blanton-Webster Band Complete Jazz at Massey Hall Lady Day: The Best of Billie Holiday The Complete Birth of the Cool A Love Supreme ASIN: B00001ZWLP Release Date: 1999-10-26

Tracks:

1. My Heart
2. Yes! I'm In The The Barrel
3. Gut Bucket Blues
4. Come Back, Sweet Papa
5. Georgia Grind
6. Heebie Jeebies
7. Comet Chop Suey
8. Oriental Strut
9. You're Next
10. Muskrat Ramble
11. Don't Forget To Mess Around
12. I'm Gonna Gitcha
13. Dropping Shucks
14. Who' Sit
15. He Likes It Slow
16. The King Of The Zulus
17. Big Fat Ma And Skinny Pa
18. Lonesome Blues
19. Sweet Little Papa
20. Jazz Lips
21. Skid-Dat-De-Dat
22. Big Butter And Egg Man From The West
23. Sunset Cafe Stomp
24. You Made Me Love You
25. Irish Black Bottom

Tracks:

1. Willie The Weeper
2. Wild Man Blues
3. Chicago Breakdown
4. Alligator Crawl
5. Potato Head Blues
6. Melancholy Blues
7. Weary Blues
8. Twelfth Street Rag
9. Keyhole Blues
10. S.O.L. Blues
11. Gully Low Blues
12. That's When I'll Come Back To You
13. Put 'Em Down Blues
14. Ory's Creole Trombone
15. The Last Time
16. Struttin' With Some Barbecue
17. Got No Blues
18. Once In A While
19. I'm Not Rough
20. Hotter Than That
21. Savoy Blues

Tracks:

1. Fireworks
2. Skip The Gutter
3. A Monday Date
4. Don't Jive Me
5. West End Blues
6. Sugar Foot Strut
7. Two Deuces
8. Squeeze Me
9. Knee Drops
10. Symphonic Raps
11. Savoyagers' Stomp
12. No (No, Papa, No)
13. Basin Street Blues
14. No-One Else But You
15. Beau Koo Jack
16. Save It, Pretty Mama
17. A Weather Bird
18. Muggles
19. A Heah Me Talkin' To Ya?
20. James Infirmary
21. Tight Like This
22. Knockin' A Jug

Tracks:

1. I Can't Give You Anything But Love - Louis Armstrong And His Savoy Ballroom Five
2. Mahogany Hall Stomp - Louis Armstrong And His Savoy Ballroom Five
3. Ain't Misbehavin' - Louis Armstrong And His Orchestra
4. (What Did I Do To Be So) Black And Blue? - Louis Armstrong And His Orchestra
5. That Rhythm Man - Louis Armstrong And His Orchestra
6. Sweet Savannah Sue - Louis Armstrong And His Orchestra
7. Some Of These Days - Louis Armstrong And His Orchestra
8. Some Of These Days - Louis Armstrong And His Orchestra
9. When You're Smiling - Louis Armstrong And His Orchestra
10. When You're Smiling - Louis Armstrong And His Orchestra
11. After You've Gone - Louis Armstrong And His Orchestra
12. I Ain't Got Nobody - Louis Armstrong And His Orchestra
13. Dallas Blues - Louis Armstrong And His Orchestra
14. St. Louis Blues - Louis Armstrong And His Orchestra
15. Rockin' Chair - Louis Armstrong And His Orchestra
16. A Song Of The Islands - Louis Armstrong And His Orchestra
17. Bessie Couldn't Help It - Louis Armstrong And His Orchestra
18. Blue, Turning Grey Over You - Louis Armstrong And His Orchestra
19. Dear Old Southland - Louis Armstrong And His Orchestra
20. Rockin' Chair - Louis Armstrong And His Orchestra
21. I Can't Give You Anything But Love - Louis Armstrong And His Savoy Ballroom Five

Amazon.com

Between 1925 and 1929, Louis Armstrong created one of the first great bodies of work in jazz. While he worked regularly as a soloist with big bands, he began his career as a leader with the first all-star studio group in jazz, the Hot Five. The other four musicians were Armstrong's wife, Lil Hardin Armstrong, on piano; Johnny Dodds on clarinet; Kid Ory on trombone; and Johnny St. Cyr on banjo. The music's first great soloist, Armstrong was reshaping jazz by sheer improvisational magic, gradually diminishing the role of the traditional New Orleans ensemble with the clarion brilliance of his trumpet. Possessing an uncanny blend of exuberance and creativity, he combined virtuosic declarations with a talent for the subtlest shifts in phrasing and melodic variation, creating rich emotional statements that could hint at loss in the midst of joy or the promise of better things in the most sorrowful blues. The band expands here, to the Hot Seven and larger ensembles, and it gains soloists who applied Armstrong's lessons to their own instruments--musicians such as pianist Earl Hines and trombonist Jack Teagarden--but all come under the imprint of Armstrong's flowering genius, as both trumpeter and singer.

It's almost impossible to overrate this material. It may be the most influential music in jazz history, establishing standards for originality and sustained invention that have rarely been matched. The JSP set is a superb reissue of Armstrong's essential work. The remastering is by John R.T. Davies, widely acknowledged as the dean of engineers in the field of early jazz, and the resultant sound is simply the best this work has ever enjoyed. There are alternate takes of the later material on Columbia Legacy (including Louis in New York and St. Louis Blues), so collectors will want both. But this recording is superior listening, at a price that also makes it an ideal introduction to one of the few titans of jazz. --Stuart Broomer

Customer Reviews:

This is beyond essential...Its a MUST HAVE.......2007-07-17

This is truly a blues / New Orleans Jazz collector's dream come true. Louis Armstrong (as good as he was with "What a Wonderful World", and "Hello Dolly") is the real deal with the hot fives & sevens. The best thing (there are so many) is his band members including Lil Harden (at the time Armstrong), Earl Hines, Lonnie Johnson, Kid Ory, and many other greats. JSP does a masterful job of remastering (of course the source material was from a major studio (Columbia - I'm so glad they didn't record with Paramount)). There's also some good natured humor on this one that was later adopted by Jim Kwiskin's Jug Band (That's When I'll Come Back To You) that has Lil and Louis as the vocalists. Finally, for 4 (count 'em 4) full discs, the price is incredible (also, the original release by CBS / Sony is currently in the vaults - so if you really want the CBS / Sony release, I think I saw a copy that goes for around $150.00 and getting higher every day). The only flaw is that there isn't much reading material, but with the money you save, you can buy several biographical books. With everything going for it, this one's a keeper.

Don't touch the hiss!.......2007-03-10

If it was just the music I'm rating, it would of course get a million stars. However, the music is on a remastered CD. "Remastered" generally means getting your oldie jazz sounding as if it's being strangled in a can.
Granted the sound here is "clear" and the bass is a bit boosted. The acoustics, reverb, echo, life and air are however thrown out with the hiss.
Again, I've heard a lot worse than this. But generally, French jazz re-issues are better. Why? Because they leave the hiss!! The catch? The French CD's are either expensive or they contain fewer songs for your money than these cheapo boxed sets.

Music is cornerstone...but the sonics? Mixed feelings........2007-02-09

I'm not going to labor on the fact that this music is fantastic, cornerstone of jazz, indispensible, blah, blah, blah. We all already know that. I want to talk about the sonic quality of these recordings.

I read so much about this John RT Davies guy, who mastered this box set. I heard so many positive things about his skills, particularly in this boxed set, and how the sound is allegedly far superior to the Columbia version. I had to get BOTH to compare. I bought this JSP box set, and the newly revised 2006 edition of the Hot sessions released by Columbia/Legacy/Sony/BMG (the official edition).

The late John RT Davies, who mastered this JSP set is considered so good, that people on Amazon claimed that he mastered this collection from old 78s better than the engineers at Columbia, using the original masters (owned EXCLUSIVELY by Columbia.) Heck, RCA & Columbia thought he was good, as i've seen his name adorning very LEGAL pressings of all sorts of old jazz under the RCA & Columbia labels, right here in the U.S.A. So, he certainly had some clout, and some talent.

Unlike almost every reviewer on here, i do not consider the JSP box set to sound better than the official Columbia release (2006 version). However, i still think it sounds pretty good. There is something important to consider. While Davies is considered a true master at...well, remastering, his work at JSP comes up flawed, because he did not have access to the original masters, which are safely secured in Sony/Columbia/Legacy's vaults. He had to use old 78's (the kind you bought in the store) to make these new masters. So, while he may have picked 78's that were better preserved, and had seen less action, he was still using the next generation of recordings.

When you master from the originals over and over and over again, you tend to add all kinds of artificial pops, clicks, hisses, and such into the original disc (Bing Crosby had to re-record White Christmas in 1947, because the original 1942 recording was pressed so many times, it sounded horrible). Therefore, if you use a pretty clean 78, you can avoid much of that, and come out with a cleaner master to make into a CD. When you add some digital noise removal systems (essentially computer programs), you make them even cleaner, and if done right, still not sacrifice the integrity of the music.

Sounds pretty cut and dry right? The 78's should sound better then, right? Why wouldn't Columbia re-master their collection from old 78's as well? A very important reason, actually. When you copy old 78's, instead of the original pressings, you move at least one generation away from the original performance. Everytime you make a copy of a copy, the sound gets muddier, with less distinction and more distortion. Certainly, with skill and technology, it can be minimalized, but the fact remains.

Soooooooo.......my analysis? The JSP set sounds a tad smoother, with less pops. The bass is a little deeper too, however a bit muddier (slightly distorted). The Columbia set from 2006 DOES have a bit more scratchiness, and the bass is not quite as deep. However, the sound is CLEANER, and...my favorite descriptive word in this whole review...more TRANSPARENT. That's right. Every instrument in the Columbia set is more distinct from all the other instruments. The sound feels light, airy, and alive. The JSP set, while more smooth doesn't have that clarity of the original recordings. They sound more like...well, records.

So, which is better? There's no really correct answer. It's a matter of taste. For ME, the Columbia set wins, hands down. I'm 31 years old. For most of my musical life, i grew up listening to CDs. However, many people have fond memories of what their old collection of vintage records sound like. What you hear on records that you don't hear on CD's is distortion. It's slight, but it's certainly there. Technically, CDs are cleaner, and more accurate representations of the actual music than records ever were. But people have aural memories, and THAT'S the sound they want to hear. It's a very natural, and totally unconscious reaction. We like what we know. Everytime i buy better speakers, amps, etc., i always miss the sound of my old, inferior equipment...for a little while. Then as i use it, my ears adjust to the new sound, and i ADORE it. Anytime i've tried going back to the OLD set-up after that, i had a much stronger negative reaction than i did when going UP in quality. My ears became adjusted to what's better.

So, here's my recommendation:

If you don't have those fond memories of old vinyl or shellac discs, and grew up on CDs, then the Columbia set is 150% better. The sound is cleaner, tighter, more distinct instrumentally, and contains less distortion. You get music that's closer to reality. The drawback of course, is you will hear a bit more crackle, and a tad less bass.

If you DO have those fond memories of the big black discs, and you remember the warm, rounded sound that made you feel like cuddling up in a blanket with a cup of cocoa & a wish on a star, then you really need to get this set. If you also happen to listen to rap in your Escalade, and you like to hear the bass completely distorting, but you think you wanna try some early Satchmo, then you NEED this set. Don't even think about buying the Columbia version. Just remember, while it is smoother, it is also further away from the original performance, so the sound is muddier and less distinct.

I've compared nearly every track on both sets. They both sound pretty good in their own ways. By all means, this IS a set worth owning...for some people. You just have to decide what kind of person you are.

The Definitive Hot Fives & Sevens: Just Perfect!.......2006-12-23

When Louis Armstrong's "Hot Five & Sevens" first came out on CD, I did not hesitate to jump up and purchase these magnificent CD'S. Yes, they were crude and did not have that clear sound that this JSP issue had, but I was so enamored with Armstrong's early greatness, that I jumped up and purchased them. I don't regret it, even if the sound was nowhere near these great recordings. However, after I purchased this boxed set of Armstrong's classic "Hot Fives & Sevens," I never listened to them again. I gave them to a friend who was interested in jazz, but not really sure he liked early jazz. This boxed collection is what I now listen to. There is nothing more I can add as to how GREAT the sound quality is on these terrific recordings. They are just awesome.

I listened to this music when I was a kid, courtesy of my parents, but I never really appreciated just how great Louis Armstrong was until I became an adult. I liked him, but now I love his sound. And as for the earlier issues on CD of this outstanding work by Armstrong, well this is the set to have. I recommend that if you are seeking the best issue out there of the "Hot Fives & Sevens," then purchase this boxed set. It it far superior to any other I have ever heard. There have been some great reviews on this particular CD, and I really don't think there is anything more I can add. However, do youself a favor and listen to these remarkable recordings. They are a must have not only if you are into jazz, but if you like beautiful music period. I like ALL types of music. There are very few genre's of music I do not like, or can listen to. However, I have a special place in my heart [and ears] for music in the 1920s and early 1930s. And this IS music! Highly recommended!

Brilliant!.......2006-12-17

Louis Armstrong and his "Hot Five and Seven" are just brilliant! I resisted buying this set of CDs for years because I felt the quality of music recorded in the 20s was very low. Of course, a jazz collection without these recordings is like the Sistine Chapel without Michelangelo's frescos. JSP Records did a marvelous job of digitally remastering these inspired recordings...no scratching or popping and very little hissing. I can add little to what has already been said about these very reasonably priced discs.

Jazz Music:

1. Meets the Rhythm Section [Import]
2. Midnight Special [Import] [Limited Edition]
3. Moon Country: The Music of Hoagy Carmichael
4. Mother Rhythm
5. My Romance [Import]
6. Now! [Import]
7. Now in Vogue [Limited Edition] [Import]
8. Oliver Nelson Plays Michelle [Limited Edition] [Original recording remastered] [Import]
9. Pachanga
10. Paniots Nine

Jazz Music

jazz music