SOUNDTRACK4LIFE: THE B-SIDES: Jazz

Monday, 15 July 2024

Louis Armstrong - Louis In London (Released 12th July 2024)

In May 1968 Louis Armstrong was in the studio making his final trumpet recordings on the album 'Disney Songs The Satchmo Way'. A couple of months after this he was in London to perform and film for the BBC TV "Show of the Week". The video of that performance is included below. It was filmed 2nd July 1968 and first broadcast 22nd September 1968 and is considered one of his last great live performances. The filming of the show came hot on the heels of Louis Armstrong reaching the #1 spot on the UK Singles Chart (and stayed there for four weeks) with "What A Wonderful World".

I mentioned it is considered to be one of his last great live performances and that was because by 1968 (not sure of dates on this matter) his poor health (heart and kidney issues) had forced him off the road. He wouldn't play live again until 1970 when he had to curtail his live shows due to a heart attack. Against medical advice he would take to the road again in March 1971 but after a two week stand in Manhattan he had another heart attack. He was still hoping to get back on the road again but on 6th July 1971 he died in his sleep from a heart attack, he was aged 69.

I'm no expert on the music of Louis Armstrong (Jazz is not really my thing) but his voice I remember as a kid was something I felt comfortable with, even if it was just him singing the songs of Walt Disney or the childish safety blanket I experienced thinking everything was going to be okay when I heard "What A Wonderful World".

It may appear a bit odd of me to post a piece like this but the way I look at it is the world is even crazier now than when I was a five year old kid in 1968 and sometimes there's nothing wrong in finding a shelter in the storm of the madness and listening to a voice you sense you can find consolation in.

Louis In London - Louis Armstrong
Verve Records
12th July 2024

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Here is the actual BBC Footage and below that are links to the audio and a few High Defintion videos that have become available leading up to the release of the album.

1 When It’s Sleepy Time Down South
2 (Back Home Again) In Indiana
3 A Kiss To Build a Dream On
4 Hello, Dolly!:

5 Mame
6 You’ll Never Walk Alone
7 Ole Miss
8 Blueberry Hill
9 Mack The Knife

10 Rockin’ Chair
11 The Bare Necessities:

12 What a Wonderful World:

13 When The Saints Go Marching In

Louis Armstrong - Vocals & Trumpet
The All Stars:
Tyree Glenn, trombone
Joe Muranyi, clarinet
Marty Napoleon, piano
Buddy Catlett, bass
Danny Barcelona, drums

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A Wee Bonus

Disney Songs the Satchmo Way - Louis Armstrong
Beuna Vista Records
1968

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Wednesday, 11 March 2015

Alphabet Beats #070: J is for....

J is for....

"Jazz is restless. It won't stay put and it never will."

- J.J. Johnson

Jazz is one of those styles of music that has not been on my musical radar apart from a few artists here and there down through the years. Looking into it for today's final Alphabet Beats focusing on the Letter J I soon discovered that it's a very complex genre of music that has a truckload of sub-genres as well (just like other genres: Metal, Reggae, Soul, The Blues etc). So, having very little knowledge of it means I cannot speak with any great authority on what artist fits into a particular category, so it's probably best just to share the music and leave it up to those who know better to sort it all out.

I was particularly helped by UDiscover website article listing the Top 50 Jazz Albums of All Time and today's choices are mainly taken from there.

Click on the links to enjoy the music.