SwingDJs

Greg Avakian wrote: My dad doesn't dance,so I'd rather be on my own there.

Don't mind Greg, his dad is way cool. I got to talk with him once, and it was fun.

Platypus wrote:Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington. Sweet stuff.

hell yea, Like Ella, all Louis is dance music...

I was looking to buy some of the Hot Fives and Sevens, but there are bunch of different albums available. Which ones are the best?

all the hot sevens and fives recordings fit onto four discs. the "official" complete reissue was released in 2000 with much fanfare by Columbia. It's very fancy-looking, packaged as a wide hardcover book, and expensive.

Disconforme (see also for the amazing Complete Count Basie American RCA Victor set) also did a version but it was only released in Europe.

The best way to go is JSP. Their edition is four standard jewel cases in a yellow box and they used the man well-known as the best remastering engineer, John R.T. Davies.

You should know: This is amazing, groundbreaking jazz, but it is very old stuff that won't sound great (audio quality) under any remastering circumstances... and many people would probably consider it undanceable or difficult for lindy.

Complete RCA Victor Recordings

Just got this set for Christmas off of my Amazon Wish list. It has some great tracks for dancing and all for listening. The first four feature Chick Webb and his Orchestra w/ Louis even though it's listed as Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra. Many danceable tunes, several previously unavailable recordings, great liner notes all make this (I think) worth the premium cost. (I think Amazon sells it for around $60, kinda pricey for four discs with some alternates). Anyways, I'm hella pleased.

Also, I was disappointed by the Louis Armstrong Proper Box Set. I found there to be a lot of ballads and blues numbers... On the two discs I've previewed so far, I've found maybe one or two danceables -- and they weren't stellar. Hopefully the other two discs will rock out. Maybe I'm just used to those sets having such great danceable music of some of my favorite artists.

Yes, that's a good buyer beware -- watch out for the Louis Armstrong Proper Box if you're after danceable tunes. There are very few on that set. There is, however, some incredibly great music, especially "Rockin' Chair" with Jack Teagarden, but it ain't danceable

I'm not sure if anybody's mentionned "Louis and the Good Book".

It is one of my favorites Satchmo CD. I play quite often 'Shadrak' and 'Ezekiel saw the wheel'.

CafeSavoy wrote:

djstarr wrote:

Nando wrote:Yeah, but Ella was no Satch!

And well, I'd include Carmen McRae in that batch of elite jazz singers who make a song their own.

I guess I agree and disagree; while Satchmo was clearly in a realm of his own, when he sang with Ella I think they were both elevated a tad more. I love their duets.

I don't think it's fair to compare anyone to Louis Armstrong. There's a reason he's called Pops, he's like the father of swing. Almost every singer and instrumentalist were influenced by him. Even Coleman Hawkins didn't find his sound until he heard Louis.

moving this over from the Ella thread....

I have Louis Armstrong meets Oscar Peterson and of course the Ella/Louis duets which Oscar Peterson trio backs them on. I always though that Oscar influenced Louis more on this work.... I never thought of Louis Armstrong as groovy until I heard these tracks --- but maybe this is just the natural reaction of hearing the rhythm section's influence?

Don't get me wrong, I *love* Pops and I try to make sure I play at least one track with him each time I DJ, but I think that he could be influenced by others also.

Definitely my favorite is the Armstrong and Ellington sessions. Both are in top swinging form, the sound quality is really good, and I prefer the more jazzy small combo sound. Armstrong and Peterson is similar, but the sound quality is not so good (not really bad, just a noticeable slight hiss). Of course, Louis and Ella also has some good ones, and the sound quality is very good too. The older stuff I shy away from just because of the poor recording quality.

djstarr wrote:
moving this over from the Ella thread....

I have Louis Armstrong meets Oscar Peterson and of course the Ella/Louis duets which Oscar Peterson trio backs them on. I always though that Oscar influenced Louis more on this work.... I never thought of Louis Armstrong as groovy until I heard these tracks --- but maybe this is just the natural reaction of hearing the rhythm section's influence?

Don't get me wrong, I *love* Pops and I try to make sure I play at least one track with him each time I DJ, but I think that he could be influenced by others also.

I guess what you hear depends on what you've heard. So i can't comment on groovy louis. But i don't think saying that louis armstrong infuenced most artists is the same as saying that no one influenced him. I don't think any of the great artists would claim that they can't learn from others. rather it was just a recounting of history. everywhere you read you come across musicians talking about how they were influenced by armstrong.

Everything before Louis Armstrong influenced Louis.

Everything after Louis Armstrong was influenced by Louis.

That's how, er ... influential he was. He's the magic connector between ragtime/dixieland and hot jazz/swing and its descendants.

I second Yakov, the best Hot 5 and 7's for the price and sound quality is definetly the JSP box set...listen to the whole thing and see how much of a virtuoso Louis really was on his instrument...

Check out the Complete Decca Recordings from 1935-38. Pops sings and plays tons of popular songs of the day ("I've Got My Fingers Crossed" "Thanks a Million" "Red Sails In The Sunset" "The Song is Ended" "I'm Putting All My Eggs In One Basket" etc etc etc) with a big dance orchestra led by Louis Russell. Everything is danceable! He even does a couple Hawaiian tunes really great stuff!!!

Albert System wrote: with a big dance orchestra led by Louis Russell.

His St. Louis Blues with Luis Russell is really good.