Customer Reviews
One of my favourite albums... - By: Nikica Gilic, 01 Jun 2008 
What a magnificent CD!
I heard this albumin the LP form at the beginnings of my explorations into jazz but, as the CD era started, I was warned that the 80's CD of "Armstrong plays W. C. Handy" contains inferior alternate versions.
The producer George Avakian explainsin this 1997 CD what happened & how painstaking & meticolous research & restoration resultedin this issue, basically equall to the original album, although the recording company had lost not only masters but the back-up copies as well. So, all the compliments go to Mr. Avakian, the producer & the restorer of this music.
This is one of my favorite jazz albums & I feel it proves that Louisin the 50's could very well reach his Hot fives & Hot seven hights. Whether it is "Loveless love", "Chantez les-bas" or the ingenious & rightly famous "St. Louis Blues", Satchmo shines both through the clear sound of his trumpet & through the expressive groan & grumble of his vocal chords (how do such divine voices come about? Did he work on it or was it a gift?).
His accompanying ensemble is also great, particularly the explosive trombonist Trummy Young, who was rightly famous for his workin Lunceford's big bandin the swing era, but seems liberatedin Satchmo's All-stars concept - he propelles ensemble choruses & plays inspiring solos (Bigard is also great but his best work was donein the swing era with Ellington).
It is quite amazing that criticsin the 50's didn't take Satchmo seriously enough but so it goes with music, cinema or anything else: Artists who still develops their concept when younger cats follow completely different leaders often go unnoticed. Fortunatelly, Armstrong was able to attract some of the non-jazz crowd & become popular entertainer, so he had a great amount of artistic liberty.
Additional attractions of this seminal album are rehearsing sequences & short interviews with Satchmo & W. C. Handy.
a classic recording date that will never age - By: Mr. D. Burrell, 19 Jun 2007 This is quite simply one of the best recordings I have ever had the pleasure of listening to. I have heard many LPs over the years but this is fantastic, the quality of the recordings is matched by the wonderful playing & singing. The atmosphere is stunning & illustrates what is missing from today's music - performance, energy & humour. Also equally worth checking out is Satchmo's tribute to Fats waller, both albums are absolute classics!!!
WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW and......... WOW - By: S. Shepherd, 26 Mar 2007 SPECTACULAR .... a friend put me on to this a few years back & if you really want to hear the best classic RnB then this is for you! Fan or no fan this really is one amazing album & i can honestly say it has changed my mindset into what maybe i should be listening to on a lazy sunday. Why there are only 3 reveiws on here i do not know.? i dont normally write them but like i said dont question it just buy it & expand your mind on how real music was made with real people.
If you only buy one classic jazz album, buy this! - By: Mr. A. J. Frost, 27 Nov 2001 Being relatively new to Jazz myself, the choice of Jazz albums seems staggering, even the number of Louis Armstrong CD's is daunting - but this is one of the best there is (the rather damning Penguin Jazz Guide review is based on an early reissue, this version of the original masters is worthy of a full 5 stars). The music is classic Armstrong playing combined with perfect Handy blues. If this CD inspires you (and at this price its got to be worth it), then try the Hot 5's & 7's box set for another taste of Armstrongs awesome vocal & musical abilities
This is the review of the 1954 album - By: p.bowyer@virgin.net, 16 Nov 2000 The 12" LP of this CD was the second LP I ever boughtin my life & it cost £1. 50in 1954/5. My first LP was Louis Armstrong All Stars Live at the New York Town Hall, April 17th, 1947. Is this available on CD? This original WC album I still play & on it's original release the New Musical Express considered it such a milestone that it was reviewed over a two week period by Humphrey Lyttleton - the English jazz triumpeter. It would be one of my Desert Island records. I am not stuckin the past, as I also buy current "house" music. But this is a favourite.
