The Columbia & RCA Victor Live Recordings of Louis Armstrong & The All-Stars
(out-of-print)
By Alan Goodman
The live performances from 1947 to 1958 have been collected at last, let it be known that anyone who overlooks the music Louis Armstrong made on those concert stages does so at great expense to his or her personal joy.
A First-Ever Compilation
The Columbia and RCA Victor Live Recordings of Louis Armstrong and the All Stars is the first to span this range of Louis’ career. It is rich with new discoveries and legendary omissions, on nine CDs. For the unreleased material alone, this one is a real collector’s item.
We’ve restored missing solos and removed fake applause. We tracked down the earliest, most authoritative sources for the music and cleaned-up everything to the best of our ability using state-of-the-art techniques. And we corrected a great deal of misinformation regarding discographical details.
Throughout, you will be amazed at his proficiency on the horn, the brilliance of his sound, the beguiling sensuality of his vocals, and how great he was at being the standard-bearer for his own music, as well as an interpreter of other people’s songs. Louis Armstrong was doing the work of a working musician; a man who pulled out all the stops no matter where he was, how bad his lip felt, whether or not the mob was chasing him, or how many times audiences called for the same favorites. He loved what he was doing… he remembered abject poverty… he was grateful to be working… and he gave music everything he had. In return, the world presented him with honors and awards until the world ran out.
Included in the box is the famous Town Hall concert from May 17, 1947 that set the style for the small group music he’d make from that point on. That date came from the French RCA tapes that Sony was able to locate for us.
Newly-Found, from Carnegie Hall
Following that is a Carnegie Hall date from November 1947. For a long time the masters were mislabeled and thought to be lost, and no one has heard a note of it on a commercial release. We’ve got everything deemed releasable that isn’t duplicated by other recordings in the collection. And it all sounds wonderful.
Skip ahead about eight years to a concert from the Netherlands. Unfortunately the entire concert hasn’t survived, but George Avakian, who produced the date as part of the “Ambassador Satch” sessions, saved what he thought should come out commercially. Six of the tracks have been on other collections, but we’ve got everything George rescued.
Two months later, the ambassador was in Milan. Wanting to capture a different feel, Avakian rented a movie theater, invited a few jazz lovers, and turned on the microphones. Later feeling there weren’t enough people in the house to make for an enthusiastic response, he added applause. We pulled it out, but kept the wild screams of the Italian fans. And with three of the four original tapes in our possession, we have lots of music that never made it to release. We think it stands up spectacularly without the fake support.
More, More, More
The set also includes a date from Los Angeles in January 1956 that was initially issued as though it was live, but wasn’t. It was a studio date where the group worked out on a handful of popular tunes. Mosaic has everything recorded that day, and with many unedited takes, it’s another treasure that reveals how songs developed and refined.
The Great Chicago Concert from June 1956 is well known, but has been out of print a long time. You can enjoy it here again, with some delightful additions: “Indiana” featured bass player Dale Jones, but was released with the bass solo edited out! Here, it’s restored. And Louis’ solo on “Black and Blue” is restored to its full length.
There’s also a concert from Newport in 1956, with four previously unissued performances. A productive day at Lewisohn Stadium found Avakian recording a rehearsal session with Louis Armstrong the All Stars in the afternoon and during the evening concert, three attempts at “”St. Louis Blues”” with the New York Philharmonic under Leonard Bernstein. (The recording equipment caught everything, including a camera breaking down, Bernstein chatting up the audience, Louis playing encores to keep the fans happy. It’s quite a document.) And then there’s Newport 1958, with very little overlap from 1956. Only three tracks have ever been heard from this great date that included a reunion with Jack Teagarden and Bobby Hackett. We’ve got the whole set.
There are also one-offs: Edward R. Murrow interviewing Louis in Paris; a performance, previously unissued, of Louis in London; and two tracks from a 1956 date in Ghana that have not been previously released. Throughout, we have corrected details about the time and place of certain recordings where the original recording companies played fast and loose with the details, and restored recordings to their original condition when we discovered the official releases might have been cobbled together from as many as five different sources.
Oh, and by the way, the All Stars? George Wettling, Bob Haggart, Bobby Hackett, Jack Teagarden, Peanuts Hucko, Sid Catlett, Dick Cary, Barney Bigard, Arvell Shaw, Trummy Young, Edmond Hall, Billy Kyle, and others.
One of the criticisms leveled at Armstrong over the years is that after creating exceptional improvisations on iconic tunes, he locked them in and performed them similarly night after night. What is apparent from this set is how varied his repertoire was, how much life he put into every performance, and how thrilled audiences were in his presence.
Our heavily-researched brochure includes an exhaustive essay by Ricky Riccardi, archivist for the Louis Armstrong House Museum and one of the leading experts on Armstrong worldwide. We’ve written a new discography that finally eliminates confusion and distortion regarding Louis’ recorded output. And there are many vintage photographs from Louis’ exceptional career.
Louis Armstrong & the All Stars play with the NY Philharmonic
On July 14, 1956 The Louis Armstrong All-Stars participated in the Guggenheim Concert at Lewisohn Stadium, New York. This was the first concert to feature jazz musicians – The Dave Brubeck Quartet performed during the first half, the All-Stars during the second.
Louis Armstrong (tp), Deems (dr), Edmond Hall (cl), Billy Kyle (p), Arvell Shaw (b), Trummy Young (tb), Velma Middleton (vocals), Lewisohn Stadium Symphony Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein conductor
#257 The Columbia & RCA Victor Live Recordings of Louis Armstrong & The All-Stars Discography
For the purposes of this discography, only the initial LP catalog number is listed. If the initial issue was not on LP, the release is shown in parenthesis after the catalog number. Sources for this discography come from All Of Me – The Complete Discography Of Louis Armstrong by Jos Willems (Scarecrow Press, 2006) plus additions and corrections made by the producers.
Some titles were not assigned individual matrix numbers by RCA Victor or Columbia and therefore we have inserted the tape reel’s job number (noted as “JR” or “AL” and “BL” as in the Chicago concert) which is an in-house cataloging method that was employed by both labels.
Those titles listed in italics as unissued do exist but are not included in this set because they are either in very poor sound, are incomplete performances or are similar to other live performances contained in this set. The unissued titles for Session (E), [the “studio” session in Milan], Session (F) [a Columbia studio session] and Session (L) [the Lewisohn Stadium rehearsal] offer short breakdowns, brief off-mic rehearsals and/or contain alternate takes that are very similar to the master and are also not included in this set. Those titles listed as unissued, no longer exists are performances that were excised from the original tape reels and are presumed missing.
Label abbreviations: BOM for Book of the Month, Col for Columbia, Phil for Philips and RCA Vic for RCA Victor. Country codes: (Du) for Dutch, (F) for France, (G) for Germany. Other abbreviations include BD for breakdown, FS for a false start and reh for rehearsal. Any other abbreviations are further explained in the “Note:” of each session.
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(A) Louis Armstrong (tp, vcl), Dick Cary (p), Bob Haggart (b), George Wettling (d).
Town Hall, NYC
May 17, 1947, 11:30 P.M.
JR 19115 Introduction by Fred Robbins RCA Vic (F) PM 45374
JR 19115 Cornet Chop Suey –
JR 19115 Our Monday Date (LA-vcl) –
JR 19115 Dear Old Southland (Armstrong and Cary only) –
JR 19115 Big Butter And Egg Man (LA-vcl) –
Louis Armstrong (tp, vcl), Bobby Hackett (cor), Jack Teagarden (tb, vcl), Peanuts Hucko (cl), Dick Cary (p), Bob Haggart (b), Sid Catlett -1, George Wettling -2 (d).
Same concert
JR 19115 Tiger Rag -1 RCA Vic (F) PM 45374
JR 19116 Struttin’ With Some Barbecue -1 –
JR 19116 Sweethearts On Parade (LA-vcl) -1 –
JR 19116 St. Louis Blues -1 –
D8-VC 76-1 Pennies From Heaven (LA-vcl) -1 RCA Vic 40-4005 (12” 78)
JR 19116 On The Sunny Side Of The Street (LA-vcl) -1 RCA Vic (F) PM 45374
JR 19117 I Can’t Give You Anything But Love (LA-vcl) -1 –
D8-VC 75-1 Back O’ Town Blues (LA-vcl) -1 RCA Vic 40-4006 (12” 78)
D8-VC 73-1 Ain’t Misbehavin’ (LA-vcl) -1 RCA Vic 40-4005 (12” 78)
D8-VC 74-1 Rockin’ Chair (LA, JT-vcl) -1 RCA Vic 40-4004 (12” 78)
JR 19117 Muskrat Ramble -2 RCA Vic (F) PM 45374
D8-VC 77-1 Save It, Pretty Mama (LA-vcl) -2 RCA Vic 40-4004 (12” 78)
D8-VC 78-1 St. James Infirmary (JT-vcl) -2 RCA Vic 40-4006 (12” 78)
JR 19118 Royal Garden Blues -2 RCA Vic (F) PM 45374
JR 19118 Do You Know What It Means
To Miss New Orleans (LA-vcl) -2 –
JR 19118 Jack Armstrong Blues (JT-vcl) -1 –
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(B) Louis Armstrong (tp, vcl), Jack Teagarden (tb, vcl), Barney Bigard (cl), Dick Cary (p), Arvell Shaw (b), Sid Catlett (d), Velma Middleton (vcl).
Carnegie Hall, NYC
November 15-16, 1947
11:30 p.m. – 2:30 a.m.
LD1 Intros by Fred Robbins and Louis Armstrong previously unissued
LD1 Muskrat Ramble unissued
LD1 What Did I Do To Be So Black And Blue –
LD2 Royal Garden Blues previously unissued
LD2 Stars Fell On Alabama (JT-vcl) –
LD3 Lover –
LD3 I Cried For You (VM-vcl) –
LD3 Buzz Me Baby unissued
LD4 Tea For Two previously unissued
LD4 Body And Soul –
LD5 Back O’ Town Blues (LA-vcl) –
LD5 Steak Face –
LD6 Intermission announcement by Fred Robbins –
LD6 Mahogany Hall Stomp –
LD6 Dear Old Southland unissued
LD6 When The Saints Go Marchin’ In unissued, no longer exists
LD7 High Society previously unissued
LD7 Basin Street Blues (JT-vcl) –
LD7/8 Baby Won’t You Please Come Home (JT-vcl) –
LD8 Rockin’ Chair (LA, JT-vcl) –
LD8 Velma’s Blues (VM-vcl) unissued, no longer exists
LD9 Velma’s Dance (VM-vcl) –
LD9 C-Jam Blues previously unissued
LD9 How High The Moon –
LD10 St. Louis Blues unissued
LD10 That’s My Desire unissued, no longer exists
LD11 Mop Mop previously unissued
LD11 St. James Infirmary (JT-vcl) –
LD11 Panama unissued, no longer exists
LD11 I Gotta Right To Sing The Blues (closing anncmnt) previously unissued
Note: Originally recorded on lacquer discs at 33 1/3 rpm, this concert was transferred to ¼” tape in 1952. The “matrices” shown above represent which side of the lacquer disc (LD) was used for each tune title.
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(C) Louis Armstrong (tp, vcl), Trummy Young (tb, vcl), Edmond Hall (cl, vcl), Billy Kyle (p), Arvell Shaw (b, vcl), Barrett Deems (d), Velma Middleton (vcl).
Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, Netherlands
October 30, 1955
CO 55568 When It’s Sleepy
Time Down South (LA-vcl) Col CL 1077
JR 16312-B (Back Home Again In) Indiana –
Blueberry Hill (LA-vcl) unissued
Pretty Little Missy (LA-vcl) –
CO 55571 Tin Roof Blues Col CL 840
My Bucket’s Got A Hole In It (EH-vcl) unissued
Perdido –
CO 55570 Dardanella Col CL 840
The Man I Love unissued
JR 16312-B Back O’Town Blues (LA-vcl) previously unissued
CO 55569 Undecided Col CL 840
Velma’s Blues (VM-vcl) unissued
Ko Ko Mo (LA, VM-vcl) –
Mop Mop –
When It’s Sleepy Time Down South –
When It’s Sleepy Time Down South –
When The Saints Go Marchin’ In (LA-vcl) –
C’est Si Bon (LA-vcl) –
Basin Street Blues (LA-vcl) –
Rockin’ Chair (TY-vcl) –
RHCO 33681 Muskrat Ramble Col CL 840
St. James Infirmary (AS-vcl) unissued
All Of Me (VM-vcl) –
St. Louis Blues (LA, VM-vcl) –
JR 16312-B When It’s Sleepy
Time Down South (LA-vcl) previously unissued
Note: Back Home Again In Indiana appeared on Columbia CL 1077 but without the bass solo which is being released here for the first time.
The two unissued versions of When It’s Sleepy Time Down South are only short performances used as intermission material.
Some discographies state that Muskrat Ramble is from either a Milan concert of December 19, 1955, a studio session in Milan right after that concert, or the Los Angeles studio session of January 24, 1956 (even though it possesses an RHCO matrix number. Refer to the liner notes for more details.)
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(D) Louis Armstrong, Edward R. Murrow (speaking).
Vieux Colombier Club, Paris, France
c. November 17-December 6, 1955
No matrix Paris Interview previously unissued
Note: This was initially recorded for the television program See It Now – Two American Originals of which excerpts first appeared on the Columbia LP CL 1077 (Satchmo The Great).
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(E) Louis Armstrong (tp, vcl), Trummy Young (tb), Edmond Hall (cl), Billy Kyle (p), Arvell Shaw (b), Barrett Deems (d).
Columbia/Philips Session
Teatro Leonardo da Vinci, Milan, Italy
December 20, 1955, 1:00 A.M.
Supervised by George Avakian
JR 25607-B (Back Home Again In) Indiana (tk.-1) unissued, no longer exists
JR 25607-B (Back Home Again In) Indiana (tk.-2) BOM 12-6547
CO 56149-BD, -5 Someday You’ll Be Sorry (LA-vcl) unissued, no longer exists
CO 56149-2 Someday You’ll Be Sorry (LA-vcl) Col CK 64926 (CD)
CO 56149-3 Someday You’ll Be Sorry (LA-vcl) unissued
CO 56149-4 Someday You’ll Be Sorry (LA-vcl) Col CK 47916 (CD)
CO 55577-1, -2, -3 Clarinet Marmalade (all takes are BDs) unissued
CO 55577-4 Clarinet Marmalade –
CO 55577-5 Clarinet Marmalade (with announcements) Col CK 64926 (CD)
CO 55572-1/2 West End Blues (LA-vcl) Col CL 840
RHCO 33679-1 Royal Garden Blues –
CO 55573-1 thru -5 The Faithful Hussar (LA-vcl) see “Note” below
CO 55573-no take # The Faithful Hussar (LA-vcl) Col 40711 (78 & 45)
CO 55573-no take # The Faithful Hussar (LA-vcl) Col CL 840
CO 55576-reh Tiger Rag unissued
CO 55576-BD Tiger Rag –
CO 55576-1 Tiger Rag Phil (Du) B21815H (78)
CO 55576-2 Tiger Rag Col CL 840
JR 16322-B You Can Depend On Me (reh) unissued
JR 16322-B You Can Depend On Me (tk.-1) previously unissued
JR 16322-B The Lonesome Road (LA, ens.-vcl) (reh) –
JR 16322-B That’s A Plenty (tk.-1, FS) unissued
JR 16322-B That’s A Plenty (tk.-2, FS) –
JR 16322-B That’s A Plenty (tk.-3) previously unissued
JR 16322-B That’s A Plenty (tk.-4) –
JR 16322-B Dardanella (tk.-1, BD) unissued
JR 16322-B Dardanella (tk.-2) previously unissued
JR 16322-B Dardanella (tk.-3) –
Note: The French introductions by Armstrong for Clarinet Marmalade are released here for the first time.
West End Blues is a composite of takes -1 and -2.
Royal Garden Blues, although possessing an RHCO matrix prefix, is from this session and not the January 24, 1956 session in Los Angeles (see liner notes for more details).
Both issues of The Faithful Hussar were composites of 5 different takes.
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(F) Same as (E) except add Trummy Young (vcl).
Columbia Studios, LA, January 24, 1956
Supervised by George Avakian
RHCO 33679-reh (-1), -2 Twelfth Street Rag unissued
RHCO 33679-3 Twelfth Street Rag previously unissued
RHCO 33679-BD (-4) Twelfth Street Rag unissued
RHCO 33679-5 Twelfth Street Rag previously unissued
RHCO 33679-6 Twelfth Street Rag Col CL 840
RHCO 33680-FS (-1) Six Foot Four (LA-vcl) unissued
RHCO 33680-2 Six Foot Four (LA-vcl) Col CK 47916 (CD)
RHCO 33680-3, -4, -5 Six Foot Four (LA-vcl) unissued
RHCO 33680-6 / 9 Six Foot Four (LA, TY-vcl) Col 40662 (78), 4-40662 (45)
RHCO 33680-7, -8 Six Foot Four (LA, TY-vcl) unissued
RHCO 33681-BD(-1), FS(-2) All Of Me (LA-vcl) –
RHCO 33681-3 All Of Me (LA-vcl) previously unissued
RHCO 33681-FS(-4), BD(-5) All Of Me (LA-vcl) unissued
RHCO 33681-6 / 9 All Of Me (LA-vcl) Col CL 840
RHCO 33681-7 All Of Me (LA-vcl) previously unissued
RHCO 33681-8 All Of Me (LA-vcl) unissued
RHCO 33682-1, -5 When The Red, Red Robin
Comes Bob, Bob, Bobbin’
Along (LA-vcl) –
RHCO 33682-6 When The Red, Red Robin
Comes Bob, Bob, Bobbin’
Along (LA-vcl) previously unissued
RHCO 33682-FS (-7) When The Red, Red Robin
Comes Bob, Bob, Bobbin’
Along (LA-vcl) unissued
RHCO 33682-8 When The Red, Red Robin
Comes Bob, Bob, Bobbin’
Along (LA-vcl) Col 40662 (78), 4-40662 (45)
Louis Armstrong, George Avakian (speaking)
Same session
JR 5028 H #4B “Milan” interview previously unissued
Note: Columbia Records allocated alternate matrix numbers on All Of Me (CO 55574) and Twelfth Street Rag (CO 55575). These two titles are not from the Milan session as has been noted in prior discographies, but rather from this studio session.
The master take of Twelfth Street Rag is a composite of -3, -5 and -6. See the liner notes for more details.
The issued takes of Six Foot Four and All Of Me are composites of takes 6 and 9.
Some 45 and CD reissues (not listed here) have audience reactions dubbed in on When The Red, Red Robin Bob, Bob, Bobbin’ Along and some CD reissues with a trumpet solo from one of the other takes.
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(G) Louis Armstrong (tp, vcl), Trummy Young (tb), Edmond Hall (cl), Billy Kyle (p), Arvell Shaw (b), Barrett Deems (d).
Carnegie Hall, March 17, 1956
CO 59813 Mack The Knife (LA-vcl) Col CL 1077
Note: Some discographies list this performance as from the July 14, 1956 Lewisohn Stadium concert.
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(H) Louis Armstrong (tp, vcl), Trummy Young (tb), Edmond Hall (cl, vcl), Billy Kyle (p), Arvell Shaw (b), Barrett Deems (d).
Empress Hall, London, May 1956
L470 My Bucket’s Got A Hole In It (LA, EH-vcl) previously unissued
Note: The above was synched to match the filmed performance in the movie Satchmo The Great. A version of Mack The Knife also exists from this concert but is not included in this set. The matrix number reflects the only extant source we have of this performance which comes from the New York Public Library.
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(I) Louis Armstrong (tp), Trummy Young (tb), Edmond Hall (cl), Dale Jones (b), unidentified Ghanaian musicians, singers and dancers.
Accra, Ghana, May 24, 1956
CO 59101 All For You, Louis (Sly Mongoose) previously unissued
Louis Armstrong (tp), Trummy Young (tb), Edmond Hall (cl), Billy Kyle (p), Dale Jones (b), Barrett Deems (d).
Concert, Accra, Ghana, May 24, 1956
JR 34351 Royal Garden Blues previously unissued
Note: What Did I Do To Be So Black And Blue and Ole Miss also exist from this concert but they are heavily edited and are not included in this set. All For You, Louis was released on Columbia CL 1077 but was also edited. This is the first release of the complete performance.
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(J) Louis Armstrong (tp, vcl), Trummy Young (tb, vcl), Edmond Hall (cl, vcl), Billy Kyle (p), Dale Jones (b), Barrett Deems (d), Velma Middleton (vcl).
Medina Temple, Chicago, June 1, 1956
CO 57173 Medley:
Flee As A Bird To The Mountain /
Oh Didn’t He Ramble (LA-vcl) Col CL 1077
AL 36427 Medley:
Memphis Blues / Frankie And Johnny /
Tiger Rag Col C2 36426
CO 57172 Do You Know What It Means To
Miss New Orleans (LA-vcl) –
AL 36427 Basin Street Blues (LA-vcl) –
CO 57175 Black And Blue (LA-vcl) Col CL 1077
AL 36427 West End Blues (LA-vcl) Col C2 36426
CO 57170 On The Sunny Side Of The Street (LA-vcl) –
BL 36427 Struttin’ With Some Barbecue Col CL 2638
BL 36427 When It’s Sleepy Time Down South Col C2K 65119 (CD)
BL 36427 Medley:
Manhattan
When It’s Sleepy Time Down South (LA-vcl) Col C2 36426
CO 56406 (Back Home Again In) Indiana Col CL 931
BL 36427 The Gypsy (LA-vcl) Col C2 36426
AL 36428 The Faithful Hussar (LA-vcl) –
AL 36428 Rockin’ Chair (LA, TY-vcl) –
AL 36428 My Bucket’s Got A Hole In It (LA, EH-vcl) –
AL 36428 Perdido –
AL 36428 Clarinet Marmalade –
AL 36428 Mack The Knife (LA-vcl) –
BL 36428 Medley:
Tenderly
You’ll Never Walk Alone –
BL 36428 Stompin’ At The Savoy –
BL 36428 Margie (TY-vcl) –
BL 36428 Big Mama’s Back In Town (VM-vcl) –
BL 36428 That’s My Desire (LA, VM-vcl) –
BL 36428 Ko Ko Mo (LA, VM-vcl) –
BL 36428 When The Saints
Go Marchin’ In (LA, band-vcl) Col C2K 65119 (CD)
BL 36428 The Star Spangled Banner –
Note: Prior releases of Indiana have been issued with the bass solo edited out. This title has also been incorrectly noted as being from the July 6, 1956 Newport Jazz Festival.
Black and Blue was given an incorrect matrix number (CO 57170) and listed as being from the Lewisohn Concert on the Satchmo The Great LP. Armstrong’s solo on this title was heavily edited from this LP release as well.
All earlier releases of When The Saints Go Marchin’ In, except for the Columbia CD C2K 65119, are shortened versions.
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(K) Same as (J).
Newport, R.I., July 6, 1956
JR 25320B When It’s Sleepy Time Down South (LA-vcl) previously unissued
CO 56406 (Back Home Again In) Indiana –
JR 25320B The Gypsy (LA-vcl) –
CO 56409 Bugle Blues / Ole Miss Col CL 931
JR 25320B Tin Roof Blues BOM 21-6547
JR 25320B My Bucket’s Got A Hole In It (LA, EH-vcl) previously unissued
JR 25320B Perdido –
JR 25320B You Made Me Love You –
CO 56408 Whispering Col CL 931
CO 56407 Mack The Knife (LA-vcl) previously unissued
JR 25320B Stompin’ At The Savoy –
JR 25320B Undecided –
JR 25320B Big Mama’s Back In Town (VM-vcl) –
JR 25320B Ko Ko Mo (LA, VM-vcl) BOM 21-6547
JR 25320B Mop Mop previously unissued
JR 25320B When It’s Sleepy Time Down South –
Note: On Columbia CL 931 two other titles are shown as being from this concert but they are from other locations (Indiana from the Medina Concert and Mack The Knife which is a composite from an unused September 28, 1955 studio session take and the July 14, 1956 Lewisohn rehearsal performance).
Both Bugle Blues / Ole Miss and Whispering were edited for the LP release.
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(L) Louis Armstrong (tp, vcl), Trummy Young (tb), Edmond Hall (cl), Billy Kyle (p), Dale Jones (b), Barrett Deems (d).
Lewisohn Stadium rehearsal
NYC, July 14, 1956
CO 57176-reh Way Down Yonder In New Orleans unissued
CO 57176-FS Way Down Yonder In New Orleans –
CO 57176-1 Way Down Yonder In New Orleans Col CK 47916 (CD)
CO 57174-1 Mahogany Hall Stomp previously unissued
CO 57174-2 Mahogany Hall Stomp Col CL 1077
CO 57171-1 Blueberry Hill (LA-vcl) previously unissued
CO 57171-2,-3,-4(BD)Blueberry Hill unissued
CO 57171-5 Blueberry Hill Phil (Du) B 22015 H (78)
CO 56407-? Mack The Knife (LA-vcl) previously unissued
Note: Two run-throughs of St. Louis Blues are also from this rehearsal but are not included in this set.
The issued take of Way Down Yonder in New Orleans on the Columbia CD CK 47916 was released without the bass solo. The issued take of Mahogany Hall Stomp was edited on the Columbia LP CL 1077.
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(M) Louis Armstrong (speech, tp), Trummy Young (tb), Edmond Hall (cl), Billy Kyle (p), Dale Jones (b), Barrett Deems (d), The New York Philharmonic, Leonard Bernstein (speech, con), Edward R. Murrow (speech), Alfredo Antonini (arr).
Lewisohn Stadium Concert
NYC, July 14-15, 1956, 8:30 P.M. start
JR 25607-6B St. Louis Blues (Concerto Grosso) (tk.1) (AA-arr) previously unissued
JR 25607-6B Bernstein addresses audience –
CO 59814 Bernstein speech Col CL 1077
JR 25607-7B St. Louis Blues (Concerto Grosso) (tk.2) (AA-arr) previously unissued
CO 59814 Armstrong speech Col CL 1077
JR 25607-7B When The Saints Go Marchin’ In previously unissued
JR 25607-8B Basin Street Blues (LA-vcl) BOM 21-6547
JR 25607-8B Murrow speech previously unissued
JR 25607-8B St. Louis Blues (Concerto Grosso) (tk.3) (AA-arr) Col CL 1077
JR 25607-8B Murrow says “Good Night” previously unissued
Note: Other titles that are attributed to this concert were performed at different venues.
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(N) Louis Armstrong (tp, vcl), The International Youth Band: Palle Bolvig, Roger Guerin, Dusko Gojkovic, Jose Manuel Magalhaes (tp), Christian Kellens, Albert Mangelsdorff, Kurt Jarnberg, Erich Kleinschuster (tb), Hans Salomon, Wladimiro Bas Fabache, Andy Marsala, Bernt Rosengren, Jan Wroblewski, Ronnie Ross (reeds), George Gruntz (p), Gabor Szabo (g), Rudolf Jacobs (b), Gilberto Cuppini (d), Marshall Brown (dir).
Newport, R.I., July 6, 1958
JR 40254B On The Sunny Side Of The Street (LA-vcl) Col C2 38262
(O) Louis Armstrong (tp, vcl), Trummy Young (tb, vcl), Peanuts Hucko (cl), Billy Kyle (p), Mort Herbert (b), Danny Barcelona (d), Velma Middleton (vcl).
Same concert
JR 40254A Interview: Armstrong and Willis Conover Charly (G) SDVD 001 (CD)
JR 40254A When It’s Sleepy Time Down South previously unissued
JR 40254A Pretty Little Missy (LA-vcl) –
JR 40254A Lazy River (LA-vcl) Charly (G) SDVD 001 (CD)
JR 40254A Tiger Rag –
JR 40254A Now You Has Jazz (LA, TY-vcl) previously unissued
JR 40254A High Society Calypso (LA, band-vcl) –
JR 40254A Ole Miss –
JR 40254A Girl Of My Dreams –
JR 40254A After You’ve Gone –
JR 40254A These Foolish Things –
JR 40254A Mack The Knife (LA-vcl) –
JR 40254A Tenderly / You’ll Never Walk Alone –
JR 40254A Stompin’ At The Savoy –
JR 40254A Undecided –
JR 40254A St. Louis Blues (LA, VM-vcl) –
JR 40254A Ko Ko Mo (LA, VM-vcl) Col C2 38262
JR 40254A When The Saints Go Marchin’ In (LA-vcl) –
(P) Louis Armstrong (tp, vcl), Bobby Hackett (cor), Jack Teagarden (tb, vcl), Trummy Young (tb), Peanuts Hucko (cl), Billy Kyle (p), Mort Herbert (b), Danny Barcelona (d).
Same concert
JR 40254A Rockin’ Chair (LA, JT-vcl) Col C2 38262
JR 40254A Baby Won’t You Please Come Home (LA-vcl) previously unissued
JR 40254A Pennies From Heaven (LA-vcl) –
JR 40254A When The Saints Go Marchin’ In (LA-vcl) Charly (G) SDVD 001 (CD)
JR 40254A The Star Spangled Banner previously unissued
Note: The interview with Willis Conover, Lazy River, Tiger Rag, Rockin’ Chair and When The Saints Go Marchin’ In are shown in the film Jazz On A Summer’s Day and can be found on VHS and DVD formats. Charly DVD 001 is a combination DVD / CD on which the CD provides the initial issue of the soundtrack on compact disc.
Lazy River and the second performance of When The Saints Go Marchin’ In are edited on all known releases.
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Album titles:
78 album
RCA Victor HJ-14 (40-4004, 40-4005, 40-4006) Louis Armstrong All Stars With
Jack Teagarden
LPs
Book Of The Month BOM 21-6547 Rare and Unreleased Performances
Columbia CL 931 Louis Armstrong & Eddie Condon at Newport
Columbia CL 1077 Satchmo The Great
Columbia CL 840 Ambassador Satch
Columbia C2 36426 Chicago Concert
Columbia CL 2638 Louis Armstrong’s Greatest Hits
Columbia C2 38262 Newport Jazz Festival Live – The Unreleased Recordings
RCA Victor PM 45374 At Town Hall
CDs
Columbia CK 64926 Ambassador Satch
Columbia CK 47916 The Essence of Louis Armstrong
Columbia C2K 65119 The Great Chicago Concert
CD & DVD
Charly DVD 001 Jazz On A Summer’s Day
Produced for release by Scott Wenzel and Ricky Riccardi
Executive Producer: Michael Cuscuna
Transfers, sound restoration and mastering by Andreas Meyer (www.meyer-media.com)
24 bit technology was utilized at all stages of the production of this Mosaic release.
Special thanks: Gina Aciares, George Avakian, Daniel Baumgarten, Michael Brooks, Kevin Dorn, Anthony Fountain, Matthew Friefeld, Jonathan Hiam, Mike Kull, Matt Leskovic, Jeanne Montalvo, Dan Morgenstern, Adam Nussbaum, Michael Panico, Richard Seidel, Hal Smith, Tom Tierney, Henry Towns and Ben Young.
Design Production: InkWell, Inc.
Vault research: Anthony Fountain, Mike Kull, Ricky Riccardi and Scott Wenzel
Producer’s Note: The vision of this set was to release all of the live Louis Armstrong All Star performances from the RCA Victor and Columbia catalog in addition to studio sessions that were later enhanced with dubbed-in applause. For these studio sessions we have gone back to the original ¼” tape and re-mastered them free of any dubbed applause and, to the best of our ability, restored these performances to their full unedited form. These sessions include the Milan movie theater date (Session E), the Columbia studio session from Los Angeles (Session F) and the Lewisohn Stadium rehearsal (Session L). Also included are two interview segments with George Avakian and Edward R. Murrow.
Although the original acetate discs used for recording the 1947 Town Hall and Carnegie Hall concerts (Sessions A & B) are feared to no longer exist they were transferred to tape before their disappearance. These tapes are what we have used for our source material except for the six titles from Carnegie Hall that initially were released on 78; for those we have gone back to the original metal parts.
The discography is presented here in chronological order. However, the CDs have not been sequenced chronologically to make for a better listening experience. Any alternate takes from Session (F) are included at the end of Disc VI. All others are presented in the order of performance.
The sound quality will differ throughout this set due to various amounts of tape deterioration. For both the Newport concerts, either the volume on the microphone used for Louis’ vocals was not properly set or that the mic was damaged in some way. We’ve tried our best to use the best sound made available from two separate vocal mics provided at the time by the Voice of America and Columbia Records.
This set is dedicated to George Avakian.
Scott Wenzel
Ricky Riccardi
“…In the final chorus, Armstrong uncorks a spiraling ascending phrase before hammering home a two-note riff over and over, foreshadowing a decade’s worth of big band writing that would follow in the 1930s.”