An Unprecedented Look
At a Genius at Work
7 CDs will take listeners into the studio with Louis Armstrong in a way never previously imaginable
Over three hours of bonus material, including unissued takes, rehearsals and even studio discussions. Since George Avakian relied so much on editing and splicing, his albums contained very few complete, unedited takes.
Superior sound utilizing the original RCA Victor metal parts, and test pressings of the pre-tape material and for the Columbia sessions Mosaic Records had complete access to all the reel-to-reel tapes.
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Grammy Award – Best Liner Notes
The 12 x 12 booklet includes an extremely in-depth 30,000 word essay from Armstrong authority Ricky Riccardi and over 40 photos from the collections of the Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation, the great majority of which have never been published.
Nearly 50 years after his passing, Louis Armstrong’s achievements as a trumpeter, vocalist, actor, author, Civil Rights advocate, and humanitarian remain unparalleled.
He left behind a timeless body of work with hit records in every decade, including seminal albums such as Louis Armstrong Plays W. C. Handy, Satch Plays Fats and The Real Ambassadors. The opportunity to go behind the scenes to hear how Armstrong created these masterworks in the studio has never been possible-until now.
The story begins in 1946 with Louis Armstrong still toting a big band across the country on an endless series of one-nighters. After signing a new contract with RCA Victor, Armstrong immediately made his first recordings with Duke Ellington as part of an “Esquire All-American 1946 Award Winners” date overseen by Leonard Feather. RCA gave Armstrong the opportunity to record his regular working band, but also showcased the trumpeter in a small group setting thanks to the filming of New Orleans in the fall of 1946. With the writing on the wall, Armstrong recorded four sensational sides with small group featuring Bobby Hackett and Jack Teagarden in June 1947, eventually leading to the formation of his popular small group, the All Stars.
All 29 of Armstrong’s 1946-1947 RCA recordings are being presented here in superb fidelity, transferred from the original metal parts.
Louis Armstrong & George Avakian: A Perfect Match
Armstrong spent the next several years recording popular hits for Decca Records, elevating his popularity but hurting his reputation with some in the jazz world. George Avakian relished the opportunity to record his longtime friend in a more jazz-centric setting but couldn’t get through Decca’s ironclad contract. When he finally got the opportunity to make a one-off album in July 1954, Avakian made the most of it.
The result was Louis Armstrong Plays W. C. Handy, long regarded as the finest long-playing album of Armstrong’s entire career. Armstrong’s All Stars, featuring Trummy Young, Barney Bigard, Billy Kyle, Arvell Shaw, Barrett Deems, and Velma Middleton, were in top form on a series of compositions by the “Father of the Blues,” W. C. Handy. Avakian was known for his copious postproduction work, splicing the best portions of each take in order to present the optimal listening experience. The result was a critical and commercial smash. “They’re perfect-they’re my tops,” Armstrong said of the final album.
Armstrong’s manager Joe Glaser couldn’t argue with the results and allowed Avakian to record a follow up in 1955, this time featuring the compositions of Armstrong’s old friend, Fats Waller. The resulting album, Satch Plays Fats, was another masterpiece, featuring emotional readings of “Blue Turning Grey Over You” and “Black and Blue” and romps on Waller favorites such as “Ain’t Misbehavin'” and “Honeysuckle Rose.”
For his next idea, Avakian eschewed the works of Handy and Waller and instead turned to Kurt Weill in having Armstrong record “A Theme from a Threepenny Opera,” soon to become better known as the monster hit, “Mack the Knife.” Avakian’s remarkable run of Armstrong recordings ended the following year but the general consensus has always been that no other producer captured Armstrong better in his 1950s late period prime on Handy, Fats, and “Mack the Knife” (not to mention Ambassador Satch, already covered in now out-of-print 2014 Mosaic Records set).
Who’s’ The Real Ambassdor
In September 1957, Louis Armstrong put his entire career on the line to speak out against injustice in Little Rock, Arkansas, disgusted by Governor Oval Faubus sending in the Arkansas National Guard to prevent nine African American students from integrating Little Rock Central High School. “The way they’re treating my people in the south, the government can go to hell,” Armstrong told reporters, making headlines around the world. No one else in the jazz world spoke up at that time but two figures were deeply moved by Armstrong’s courageous stance: Dave and Iola Brubeck.
The Brubecks immediately began writing what they envisioned as a lavish Broadway musical based around the notion that the “Jazz Ambassadors” the State Department was sending around the world were more important than the political ambassadors, even though many of those same musicians were fighting for their rights in their homeland. The work was originally titled World, Take a Holiday in 1959 and was written to star Louis Armstrong, Carmen McRae and the vocal trio of Lambert, Hendricks and Ross. Unable to get their work off the ground on Broadway, Brubeck used his post-“Take Five” clout to have Columbia record selections from the score of their work, now titled The Real Ambassadors, in 1961.
Armstrong was 60 years old, still recovering from a heart attack, and had recently returned from a grueling State Department tour of Africa that found his mere presence enough to temporary halt a civil war in the Congo. With a lifetime of wisdom at his disposal and mortality now staring him in the eyes, Armstrong brought a gravitas to his work on The Real Ambassadors, whether summoning up deep nostalgia on the touching “Summer Song” or singing with tears in his eyes on “They Say I Look Like God.” The result was years ahead of its time, but both Brubeck and Armstrong remained especially proud of it until the end of their respective lives.
Mosaic Records Uncovers Hours of Bonus Material
While assembling this set, the producers were greeted by dozens of surprises on the original session tapes. Because Avakian relied so much on editing and splicing, his albums contained very few complete, unedited takes. This set will make up for that, with over three hours of bonus material, including unissued takes, rehearsals and even studio discussions, creating the most intimate portrait of Armstrong, the All Stars, and Avakian at work in the studios.
And as a tribute to Avakian, we are also including newly remastered transfers of the original albums in their original sequence, giving listeners the rare opportunity to hear the beloved master takes side-by-side with their unedited counterparts.
As with the 1950s material, Mosaic Records is thrilled to present over 75 minutes of material not found on the original album, including previously unissued alternate takes of each one of Armstrong’s features, including multiple takes of both “Summer Song” and “They Say I Look Like God,” two of the highpoints of not just the album, but Armstrong’s entire career.
More Than Just Music
Mosaic Records has long been known for its extraordinary packaging, but this set has gone above and beyond in telling the stories behind the making of the music, including an extremely in-depth 30,000 word essay from Armstrong biographer Ricky Riccardi and over 40 photos from the collections of the Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation, the great majority of which have never been published.
Whether you’ve listened to this music for 60 years or it is your first time, Columbia and RCA Victor Studio Recordings of Louis Armstrong 1946-1966 is an essential purchase for anyone interested in Satchmo the Great. Like all Mosaic releases, this will be a limited edition set and is guaranteed to be one of our most popular releases so act fast and don’t miss out on this definitive document of why Pops will always remain tops.
Audio Clips & Session Notes
St Louis Blues
It was a no-brainer to open with Handy’s most famous composition, St. Louis Blues. Armstrong was far from a stranger to the tune; he appeared on Bessie Smith’s landmark 1925 sermon on it, recorded excellent studio versions for OKeh in 1929, RCA Victor in 1933 and French Brunswick in 1934, and played it regularly in the early days of the All Stars. The Smith version was a dirge while Armstrong’s later takes were flag-waving showpieces, the tempo gradually getting faster with each passing version.
But in 1954, Armstrong tried something new, treating it to an irresistibly rocking medium tempo. Avakian wanted the musicians to stretch out, but got more than even he expected, telling me in 2008, “I did not expect what Pops gave me on that tune.” Seemingly, no one expected it.
The highlights are bountiful: two-and-a-half minutes of brilliant instrumental playing at the start; Middleton’s vocal, with new lines about Armstrong himself and a decisive obbligato by the trumpeter; Armstrong’s impromptu quotation of a solo he had played on a 1924 record by the Red Onion Jazz Babies, “Terrible Blues”; Armstrong’s ad-libbed lyrics, decidedly not in Handy’s original; Bigard’s thrilling solo, in the wake of Avakian telling him he was being “overshadowed” earlier in the session; one of the raunchiest solos of Young’s career with Armstrong (he growls, roars, snarls through two choruses with mighty backing by the rhythm section); and, finally, two majestic rideout choruses, Armstrong leading the way, consistently pounding home high concert Db’s with a tone of breathtaking fullness.
As soon as the take ended, Armstrong was compelled to yell, “Wailin’,” amidst laughter and other verbal acknowledgments that these musicians knew they had just achieved something special.
A Song Was Born
Joe Glaser signed Sid Catlett, Barney Bigard, pianist Dick Cary and bassist Morty Corb to round out the All Stars. The new group was a sensation upon opening at Billy Berg’s in Hollywood, as their two-week engagement was extended to four weeks almost immediately.
The All Stars were starting to tour, now with Arvell Shaw back in the bass chair. During an engagement at the Rag Doll in Chicago, RCA called Armstrong to the studio to record A SONG WAS BORN, the past-tense title song from the upcoming film. Teagarden opens with a heartfelt reading of that haunting melody before singing the first chorus with soft backing from Armstrong and Bigard (and some nice work by Cary).
A modulation brings on Armstrong to sing a full chorus about how jazz was born, hamming up his reading of the last line. The rhythm section really locks in as Armstrong begins his solo, which features a quick ascending-and-descending chromatic line that was part of his bag of tricks as a young man and was now part of bebop language. Armstrong shows off lots of the tools in his arsenal in his half chorus, rests a bit while Teagarden takes the bridge, then swoops back in for a strong finish, even reaching a high Eb.
After a tasty bridge by Cary, Armstrong returns to lead everyone home, nailing another high Eb over rocking Catlett backbeats.
Mack the Knife
In putting this set together, we were greeted by a most welcome surprise: unbeknownst to anyone, Avakian decided to let the tapes roll, capturing over 15 minutes of the All Stars working out and rehearsing what became one of the biggest hits of Armstrong’s career, “Mack the Knife.”
There’s long stretches of silence, mumbled conversations and practicing, but we have edited it down to include the most compelling sequences, as they illustrate not only the behind-the-scenes making of a hit record, but also the inner workings of Avakian’s lightning-fast mind.
The Complete Louis Armstrong Columbia & RCA Victor Studio Sessions 1946-66
Discography
DISC I
THE RCA VICTOR 78 SINGLES
1. Long Long Journey (A) 4:33
(Leonard Feather)
2. Snafu (A) 4:16
(Leonard Feather)
3. Linger In My Arms A Little Longer (B) 2:57
(Herb Magidson)
4. Whatta Ya Gonna Do? (B) 2:53
(S.Skylar-P. Lewis)
5. No Variety Blues (B) 2:54
(L.Armstrong-H.Fairbanks)
6. Joseph ’N His Brudders (B) 3:03
(Armstrong-Bell-Kroll)
7. Back O’ Town Blues (B) 3:15
(L. Armstrong-L. Russell)
8. I Want A Little Girl (C) 3:01
(M. Mencher-B. Moll)
9. Sugar (C) 3:25
(Maceo Pinkard)
10. Blues For Yesterday (C) 2:36
(Lester Carr)
11. Blues In The South (C) 3:03
(L.Carr-W. Johnstone)
12. Endie (D) 2:53
(L. Alter-E. DeLange)
13. The Blues Are Brewin’ (D) 2:55
(L. Alter-E. DeLange)
14. Do You Know What It Means To Miss
New Orleans (D) 3:00
(L. Alter-E. DeLange)
15. Where The Blues Were Born In
New Orleans (D) 3:06
(B. Carleton-C. Dixon)
16. Mahogany Hall Stomp (D) 2:57
(Spencer Williams)
17. I Wonder, I Wonder, I Wonder (E) 2:33
(Daryl Hutchins)
18. I Believe (E) 3:00
(S. Cahn-J. Styne)
19. Why Doubt My Love (E) 3:24
(L. Armstrong-H. Mercer)
20. It Takes Time (E) 2:40
(Arthur Korb)21. You Don’t Learn That In School (E) 2:41
(R. Alfred-M. Fisher)
22. Jack-Armstrong Blues (F) 3:01
(L. Armstrong-J. Teagarden)
23. Rockin’ Chair (F) 3:06
(Hoagy Carmichael)
24. Some Day (You’ll Be Sorry) (F) 3:13
(Louis Armstrong)
25. Fifty-Fifty Blues (F) 2:59
(Billy Moore Jr.)
DISC II
RCA VICTOR & COLUMBIA SINGLES
1. A Song Was Born (G) 3:20
(D. Raye-G. DePaul)
2. Please Stop Playing Those Blues,
Boys (G) 3:20
(C. Demetrius-F. Moore)
3. Before Long (G) 2:55
(S. Catlett-C. Sigman)
4. Lovely Weather We’re Having (G) 3:19
(Joe Bushkin)
5. ’Taint What You Do (J) 2:47
(S.Oliver-T.Young)
6. Back O’ Town Blues (N) 3:51
(L. Armstrong-L. Russell)
7. Mack The Knife (N) 3:25
(Blitzstein-Weill-Brecht)
8. Mack The Knife (with Lotte Lenya) (N) 3:13
(Blitzstein-Weill-Brecht)
9. Rain, Rain (O) 2:40
(H. Stanley-I. Taylor)
10. I Never Saw A Better Day (O) 3:13
(H. Stanley-I. Taylor)
11. Music To Shave By (P) 2:45
Ain’t Misbehavin’
(Razaf-Waller-Brooks)
You Make Me Feel So Young
(M. Gordon-J. Myrow)
When You’re Smiling
(Fisher-Goodwin-Shay)
12. Cabaret (W) 3:10
(J. Kander-F. Ebb)
13. Canal Street Blues (W) 3:01
(Joe Oliver)
14. ’Taint What You Do (-5 and discussion from rehearsal take) (J) 3:33
15. Back O’ Town Blues (reh) (N) 5:50
(L. Armstrong-L. Russell)
16. Mack The Knife (reh #1) (N) 4:21
(Blitzstein-Weill-Brecht)
17. Mack The Knife (-1) (N) 3:51
(Blitzstein-Weill-Brecht)
18. Mack The Knife
(reh #2 and voice tracks) (N) 2:43
(Blitzstein-Weill-Brecht)
19. Mack The Knife
(-3 and inserts #1) (N) 4:19
(Blitzstein-Weill-Brecht)
20. Mack The Knife (-7) (N) 3:35
(Blitzstein-Weill-Brecht)
21. Mack The Knife (with Lotte Lenya)
(BDs and inserts) (N) 8:35
(Blitzstein-Weill-Brecht)
22. Mack The Knife (Moritat)
(instrumental) (N) 2:11
(Blitzstein-Weill-Brecht)
DISC III
LOUIS ARMSTRONG PLAYS W.C. HANDY (master LP and alternates)
1. St. Louis Blues (I) 8:53
(W.C. Handy)
2. Yellow Dog Blues (J) 4:16
(W.C. Handy)
3. Loveless Love (H) 4:28
(W.C.Handy)
4. Aunt Hagar’s Blues (H) 4:59
(W.C. Handy-T. Brymn)
5. Long Gone (H) 5:11
(W.C. Handy-C. Smith)
6. The Memphis Blues (I) 3:00
(W.C. Handy)
7. Beale Street Blues (H) 4:57
(W.C. Handy)
8. Ole Miss Blues (H) 3:27
(W.C. Handy)
9. Chantez-Les Bas (J) 4:48
(W.C. Handy)
10. Hesitating Blues (H) 5:21
(W.C. Handy)
11. Atlanta Blues (I) 4:34
(D. Elman-W.C. Handy)
12. St. Louis Blues (-3) and Armstrong/ Avakian discussion (I) 12:11
(W.C. Handy)
13. St. Louis Blues (-4) (I) 8:57
(W.C. Handy)
14. Yellow Dog Blues (-1) (J) 4:32
(W.C. Handy)
DISC IV
LOUIS ARMSTRONG PLAYS W.C. HANDY (alternates)
1. Loveless Love (reh tk) (H) 6:10
(W.C. Handy)
2. Loveless Love (alt tk. -8) (H) 4:38
(W.C. Handy)
3. Loveless Love (insert take) (H) 3:28
(W.C. Handy)
4. Aunt Hagar’s Blues (-1 through -4) (H) 5:13
(W.C. Handy-T. Brymn)
5. Aunt Hagar’s Blues (-9) (H) 5:12
(W.C. Handy-T. Brymn)
6. Alligator Story (H) 0:48
7. Long Gone (reh #1) (H) 5:15
(W.C. Handy-C. Smith)
8. Long Gone (-1 and reh #2) (H) 5:17
(W.C. Handy-C. Smith)
9. Long Gone (-5) (H) 7:53
(W.C. Handy-C. Smith)
10. The Memphis Blues (-2) (I) 3:09
(W.C. Handy)
11. Beale Street Blues (-1) (H) 4:35
(W.C. Handy)
12. Ole Miss Blues (-1) (H) 4:47
(W.C. Handy)
13. Ole Miss Blues (-3) (H) 4:43
(W.C. Handy)
14. Chantez-Les Bas (-2) (J) 3:53
(W.C. Handy)
15. Hesitating Blues (reh tk) (H) 5:38
(W.C. Handy)
16. Atlanta Blues (-2) (I) 4:55
(D.Elman-W.C. Handy)
17. Atlanta Blues (-3) (I) 4:39
(D.Elman-W.C. Handy)
DISC V
SATCH PLAYS FATS
(master LP and alternates)
1. Honeysuckle Rose (K) 2:53
(A.Razaf-F. Waller)
2. Blue Turning Grey Over You (L) 4:57
(A.Razaf-F. Waller)
3. I’m Crazy ‘Bout My Baby (L) 4:26
(F.Waller-A. Hill)
4. Squeeze Me (M) 5:04
(C.Williams-F. Waller)
5. Keepin’ Out Of Mischief Now (M) 3:20
(A.Razaf-F. Waller)
6. All That Meat And No Potatoes (L) 5:17
(F.Waller-E. Kirkeby)
7. I’ve Got A Feeling I’m Falling (K) 3:10
(Rose-Link-Waller)
8. Black And Blue (K) 4:42
(Razaf-Waller-Brooks)
9. Ain’t Misbehavin’ (M) 3:58
(Razaf-Waller-Brooks)
10. Honeysuckle Rose (-1) (K) 5:00
(A.Razaf-F. Waller)
11. Honeysuckle Rose (-5) (K) 3:12
(A.Razaf-F. Waller)
12. Blue Turning Grey Over You (-2) (L) 4:50
(Razaf-Waller)
13. Blue Turning Grey Over You
(-3 and inserts) (L) 6:47
(Razaf-Waller)
14. Blue Turning Grey Over You (-5) (L) 5:28
(Razaf-Waller)
15. I’m Crazy ’Bout My Baby (-3) (L) 4:53
(F. Waller-A. Hill)
16. I’m Crazy ’Bout My Baby (-5) (L) 4:55
(F. Waller-A. Hill)
17. Squeeze Me (-1) (M) 6:21
(C. Williams-F. Waller)
DISC VI
SATCH PLAYS FATS (alternates) and
THE REAL AMBASSADORS (master LP)
1. Keepin’ Out Of Mischief Now (-4) (M) 3:37
(A.Razaf-F. Waller)
2. Keepin’ Out Of Mischief Now (-9) (M) 3:28
(A.Razaf-F. Waller)
3. All That Meat And No Potatoes (-1) (L) 5:06
(F.Waller-E. Kirkeby)
4. I’ve Got A Feeling I’m Falling (-2) (K) 3:27
(Rose-Link-Waller)
5. I’ve Got A Feeling I’m Falling (-5) (K) 3:21
(Rose-Link-Waller)
6. Black And Blue (reh) (K) 3:24
(Razaf-Waller-Brooks)
7. Ain’t Misbehavin’ (-1) (K) 4:46
(Razaf-Waller-Brooks)
8. Everybody’s Comin’ (R) 1:50
(D.Brubeck-I. Brubeck)
9. Cultural Exchange (T) 4:42
(D.Brubeck-I. Brubeck)
10. Good Reviews (S), (U), (V) 2:09
(D.Brubeck-I. Brubeck)
11. Remember Who You Are (U) 2:33
(D.Brubeck-I. Brubeck)
12. My One Bad Habit (V) 2:41
(D.Brubeck-I. Brubeck)
13. Summer Song (U) 3:18
(Dave Brubeck)
14. King For A Day (T) 3:41
(D.Brubeck-I. Brubeck)
15. Blow Satchmo (Q) 0:48
(D.Brubeck-I. Brubeck)
16. The Real Ambassador (Q, R) 3:12
(D.Brubeck-I. Brubeck)
17. In The Lurch (V) 2:32
(D.Brubeck-I. Brubeck)
18. One Moment Worth Years (S) 4:22
(D.Brubeck-I. Brubeck)
19. They Say I Look Like God (R) 5:30
(D. Brubeck-I. Brubeck)
20. Since Love Had Its Way (T) 2:35
(D. Brubeck-I. Brubeck)
21. I Didn’t Know Until You Told Me (S) 3:02
(D. Brubeck-I. Brubeck)
22. Swing Bells / Blow Satchmo / Finale
(Q). (R), (T), (U) 6:03
(D.Brubeck-I. Brubeck)
DISC VII
THE REAL AMBASSADORS
(singles and alternates)
1. Nomad (T) 2:56
(Dave Brubeck)
2. You Swing Baby (The Duke) (S) 2:36
(Dave Brubeck)
3. Lonesome (U) 2:30
(Dave Brubeck)
4. Nomad (-10) (T) 3:26
(Dave Brubeck)
5. Lonesome (1st version) (-2) (U) 3:08
(Dave Brubeck)
6. Lonesome (2nd version) (-3 and reading) (U) 4:17
(Dave Brubeck)
7. Everybody’s Comin’ (-2) (R) 1:59
(D.Brubeck-I. Brubeck)
8. Cultural Exchange (-2) (T) 5:29
(D.Brubeck-I. Brubeck)
9. Good Reviews
(-7 / tags #1 & #2) (S) 2:40
(D.Brubeck-I. Brubeck)
10. Good Reviews (insert -2) (U) 1:48
(D.Brubeck-I. Brubeck)
11. Remember Who You Are (-6) (U) 2:54
(D.Brubeck-I. Brubeck)
12. Summer Song (-2 and inserts) (S), (U) 3:37
(Dave Brubeck)
13. King For A Day (-4) (T) 4:09
(D.Brubeck-I. Brubeck)
14. Blow Satchmo (-1) (R) 1:28
(D.Brubeck-I. Brubeck)
15. The Real Ambassador (-4) (BD) (R) 1:08
(D.Brubeck-I. Brubeck)
16. The Real Ambassador (-5) (R) 3:53
(D.Brubeck-I. Brubeck)
17. One Moment Worth Years (-1) (S) 4:29
(D.Brubeck-I. Brubeck)
18. They Say I Look Like God (-1) (R) 4:54
(D.Brubeck-I. Brubeck)
19. They Say I Look Like God (-3) (R) 5:14
(D.Brubeck-I. Brubeck)
20. Since Love Had Its Way (-2) (T) 2:51
(D.Brubeck-I. Brubeck)
21. I Didn’t Know Until You Told Me (-5) (S) 3:04
(D.Brubeck-I. Brubeck)
22. Swing Bells (remake insert #1 -4) (T) 0:45
(D.Brubeck-I. Brubeck)
23. Blow Satchmo (remake -1) (S) 1:11
(D.Brubeck-I. Brubeck)
24. Finale (-1) (T) :33
(D.Brubeck-I. Brubeck)
DISCOGRAPHY
For the purposes of this discography, only the first release of each matrix is listed. The RCA Victor releases were all initially issued on 78 unless noted. The Columbia releases were all initially issued on LP unless noted.
To the best of our knowledge, this discography is presented chronologically in the order in which each take was recorded. However, the CDs are not sequenced chronologically.
When a matrix number is shown with more than one take, it is because there has been multiple takes spliced together to make up the master take. (For example, CCO 5521-7/-10 (mst) Aunt Hagar’s Blues is understood to mean takes -7 and -10 were used to make up the master take of aunt hagar’s blues).
Some takes include inserts and tags which are brief solo or ensemble cuts either from existing takes or recorded specifically to take the place of a flawed performance or to enhance an existing take.
The following reference material used for this discography was All of Me: The Complete Discography of Louis Armstrong by Jos Willems (Scarecrow Press, 2006) and research obtained by the producers. Other information came from American Federation of Musician logs from both RCA Victor and Columbia.
Label Abbreviations: BOM for Book-of-the-Month; Col for Columbia; Col Mas for Columbia Masterworks; and RCA Vic for RCA Victor.
Country Abbreviations: (F) for France; (G) for Germany.
Other Abbreviations: alt for alternate take; BGT for background track; BD for breakdown; cad for cadenza; FS for false start; inc for incomplete; mst for master and reh for rehearsal.
(A) ESQUIRE ALL-AMERICAN 1946 AWARD WINNERS: Louis Armstrong (tp, vcl),
Charlie Shavers (tp), Jimmy Hamilton (cl), Johnny Hodges (as), Don Byas (ts), Duke Ellington (p, speech), Billy Strayhorn (p), Remo Palmieri (g), Chubby Jackson (b), Sonny Greer (d).
NYC, January 10, 1946
session starts at 8:45pm
Supervised by Leonard Feather and Steve Sholes
PD6-VC-5020-1 Long Long Journey
(LA-vcl) (DE-speech) RCA Vic 40-4001 (12″)
PD6-VC-5021-1 Snafu -1 –
-1 Neal Hefti (tp) replaces Shavers and omit Ellington.
(B) LOUIS ARMSTRONG AND HIS ORCHESTRA: Louis Armstrong (tp, vcl), Ludwig Jordan,
Ed Mullens, Fats Ford, William “Chieftie” Scott (tp), “Big Chief” Russell Moore, Adam Martin, Norman Powe, Al Cobbs (tb), Don Hill, Amos Gordon (as), Johnny Sparrow (ts), Joe Garland (ts, arr), Ernest Thompson (bari), Ed Swanston (p), Elmer Warner (g, el-g), Arvell Shaw (b), Butch Ballard (d), Velma Middleton (vcl), Don Redman (arr).
NYC, April 27, 1946
1:00–4:35 pm
Supervised by Eli Oberstein
D6-VB-1736-1 Linger In My Arms A Little
Longer (LA-vcl) (DR-arr) RCA Vic 20-1912
D6-VB-1737-1 Whatta Ya Gonna Do? (LA-vcl) RCA Vic 20-1891
D6-VB-1738-1 No Variety Blues (LA, VM-vcl) –
D6-VB-1739-1 Joseph ’N His Brudders
(LA, ens-vcl) RCA Vic 20-2612
D6-VB-1740-1 Back O’ Town Blues (LA, VM-vcl) RCA Vic 20-1912
Note: Joe Garland is possibly the arranger on these titles unless where noted.
Some discographies incorrectly list no variety blues with the issued take being released as -2.
(C) LOUIS ARMSTRONG AND HIS HOT SEVEN: Louis Armstrong (tp, vcl), Vic Dickenson (tb), Barney Bigard (cl), Charlie Beal (p), Allan Reuss (g), Red Callender (b), Zutty Singleton (d).
LA, September 6, 1946
7:30–10:30 pm
Supervised by Leonard Feather, Walt Heebner and Steve Sholes
D6-VB-2149-1 I Want A Little Girl (LA-vcl) Swing 223 (F), RCA Vic 20-2612
D6-VB-2150-1 Sugar (LA-vcl) Swing 251 (F), RCA Vic 40-0136
Leonard Feather (p) replaces Beal.
D6-VB-2151-1 Blues For Yesterday (LA-vcl) Swing 223 (F), RCA Vic 20-2456
D6-VB-2152-1 Blues In The South (LA-vcl) Swing 251 (F), RCA Vic 20-2456
Note: Although carrying RCA Victor matrix numbers, this session was made for the French label Swing and issued just prior to the RCA Victor releases.
(D) LOUIS ARMSTRONG AND HIS ORCHESTRA -1: Louis Armstrong (tp, vcl), Robert Butler, Lewis Gray, Ed Mullens, Fats Ford (tp), “Big Chief” Russell Moore, Waddet Williams, Nat Allen, James Whitney (tb), Don Hill, Amos Gordon (as), Johnny Sparrow, Joe Garland (ts),
Ernest Thompson (bari), Earl Mason (p), Elmer Warner (g), Arvell Shaw (b), Edmond McConney (d).
LOUIS ARMSTRONG AND HIS DIXIELAND SEVEN -2: Louis Armstrong (tp, vcl), Kid Ory (tb), Barney Bigard (cl), Charlie Beal (p), Bud Scott (g), Red Callender (b), Minor Hall (d).
LA, October 17, 1946
1:00-3:45 am -1/4:15-6:00 am -2
Supervised by Walt Heebner
D6-VB-2190-1 Endie (LA-vcl) -1 RCA Vic 20-2087
D6-VB-2191-1 The Blues Are Brewin’ (LA-vcl) -1 RCA Vic LJM 1005 (LP)
D6-VB-2192-1 Do You Know What It Means To
Miss New Orleans (LA-vcl) -2 RCA Vic 20-2087
D6-VB-2193-1 Where The Blues Were Born In
New Orleans (LA-vcl) -2 RCA Vic 20-2088
D6-VB-2194-1 Mahogany Hall Stomp -2 –
D6-VB-2195 Farewell To Storyville-2 unissued, master no longer exists
Note: Joe Garland is possibly the arranger on both of the big band titles.
(E) LOUIS ARMSTRONG AND HIS ORCHESTRA: Louis Armstrong (tp, vcl), Robert Butler, Chiefie Scott, Sleepy Grider, Ed Mullens, Fats Ford (tp), “Big Chief” Russell Moore, Waddet Williams, Slim Moore, James Whitney (tb), Arthur Dennis, Amos Gordon (as), Johnny Sparrow, Joe Garland (ts), Ernest Thompson (bari), Earl Mason (p), Elmer Warner (g, el-g), Arvell Shaw (b),
James “Coatsville” Harris (d).
NYC, March 12, 1947
4:30–9:00 pm
Supervised by Eli Oberstein and Russ Case
D7-VB-647-1 I Wonder, I Wonder,
I Wonder (LA-vcl) RCA Vic 20-2228
D7-VB-648-1 I Believe (LA-vcl) RCA Vic 20-2240
D7-VB-649-1 Why Doubt My Love (LA-vcl) RCA Vic VPM 6044 (LP)
D7-VB-650-1 It Takes Time (LA-vcl) RCA Vic 20-2228
D7-VB-651-1 You Don’t Learn That
In School (LA-vcl) RCA Vic 20-2240
Note: Joe Garland is possibly the arranger on all these titles.
(F) LOUIS ARMSTRONG AND HIS ALL STARS: Louis Armstrong (tp, vcl), Bobby Hackett (cor), Jack Teagarden (tb, vcl), Peanuts Hucko (cl, ts), Ernie Caceres (cl, bari), Johnny Guarnieri (p, cel), Al Casey (g), Al Hall (b), Cozy Cole (d).
NYC, June 10, 1947
D7-VB-952-1 Jack-Armstrong Blues
(LA, JT-vcl) RCA Vic 20-2348
D7-VB-953-1 Rockin’ Chair (LA, JT-vcl) –
D7-VB-954-1 Some Day (You’ll Be Sorry)
(LA-vcl) RCA Vic 20-2530
D7-VB-955-1 Fifty-Fifty Blues (LA, JT-vcl) –
Note: Some discographies incorrectly list jack-armstrong blues and fifty-fifty blues with the issued take being released as -2.
(G) LOUIS ARMSTRONG AND HIS ALL STARS: Louis Armstrong (tp, vcl),
Jack Teagarden (tb, vcl), Barney Bigard (cl), Dick Cary (p), Arvell Shaw (b), Sid Catlett (d).
Chicago, October 16, 1947
D7-VB-1082-1 A Song Was Born (LA, JT-vcl) RCA Vic 20-3064
D7-VB-1083-1 Please Stop Playing
Those Blues, Boys (LA, JT-vcl) RCA Vic 20-2648
D7-VB-1084-1 Before Long (LA-vcl) RCA Vic 20-3064
D7-VB-1085-1 Lovely Weather We’re
Having (LA-vcl) RCA Vic 20-2648
Note: Some 78 issues from RCA Victor and His Master’s Voice (England) contain various take numbers but it has been confirmed they are all -1.
(H) LOUIS ARMSTRONG AND HIS ALL STARS: Louis Armstrong (tp, vcl), Trummy Young (tb), Barney Bigard (cl), Billy Kyle (p), Arvell Shaw (b), Barrett Deems (d), Velma Middleton (vcl),
Sheik Pittman, Doc Pugh, Felicia Sanders, Ernest “Six” Smith, others unidentified (choir).
Chicago, July 12, 1954
Supervised by George Avakian
CCO 5521-1 thru -3 (BD) Aunt Hagar’s Blues previously unissued
CCO 5521-4 Aunt Hagar’s Blues (LA-vcl) –
CCO 5521-5 (BD #4) Aunt Hagar’s Blues unissued
CCO 5521-6 (BD #5) Aunt Hagar’s Blues –
CCO 5521-7 Aunt Hagar’s Blues (LA-vcl) partially unissued
CCO 5521-7b (BD #6 Aunt Hagar’s Blues unissued
CCO 5521-8 (BD #7) Aunt Hagar’s Blues –
CCO 5521-9 Aunt Hagar’s Blues (LA-vcl) previously unissued
CCO 5521-10 (FS) Aunt Hagar’s Blues unissued
CCO 5521-10 ½ Aunt Hagar’s Blues (LA-vcl) ?Col CJ 40242 (LP)/
Col CK 40242 (CD)
CCO 5521-7/-10 ½ (mst) Aunt Hagar’s Blues (LA-vcl) Col CL 6334 (10″), CL 591 (12″)
CCO 5522-reh Hesitating Blues (LA, VM-vcl) Col CK 64925 (CD)
CCO 5522-1(BD) Hesitating Blues (LA, VM-vcl) partially unissued
CCO 5522-2 Hesitating Blues (LA, VM-vcl) ?Col CJ 40242 (LP)/
Col CK 40242 (CD)
CCO 5522-1/-2 (mst) Hesitating Blues (LA, VM-vcl) Col CL 6335 (10″), CL 591 (12″)
CCO 5523-1 Ole Miss Blues previously unissued
CCO 5523-“1a” (BD) Ole Miss Blues partially unissued
CCO 5523-2 Ole Miss Blues unissued
CCO 5523-3 Ole Miss Blues ?Col CJ 40242 (LP)/
Col CK 40242 (CD)
CCO 5523-“1a”/-2/-3 (mst) Ole Miss Blues ?Col CL 6335 (10″), CL 591 (12″)
CCO 5524-1 Beale Street Blues (LA-vcl) previously unissued
CCO 5524-insert Beale Street Blues partially unissued
CCO 5524-2 Beale Street Blues (LA-vcl) Col CJ 40242 (LP)/Col CK 40242 (CD)
CCO 5524-1/insert/-2 (mst) Beale Street Blues (LA-vcl) Col CL 6335 (10″), CL 591 (12″)
CCO 5525-reh/insert Loveless Love (LA, VM-vcl) Col CK 64925 (CD)
CCO 5525-1 thru -5 (BD) Loveless Love unissued
CCO 5525-6 (BD) Loveless Love (LA, VM-vcl) –
CCO 5525-7 (BD) Loveless Love –
CCO 5525-8 Loveless Love (LA, VM-vcl) previously unissued
CCO 5528-insert Loveless Love –
CCO 5525-7/-8/insert (mst) Loveless Love (LA, VM-vcl) Col CL 6334 (10″), CL 591 (12″)
No matrix Alligator Story (LA-speech) Col CJ 40242 (LP)/CK 40242 (CD)
CCO 5526-reh #1 Long Gone (LA, VM, choir-vcl) Col CK 64925 (CD)
CCO 5526-1 and reh #2 Long Gone (LA, VM-vcl) previously unissued
CCO 5526-2 (BD #1) Long Gone (LA, VM, choir-vcl) unissued
CCO 5526-3 (BD #2) Long Gone (LA, VM, choir-vcl) –
CCO 5526-4 Long Gone (LA, VM, choir-vcl) partially unissued
CCO 5526-5 Long Gone (LA, VM, choir-vcl) Col CJ 40242 (LP)/CK 40242 (CD)
CCO 5526-1/-4/-5 (mst) Long Gone (LA, VM, choir-vcl) Col CL 6334 (10″), CL 591 (12″)
Note: Some 78 and 45 issues of this material are edited versions of master takes and are not included in this package.
CCO 5521-10 ½, CCO 5522-2, CCO 5524-2 were all issued on Columbia CK/CJ 40242 but are not included in this package since most of the take is heard in the master take.
The rehearsal take of loveless love released on Columbia CK 64925 used a ride-out chorus from a later insert take. This is the first issue of the unedited rehearsal take. And from the same CD release, the rehearsal take of long gone is edited and resequenced. This set contains (for the first time) both unedited rehearsal takes in their entirety and as they were originally recorded.
(I) LOUIS ARMSTRONG AND HIS ALL STARS: Louis Armstrong (tp, vcl), Trummy Young (tb, vcl), Barney Bigard (cl), Billy Kyle (p), Arvell Shaw (b), Barrett Deems (d), Velma Middleton (vcl).
Chicago, July 13, 1954
Supervised by George Avakian
CCO 5527-1 (BD The Memphis Blues (LA-vcl) unissued
CCO 5527-2 The Memphis Blues (LA-vcl) previously unissued
CCO 5527-3 (mst) The Memphis Blues (LA-vcl) Col CL 6335 (10″), CL 591 (12″)
CCO 5528-1 & -2 (BDs) St. Louis Blues (LA, VM-vcl) unissued
CCO 5528-3 St. Louis Blues (LA, VM-vcl) partially unissued
CCO 5528- “-3a” discussion previously unissued
CCO 5528-4 St. Louis Blues (LA, VM-vcl) Col CL 40242 (LP),
CLK 40242 (CD)
CCO 5528-3/-4 (mst) St. Louis Blues (LA-VM-vcl) Col CL 6334 (10″), CL 591 (12″)
CCO 5529-1 (BD) Atlanta Blues unissued
CCO 5529-2 Atlanta Blues (LA-vcl) previously unissued
CCO 5529-3 Atlanta Blues (LA-vcl) Col CJ 40242 (LP)/
CK 40242 (CD)
CCO 5529-4 (mst) Atlanta Blues (LA-vcl) partially unissued
CCO 5529-3/-4 (mst) Atlanta Blues (LA-vcl) Col CL 6335 (10″), CL 591 (12″)
Note: The master take of atlanta blues also includes an overdub of Armstrong’s trumpet and vocal, which was recorded on September 3, 1954.
Matrix CCO 5528-3 partially was issued on the Columbia CJ / CK 40242 LP and CD release but the full take is presented here in its entirety.
(J) LOUIS ARMSTRONG AND HIS ALL STARS: Same as (I).
Chicago, July 14, 1954
Supervised by George Avakian
CCO 5530-1 (BD) Chantez-Les Bas unissued
CCO 5530-2 Chantez-Les Bas (LA-vcl) previously unissued
CCO 5530-3 Chantez-Les Bas (LA-vcl) Col CJ 40242 (LP)/CK 40242 (CD)
CCO 5530-2/-3 (mst) Chantez-Les Bas (LA-vcl) Col CL 6335 (10″), CL 591 (12″)
CCO 5531-1 Yellow Dog Blues (LA-vcl) previously unissued
CCO 5531-2 (mst) Yellow Dog Blues (LA-vcl) Col CL 6334 (10″), CL 591 (12″)
CCO 5532-reh ’Taint What You Do (TY-vcl) unissued
CCO 5532-1 (BD #1) ’Taint What You Do –
CCO 5532-2 ’Taint What You Do (TY-vcl) partially unissued
CCO 5532-3 (BD #2) ’Taint What You Do unissued
CCO 5532-4 (BD #3) ’Taint What You Do –
CCO 5532-5 ’Taint What You Do (TY-vcl) BOM 21-6547
CCO 5532-insert #1 ’Taint What You Do (TY-vcl) unissued
CCO 5532-insert #2 ’Taint What You Do (TY-vcl) partially unissued
CCO 5532-2/insert #2 (mst) ’Taint What You Do (TY-vcl) Philips (G) 321 970 BF (45)
Note: There is some discussion prior to the start of the master take of ’taint what you do.
(K) LOUIS ARMSTRONG AND HIS ALL STARS: Same as (I).
New York, April 26, 1955
6:00–9:00 pm
Supervised by George Avakian
CO 53251-1 I’ve Got a Feeling I’m Falling
(LA-vcl) unissued
CO 53251-2 I’ve Got a Feeling I’m Falling
(LA-vcl) previously unissued
CO 53251-3 (BD #1) I’ve Got a Feeling I’m Falling unissued
CO 53251-4 (BD #2) I’ve Got a Feeling I’m Falling
(LA-vcl) –
CO 53251-5 I’ve Got a Feeling I’m Falling
(LA-vcl) previously unissued
CO 53251-6 I’ve Got a Feeling I’m Falling
(LA-vcl) partially unissued
CO 53251-insert I’ve Got a Feeling I’m Falling –
CO 53251-6/insert (mst) I’ve Got a Feeling I’m Falling
(LA-vcl) Col CL 708 (LP)
CO 53252-reh Black and Blue (LA-vcl) previously unissued
CO 53252-1 (BD) Black and Blue (LA-vcl) unissued
CO 52352-2 Black and Blue (LA-vcl) partially unissued
CO 52352-3 Black and Blue (LA-vcl) –
CO 52352-insert Black and Blue (LA-vcl) –
CO 52352-2/-3/insert (mst) Black and Blue (LA-vcl) Col CL 708 (LP)
CO 53253-1 Honeysuckle Rose (LA, VM-vcl) previously unissued
CO 53253-2 Honeysuckle Rose (LA, VM-vcl) unissued
CO 53253-3 (BD #1) Honeysuckle Rose (LA, VM-vcl) –
CO 53253-4 Honeysuckle Rose (LA, VM-vcl) partially unissued
CO 53253-5 Honeysuckle Rose (LA, VM-vcl) ?Col CJ 40378 (LP)/
Col CK 40378 (CD)
CO 53253-6 (BD #2) Honeysuckle Rose (LA, VM-vcl) partially unissued
CO 53253-7 Honeysuckle Rose (LA, VM-vcl) –
CO 53253-8 Honeysuckle Rose (LA, VM-vcl) –
CO 53253-4 thru 8 (mst) Honeysuckle Rose (LA, VM-vcl) Col CL 708 (LP)
CO 53254-1 Ain’t Misbehavin’ (LA-vcl) ?Col CJ 40378 (LP)/
Col CK 40378 (CD)
CO 53254-2 (BD) Ain’t Misbehavin’ unissued
CO 53254-3 Ain’t Misbehavin’ (LA-vcl) –
Note: CO 53251-6 is a breakdown but is continued after a discussion without calling a new take number.
Columbia CK 64925 (CD) contains edited takes of i’ve got a feeling i’m falling and black and blue which are made up of different takes than heard on Columbia CL 708 (LP). Those edited takes are not included in this set.
Louis overdubbed a second vocal part on the master take of i’ve got a feeling i’m falling on Columbia CL 708 (LP). Col 40378 (LP) and (CD) contain the same master take of i’ve got a feeling i’m falling but without the overdubbed vocal.
CO 53253-7 includes a false start before the complete take begins.
ain’t misbehavin’ takes -1 through -3 have been assigned in discographies to the May 3, 1955 session but recent research has determined that it belongs to this session while the master take (-4) belongs to the May 3 date.
(L) LOUIS ARMSTRONG AND HIS ALL STARS: Same as (I).
New York, April 27, 1955
5:00–8:00 pm
Supervised by George Avakian
CO 53258-1 I’m Crazy ’Bout My Baby (LA-vcl) unissued
CO 53258-2 (BD #1) I’m Crazy ’Bout My Baby –
CO 53258-3 I’m Crazy ’Bout My Baby (LA-vcl) previously unissued
CO 53258-4 (BD #2) I’m Crazy ’Bout My Baby (LA-vcl) unissued
CO 53258-5 I’m Crazy ’Bout My Baby (LA-vcl) previously unissued
CO 53258-6 (BD #3) I’m Crazy ’Bout My Baby (LA-vcl) unissued
CO 53258-7 (BD #4) I’m Crazy ’Bout My Baby (LA-vcl) partially unissued
CO 53258-inserts #1-4 I’m Crazy ’Bout My Baby (LA-vcl) unissued
CO 53258-insert #5 I’m Crazy ’Bout My Baby (LA-vcl) partially unissued
CO 53258-inserts #6-9 I’m Crazy ’Bout My Baby (LA-vcl) unissued
CO 53258-7/insert #5 (mst) I’m Crazy ’Bout My Baby (LA-vcl) Col CL 708 (LP)
CO 53259-1 (BD #1) Blue Turning Grey Over You unissued
CO 53259-2 Blue Turning Grey Over You (LA-vcl) previously unissued
CO 53259-3 (BD #2)/inserts Blue Turning Grey Over You (LA-vcl) partially unissued
CO 53259-4 (BD #3)/inserts Blue Turning Grey Over You (LA-vcl) unissued
CO 53259-5 Blue Turning Grey Over You (LA-vcl) partially unissued
CO 53259-3/-4/-5/ins (mst) Blue Turning Grey Over You (LA-vcl) Col CL 708 (LP)
CO 53260-1 All That Meat And No Potatoes
(LA, VM-vcl) previously unissued
CO 53260-2 (BD #1) All That Meat And No Potatoes
(LA, VM-vcl) partially unissued
CO 53260-3 (BD #2) All That Meat And No Potatoes unissued
CO 53260-4 (BD #3) All That Meat And No Potatoes
(LA, VM-vcl) partially unissued
CO 53260-1/-2/-4 (mst) All That Meat And No Potatoes
(LA, VM-vcl) Col CL 708 (LP)
Note: Columbia CJ 40378 (LP), CK 40378 (CD) and CK 64925 (CD) (releases not shown above in this discography) contain edited takes of i’m crazy ’bout my baby and blue turning grey over you which are made up of different takes than heard on Columbia CL 708 (LP). These edited takes are not included in this set.
Portions of blue turning grey over you -3 were released on Columbia CJ/CK 40378. However, this is the first issue of the unedited take. And even though it is shown here as a breakdown, the take continues but without the announcement of a new take.
all that meat and no potatoes -4, even though it is shown here as a breakdown, the take continues but without the announcement of a new take.
(M) LOUIS ARMSTRONG AND HIS ALL STARS: Same as (I) except add George Avakian (vcl).
New York, May 3, 1955
5:30–8:30 pm
Supervised by George Avakian
CO 53254-4 (remake) (mst) Ain’t Misbehavin’ (LA-vcl) Col CL 708 (LP)
CO 53272-1 (BD #1) Keepin’ Out Of Mischief Now
(LA-vcl) unissued
CO 53272-2 (BD #2) Keepin’ Out Of Mischief Now –
CO 53272-3 Keepin’ Out Of Mischief Now (LA-vcl) –
CO 53272-4 Keepin’ Out Of Mischief Now
(LA-vcl) previously unissued
CO 53272-5 thru -7 (BDs) Keepin’ Out Of Mischief Now
(LA-vcl) unissued
CO 53272-8 Keepin’ Out Of Mischief Now (LA-vcl) –
CO 53272-9 Keepin’ Out Of Mischief Now (LA-vcl) ?Col CJ 40378 (LP)/
Col CK 40378 (CD)
CO 53272-10 Keepin’ Out Of Mischief Now (LA-vcl) partially unissued
CO 53272-9/-10 (mst) Keepin’ Out of Mischief Now (LA-vcl) Col CL 708 (LP)
CO 53273-1 (reh and BD #1) Squeeze Me (LA, GA, VM-vcl) previously unissued
CO 53273-2 thru -5 (BDs) Squeeze Me (VM-vcl) unissued
CO 53273-5b Squeeze Me (VM-vcl) –
CO 53273-6 Squeeze Me (VM-vcl) –
CO 53273-7 Squeeze Me partially unissued
CO 53273-insert Squeeze Me –
CO 53273-7/insert (mst) Squeeze Me (LA, VM-vcl) Col CL 708 (LP)
Note: Discographies list matrix CO 53254 as being recorded at a number of different sessions. However, it has been confirmed that the master was recorded on May 3 while the earlier takes were recorded on April 26.
Armstrong overdubbed his vocal on the master take of squeeze me and overdubbed his trumpet on the master take of keepin’ out of mischief now. Columbia CJ 40378 (LP)/CK 40378 (CD) contain the same master take of squeeze me without his vocal dubbed in and the complete take of CO 53272-9 of keepin’ out of mischief now without the overdubbed trumpet. However, parts of -10 were used for both the initial release (Columbia CL 708) and the reissue (Columbia CJ/CK 40378).
(N) LOUIS ARMSTRONG AND HIS ALL STARS: Louis Armstrong (tp, vcl), Trummy Young (tb), Edmond Hall (cl), Billy Kyle (p), Arvell Shaw (b), Barrett Deems (d), Lotte Lenya (vcl), Turk Murphy (arr).
NYC, September 28–29, 1955
10:30 pm–3:00 am
Supervised by George Avakian
CO 53817-reh Back O’ Town Blues (LA-vcl) -1 BOM 21-6547
CO 53817-1 & -2 (BDs) Back O’ Town Blues unissued
CO 53817-3 Back O’ Town Blues (LA-vcl) -1 partially unissued
CO 53817-1v/-2v/-3v Back O’ Town Blues (LA-vcl) unissued
CO 53817-4 Back O’ Town Blues (LA-vcl) -1 –
CO 53817-“?”/-3 Back O’ Town Blues (LA-vcl) -1 Col 40587 (78)/4-40587 (45)
CO 53818-reh #1 Mack The Knife (TM-arr) previously unissued
CO 53818-1 Mack The Knife (LA-vcl) (TM-arr) –
CO 53818-reh #2 Mack The Knife (LA-vcl) (TM-arr) –
CO 53818-voice tracks Mack The Knife (LA-vcl) partially unissued
CO 53818-2 Mack The Knife (LA-vcl) (TM-arr) unissued
CO 53818-3 Mack The Knife (LA-vcl) (TM-arr) previously unissued
CO 53818-4 Mack The Knife (LA-vcl) (TM-arr) partially unissued
CO 53818-insert #1 Mack The Knife (TM-arr) previously unissued
CO 53818-insert #2 Mack The Knife (TM-arr) unissued
CO 53818-insert #3 Mack The Knife (TM-arr) partially unissued
CO 53818-5 & -6 (BDs) Mack The Knife (LA-vcl) (TM-arr) –
CO 53818-7 Mack The Knife (LA-vcl) (TM-arr) previously unissued
CO 53818-voice tracks/-3/-4/
-5/-6/ins #3 (mst) Mack The Knife (LA-vcl) (TM-arr) Col 40587 (78)/4-40587 (45)
CO 53819-background track Mack The Knife (TM-arr) unissued
CO 53819-1 (BD #1) Mack The Knife (LA, LL-vcl) (TM-arr) Sony MHK 60647 (CD)
CO 53819-insert #1 (BD #2) Mack The Knife (LA, LL-vcl) (TM-arr) –
CO 53819-insert #2 (BD #3) Mack The Knife (LA-vcl) (TM-arr) –
CO 53819-insert #3 Mack The Knife (LA, LL-vcl) (TM-arr) –
CO 53819-insert #4 (BD #4) Mack The Knife (LA, LL-vcl) (TM-arr) –
CO 53819-insert #5 Mack The Knife (LA, LL-vcl) (TM-arr) –
CO 53819-insert #6 (BD #5) Mack The Knife (LA, LL-vcl) (TM-arr) –
CO 53819-insert #7 Mack The Knife (LA, LL-vcl) (TM-arr) –
CO 53819-master Mack The Knife (LA, LL-vcl) (TM-arr) –
CO 53820-1 (BD #1) Moritat (TM-arr) unissued
CO 53820-2 (BD #2) Moritat (TM-arr) –
CO 53820-3 (BD #3) Moritat (TM-arr) –
CO 53820-4 (inc) Moritat (TM-arr) –
CO 53820-5 Moritat (TM-arr) BOM 21-6547
CO 53820-6 Moritat (TM-arr) unissued
CO 53820-insert Moritat (TM-arr) –
-1 includes vocal asides by Doc Pugh, Arvell Shaw, Trummy Young and an unidentified voice.
Note: The master take of back o’ town blues, although shown on the original 78 as CO 53817-2, is a composite of an unidentified take (shown as CO 53817-“?”) and CO 53817-3. CO 53817-1v/-2v/-3v references three takes of just Armstrong’s vocal.
CO 53818-7 was partially issued on the LP louis armstrong and eddie condon at newport (Columbia CL 931).
Except for the master take, matrix CO 53819 are all combined as one track on Sony MHK 60657 (CD) and this Mosaic release. Not listed is a background track and insert which remains unissued.
Matrix CO 53820-5 is cut at the start of the take.
(O) LOUIS AMRSTRONG WITH ORCHESTRA ACCOMPANIMENT: Louis Armstrong (tp, vcl), Manny Klein, Zeke Zarchy, Frank Beach (tp), Si Zentner, Ed Kusby, George Roberts (tb),
Jack Dumont, Ronny Lang, Babe Russin, Don Raffell, Chuck Gentry (reeds), Gerald Wiggins (p),
Al Hendrickson (g), Joe Comfort (b), Irv Cottler (d), Bob Hamlin, Bob Wacker, Gene Lanham, Charles Schrouder (choir), Hal Mooney (arr, conductor).
LA, Radio Recorders, August 1, 1956
2:00–5:00 pm
Supervised by Dennis Farnon and Henri Rene
G2PB-553-8 Rain, Rain (LA, choir-vcl) ?RCA Vic 20-6630 (78)/47-6630 (45)
G2PB-554-5 I Never Saw A Better Day (LA-vcl) – –
(P) MUSIC TO SHAVE BY: Louis Armstrong (tp, vcl), Rosemary Clooney, Bing Crosby,
The Hi-Lo’s (vcl) with unidentified small group (tp, tb, cl, p, b, d) and big band.
LA and NYC, c. September 1959
-1 Music To Shave By
(Ain’t Misbehavin’) (LA-vcl) unissued
-2 (BD) Music To Shave By
(Ain’t Misbehavin’) (LA-vcl) –
-3 & -4 Music To Shave By
(Ain’t Misbehavin’) (LA-vcl) –
-5 thru -7 (FS) Music To Shave By
(Ain’t Misbehavin’) (LA-vcl) –
-8 (BD) Music To Shave By
(Ain’t Misbehavin’) (LA-vcl) –
-9 thru -15 Music To Shave By
(Ain’t Misbehavin’/(intro) (LA-vcl) –
-16 (mst) Music To Shave By
(Ain’t Misbehavin’) (LA-vcl) No catalog #
-17 thru -22 Music To Shave By
(Ain’t Misbehavin’) (LA-vcl) unissued
-23 (FS) Music To Shave By
(Roll-A-Matic theme) (BC-vcl) –
-24 thru -28 Music To Shave By
(Roll-A-Matic theme) (BC-vcl) –
-29 (mst) Music To Shave By
(Roll-A-Matic theme) (BC-vcl) No catalog #
-30 Music To Shave By
(LA, BC-speech) unissued
-31 (mst) Music To Shave By
(LA, BC-speech) No catalog #
-32 Music To Shave By
(When He’s Shaving)
(BC, RC, H-L, LA-vcl) unissued
-33 (mst) Music To Shave By
(When He’s Shaving)
(BC, RC, H-L, LA-vcl) No catalog #
Note: music to shave by is a promotional cardboard record inserted into Look Magazine’s December 8, 1959 issue promoting the new Remington “Roll-A-Matic” shaver. This was a Columbia Special Product 6″ disc that ran at 33 1⁄3 rpm made by the Aurovision company.
No matrix number was assigned to this session.
What is shown above are the takes recorded by Louis Armstrong overdubbing his trumpet and vocal (in New York) to what had already been recorded by Crosby, Clooney and the Hi-Lo’s most likely in Los Angeles. Takes -16, -29, -31 and -33 make up the full master that was pressed.
-13 was not used.
(Q) THE REAL AMBASSADORS: Dave Brubeck (p, arr), Gene Wright (b), Joe Morello (d),
Dave Lambert, Jon Hendricks, Annie Ross (as LHR) (vcl).
NYC, (poss.) September 12, 1961
Afternoon or early evening
Supervised by Teo Macero
CO 68175-1 Swing Bells (LHR-vcl) unissued
CO 68175-2 (BD) Swing Bells (LHR-vcl) –
CO 68175-3 & -4 Swing Bells (LHR-vcl) partially unissued
Letter E-1 & E-2 Swing Bells (LHR-vcl) unissued
Letter E-3 & E-4 (BDs) Swing Bells (LHR-vcl) –
Letter E-5 Swing Bells (LHR-vcl) –
Letter F-1 & F-2 (BDs) Swing Bells (LHR-vcl) –
Letter F-12 Swing Bells (LHR-vcl) –
Letter F-13 (BD) Swing Bells (LHR-vcl) –
Letter F-14 Swing Bells (LHR-vcl) partially unissued
Letter J-1 & J-2 (BDs) Swing Bells (LHR-vcl) –
Letter K-1 thru -5 (BDs) Swing Bells (LHR-vcl) unissued
Letter K-6 Swing Bells (LHR-vcl) –
Letter K-7 Swing Bells (LHR-vcl) partially unissued
CO 68175-top
of pg. 16 -1 & -2 Blow Satchmo (LHR-vcl) unissued
CO 68175-top
of pg. 16 -3/-4 (BDs) Blow Satchmo (LHR-vcl) –
CO 68175-top of pg. 16 -5 Blow Satchmo (LHR-vcl) –
CO 68175-top
of pg. 16 -6 thru -8 (BDs) Blow Satchmo (LHR-vcl) –
CO 68175-top
of pg. 16 -9 & -10 Blow Satchmo (LHR-vcl) partially unissued
CO 68175-top
of pg. 16-9/16-10/-11 (mst) Blow Satchmo (LHR-vcl) Col Mas OL 5850
CO 68176-1 & -2 The Real Ambassador (LHR-vcl) unissued
CO 68176-3 (BD) The Real Ambassador (LHR-vcl) –
CO 68176-4 The Real Ambassador (LHR-vcl) –
CO 68176-5 thru -8 (BDs) The Real Ambassador (LHR-vcl) –
Note: Matrix 68175 is used for both swing bells and blow satchmo and appear along with the finale.
The takes that do not have matrix numbers but have “Letter” numbers are akin to an insert where the band remade a portion of a performance to be inserted into the master take.
swing bells Letter F, takes -3 through -11 are missing from the tape reel.
blow satchmo appears twice on the original LP. Once as its own track and once as part of the long final track along with swing bells and finale.
blow satchmo CO 68175-top of pg. 16 -9 and -10 are also partially used in the master take along with CO 68175-11
(R) THE REAL AMBASSADORS: Same as (Q).
NYC, September 12–13, 1961
11:30 pm–2:30 am
Supervised by Teo Macero
CO 68175-1 Blow Satchmo (LHR-vcl) previously unissued
CO 68175-2 Blow Satchmo (LHR-vcl) unissued
CO 68175-3 & -4 (BDs) Blow Satchmo (LHR-vcl) –
CO 68175-5 (mst) Blow Satchmo (LHR-vcl) Col Mas OL 5850
CO 68175-Letter B-1/-3/-5 Swing Bells unissued
CO 68175-Letter B-2/-4 Swing Bells –
CO 68175-3/-4/Letter F-14/
Letter J-1/Letter J-2/
Letter K-7 (mst) Swing Bells (LHR-vcl) -1 Col Mas OL 5850
CO 68176-1 & -2 The Real Ambassador (LA, LHR-vcl) –
CO 68176-3 (BD #1) The Real Ambassador (LA-vcl) –
CO 68176-4 (BD #2) The Real Ambassador (LA-vcl) previously unissued
CO 68176-5 The Real Ambassador (LA, LHR-vcl) –
CO 68176-6 thru -9 The Real Ambassador (LA, LHR-vcl) partially unissued
CO 68176-6 thru -9 (mst) The Real Ambassador (LA, LHR-vcl) Col Mas OL 5850
CO 67987-1 They Say I Look Like God
(LA, LHR-vcl) previously unissued
CO 67987-2 (ins/reh) They Say I Look Like God
(LA, LHR-vcl) unissued
CO 67987-cadenza #1
-1, -2, -3 (BDs) They Say I Look Like God (LHR-vcl) –
CO 67987-cad #1 -4 They Say I Look Like God (LHR-vcl) partially unissued
CO 67987-cad #2 -1 They Say I Look Like God
(LA, LHR-vcl) –
CO 67987-3 They Say I Look Like God
(LA, LHR-vcl) previously unissued
CO 67987-4/ins/
cadences (mst) ?They Say I Look Like God
(LA, LHR-vcl) Col Mas OL 5850
CO 67988-1 (BD) Everybody’s Comin’ (LA, LHR-vcl) unissued
CO 67988-2 Everybody’s Comin’ (LA, LHR-vcl) previously unissued
CO 67988-3 thru -5 (BDs) Everybody’s Comin’ (LA, LHR-vcl) unissued
CO 67988-6 Everybody’s Comin’ (LA, LHR-vcl) –
CO 67988-7 Everybody’s Comin’ (LA, LHR-vcl) Col Mas OL 5850
CO 67988-8 Everybody’s Comin’ (LA, LHR-vcl) unissued
-1 The chimes heard on the master take of swing bells are played by Howard Brubeck and were recorded at an unidentified session.
Note: Matrix 68175-1 includes a false start and discussion. Other portions used for the master take on swing bells can be found in Sessions (Q) and (R).
The unissued CO 68175-Letter B (swing bells) entries are inserts.
Matrix 68176-2 includes a false start.
Matrix 67988-1 includes a warmup, while -8 includes a rehearsal and conversation.
(S) THE REAL AMBASSADORS: Louis Armstrong (tp, vcl), Dave Brubeck (p, arr), Billy Kyle -1 (p), Gene Wright (b), Joe Morello (d), Dave Lambert, Jon Hendricks, Annie Ross (as LHR),
Carmen McRae (vcl).
NYC, September 13, 1961
2:30–5:30 pm (1st session)
Supervised by Teo Macero
CO 68177-1 (BD) You Swing Baby (The Duke) unissued
CO 68177-2 & -3 You Swing Baby (The Duke) partially unissued
CO 68177-ins You Swing Baby (The Duke) –
CO 68177-2/-3/insert You Swing Baby (The Duke)
(LA, CM-vcl) BOM 21-6547
CO 68178-1 One Moment Worth Years
(LA, CM-vcl) previously unissued
CO 68178-2 thru -4 (BDs) One Moment Worth Years
(LA, CM-vcl) unissued
CO 68178-5 (mst) One Moment Worth Years
(LA, CM-vcl) Col Mas OL 5850
CO 68179-1 Dizzy Diddy (LHR-vcl) unissued
CO 68175 (remake) -1 Blow Satchmo (LHR-vcl) previously unissued
CO 68175 (remake) -2 Blow Satchmo (LHR-vcl) unissued
CO 68175 (remake) -3 (BD) Blow Satchmo (LHR-vcl) –
CO 68175 (remake) -4 Blow Satchmo (LHR-vcl) –
CO 68175 (remake) -5 (BD) Blow Satchmo (LHR-vcl) –
CO 68175 (remake) -6 Blow Satchmo (LHR-vcl) –
CO 68175 (remake) -7 (BD) Blow Satchmo (LHR-vcl) –
CO 68175 (remake) -8, -9 Blow Satchmo (LHR-vcl) –
CO 68180-1/-2 (BDs) From Reports On Dizzie Gillespie
[Cultural Exchange/Dizzy Ditty] –
CO 68180-3, -4 From Reports On Dizzie Gillespie
[Cultural Exchange/Dizzy Ditty] –
CO 68180-5 (BD) From Reports On Dizzie Gillespie
[Cultural Exchange/Dizzy Ditty] –
CO 68180-6 From Reports On Dizzie Gillespie
[Cultural Exchange/Dizzy Ditty] –
CO 68180-7 (BD) From Reports On Dizzie Gillespie
[Cultural Exchange/Dizzy Ditty] –
CO 68180-8 From Reports On Dizzie Gillespie
[Cultural Exchange/Dizzy Ditty] –
CO 68180-9 (BD) From Reports On Dizzie Gillespie
[Cultural Exchange/Dizzy Ditty] –
CO 68180-10 From Reports On Dizzie Gillespie
[Cultural Exchange/Dizzy Ditty] –
CO 68180-11 (BD) From Reports On Dizzie Gillespie
[Cultural Exchange/Dizzy Ditty] –
CO 68180-12/-13 From Reports On Dizzie Gillespie
[Cultural Exchange/Dizzy Ditty] –
CO 68180-14 thru-16 (BDs) From Reports On Dizzie Gillespie
[Cultural Exchange/Dizzy Ditty] –
CO 68180-17 From Reports On Dizzie Gillespie
[Cultural Exchange/Dizzy Ditty] –
CO 68180-18 (mst) ?From Reports On Dizzie Gillespie
[Cultural Exchange/Dizzy Ditty]
(LA, LHR-vcl) Col Mas OL 5850
2nd session
7:30–10:00 pm
CO 67989-reh I Didn’t Know Until You Told Me
(LA, CM-vcl) unissued
CO 67989-1 I Didn’t Know Until You Told Me
(LA, CM-vcl) –
CO 67989-2 I Didn’t Know Until You Told Me
(LA, CM-vcl) partially unissued
CO 67989-ins -1 (BD) I Didn’t Know Until You Told Me
(LA, CM-vcl) unissued
CO 67989-inserts
-2/-3 (BDs) ?I Didn’t Know Until You Told Me
(LA-vcl) –
CO 67989-ins -4 (BD) I Didn’t Know Until You Told Me
(LA, CM-vcl) –
CO 67989-ins -5/-6 I Didn’t Know Until You Told Me
(LA, CM-vcl) partially unissued
CO 67989-ins -7 I Didn’t Know Until You Told Me
(LA, CM-vcl) unissued
CO 67989-inserts
-8/-9 (BDs) ?I Didn’t Know Until You Told Me
(CM-vcl) –
CO 67989-inserts
-10/-11 I Didn’t Know Until You Told Me
(LA, CM-vcl) –
CO 67989-3 (BD) I Didn’t Know Until You Told Me
(CM-vcl) –
CO 67989-FS/-4 (BD) I Didn’t Know Until You Told Me
(LA, CM-vcl) –
CO 67989-5 I Didn’t Know Until You Told Me
(LA, CM-vcl) previously unissued
CO 67989-2/ins -5 & -6 (mst) I Didn’t Know Until You Told Me
(LA, CM-vcl) Col Mas OL 5850
CO 67990-1 & -2 (BDs) Good Reviews (CM-vcl) unissued
CO 67990-3 Good Reviews (CM-vcl) –
CO 67990-4 (BD) Good Reviews (CM-vcl) –
CO 67990-ins -1 & -2 Good Reviews (CM-vcl) –
CO 67990-5 (BD) Good Reviews (CM-vcl) –
CO 67990-6 Good Reviews (LA, CM-vcl) partially unissued
CO 67990-7 Good Reviews (LA, CM-vcl) previously unissued
CO 67990-tag #1/-1/reh Good Reviews (LA, CM-vcl) –
CO 67990-tag #1, -2 Good Reviews (LA, CM-vcl) unissued
CO 67990-tag #1, -3 Good Reviews (LA, CM-vcl) previously unissued
CO 67990-tag #2/reh/-1 Good Reviews (LA, CM-vcl) unissued
CO 67990-tag #2, -2 Good Reviews (LA, CM-vcl) –
CO 67990-tag #2, -3 Good Reviews (LA, CM-vcl) previously unissued
CO 67990-6/-7 (mst) Good Reviews (LA, CM-vcl) Col Mas OL 5850
CO 67991-1 Summer Song (LA-vcl) unissued
CO 67991-2 Summer Song (LA-vcl) previously unissued
CO 67991-ins Summer Song (LA-vcl) unissued
Note: An insert (-5) from the September 20, 1961 and December 19, 1961 sessions make up the rest of the master of good reviews.
(T) THE REAL AMBASSADORS: Louis Armstrong (tp, vcl), Trummy Young (tb, vcl),
Joe Darensbourg (cl), Dave Brubeck (p, arr), Billy Kyle (p), Gene Wright (pizzicato bass),
Irving Manning (arco bass), Danny Barcelona (d), Joe Morello (d, finger cymbals).
NYC, September 19, 1961
7:00–11:00 pm
Produced by Teo Macero
Matrix-? Barcelona unissued
CO 68005-1 (BD) King For A Day –
CO 68005-2 King For A Day (LA, TY-vcl) –
CO 68005-3 (BD) King For A Day (LA, TY-vcl) –
CO 68005-4 (BD) King For A Day (LA, TY-vcl) previously unissued
CO 68005-5 King For A Day (LA, TY-vcl) Col Mas OL 5850
CO 68005-ins -1 & -2 (BDs) King For A Day (LA-vcl) unissued
CO 68005-ins -3 King For A Day (LA-vcl) –
CO 68005-ins -4 (BD) King For A Day (LA-vcl) –
CO 68005-ins -5 King For A Day (LA, TY-vcl) –
CO 68005-ins -6 (BD) King For A Day (LA-vcl) –
CO 68005-ins -7 & -8 King For A Day (LA, TY-vcl) –
CO 68006-1 (BD) Since Love Had Its Way (LA-vcl) –
CO 68006-2 Since Love Had Its Way (LA-vcl) previously unissued
CO 68006-3 Since Love Had Its Way (LA-vcl) unissued
CO 68006-4 & -5 (BDs) Since Love Had Its Way –
CO 68006-6 Since Love Had Its Way (LA-vcl) –
CO 68006-7 (BD) Since Love Had Its Way –
CO 68006-8 Since Love Had Its Way (LA-vcl) –
CO 68006-ins -1 (BD) Since Love Had Its Way (LA-vcl) –
CO 68006-ins -2 Since Love Had Its Way (LA-vcl) –
CO 68006-ins -3 (reh) Since Love Had Its Way (LA-vcl) –
CO 68006-ins -4 thru -9
(BDs) Since Love Had Its Way (LA-vcl) –
CO 68006-ins -10 Since Love Had Its Way (LA-vcl) –
CO 68006-9 (mst) Since Love Had Its Way (LA-vcl) Col Mas OL 5850
CO 68007-1 Nomad (LA-vcl) unissued
CO 68007-2 (BD) Nomad (LA-vcl) –
CO 68007-3 (BD) Nomad –
CO 68007-4 (BD) Nomad (LA-vcl) –
CO 68007-5 Nomad (LA-vcl) –
CO 68007-6 (BD) Nomad (LA-vcl) –
CO 68007-7 (BD) Nomad –
CO 68007-8/-9 (BDs) Nomad (LA-vcl) –
CO 68007-10 Nomad (LA-vcl) previously unissued
CO 68007-11 Nomad (LA-vcl) Col 4-43032 (45)
CO 68008-1 (BD) Cultural Exchange (LA-vcl) unissued
CO 68008-2 Cultural Exchange (LA-vcl) -1 previously unissued
CO 68008-3 Cultural Exchange (LA-vcl) -1 partially unissued
CO 68008-4 & -5 (BDs) Cultural Exchange (LA-vcl) unissued
CO 68008-6 Cultural Exchange (LA-vcl) -1 partially unissued
CO 68008-7 & -8 (BDs) Cultural Exchange (LA-vcl) unissued
CO 68008-ins #1 -1 Cultural Exchange (LA-vcl) –
CO 68008-ins #1 -2 (BD) Cultural Exchange (LA-vcl) -1 –
CO 68008-ins #2 Cultural Exchange (LA-vcl) -1 –
CO 68008-ins #3 Cultural Exchange (LA-vcl) –
CO 68008-ins #4 -1 (BD) Cultural Exchange (LA-vcl) -1 –
CO 68008-ins #4 -2 Cultural Exchange (LA-vcl) –
CO 68008-9 (BD) Cultural Exchange (LA-vcl) –
CO 68008-10 (FS & BD) Cultural Exchange (LA-vcl) –
CO 68008-3/-6 (mst) Cultural Exchange (LA-vcl) -1 Col Mas OL 5850
CO 68175-ins #1 -1/-3/-5 Swing Bells (LA-vcl) unissued
CO 68175-ins #1 -2 Swing Bells –
CO 68175-ins #1 -4 (BD) Swing Bells (LA-vcl) –
CO 68175-Letter B -1 Swing Bells (LA-vcl) –
CO 68175-Letter B -2 & -3 Swing Bells (LA-vcl) –
CO 68175-Letter B -4 Swing Bells (LA-vcl) previously unissued
CO 68175-1 Finale (LA-vcl) –
CO 68175-2 thru -5 Finale (LA-vcl) unissued
CO 68175-6 Finale (LA-vcl) Col Mas OL 5850
CO 68175-7 (BD) Finale (LA-vcl) unissued
CO 68175-8 Finale (LA-vcl) –
-1 vocal asides by Trummy Young.
Note: An alternate matrix (ZSP-77275-1A) is shown on Columbia 4-43032 (45).
(U) THE REAL AMBASSADORS: Louis Armstrong (tp), Trummy Young (tb, vcl), Joe Darensbourg (cl), Dave Brubeck (p, arr), Billy Kyle (p), Gene Wright (b), Irving Manning (arco bass), Joe Morello, Danny Barcelona (d), Carmen McRae (vcl).
NYC, September 20, 1961
5:00–10:00 pm
Supervised by Teo Macero
CO 67990-ins -1 (BD) Good Reviews (CM-vcl) unissued
CO 67990-ins -2 Good Reviews (CM-vcl) previously unissued
CO 67990-ins -3 (BD) Good Reviews unissued
CO 67990-ins -4 Good Reviews –
CO 67990-ins -5 Good Reviews Col Mas OL 5850
CO 68009-1 thru -3 (BD) Remember Who You Are
(LA, TY-vcl) unissued
CO 68009-4 (BD) Remember Who You Are
(LA, TY-vcl) partially unissued
CO 68009-5 Remember Who You Are
(LA, TY-vcl) unissued
CO 68009-6 Remember Who You Are
(LA, TY-vcl) previously unissued
CO 68009-7 (BD) Remember Who You Are unissued
CO 68009-8 Remember Who You Are
(LA, TY-vcl) –
CO 68009-9 Remember Who You Are –
CO 68009-10 thru -13 Remember Who You Are
(LA, TY-vcl) –
CO 68009-ins #1 -1 thru -3 Remember Who You Are –
CO 68009-14 (BD) Remember Who You Are
(LA, TY-vcl) partially unissued
CO 68009-15 (BD) Remember Who You Are (LA-vcl) unissued
CO 68009-16 Remember Who You Are
(LA, TY-vcl) partially unissued
CO 68009-ins #2 -1 Remember Who You Are
(LA, TY-vcl) unissued
CO 68009-4, -14, -16 Remember Who You Are
(LA, TY-vcl) Col Mas OL 5850
CO 67991-1 (BD) Summer Song (LA-vcl) unissued
CO 67991-2 (BD) Summer Song (LA-vcl) previously unissued
CO 67991-alt
(ins #1 -1 and ins #2 -1) Summer Song (LA-vcl) –
CO 67991-3 Summer Song (LA-vcl) partially unissued
CO 67991-2/-3/inserts Summer Song (LA-vcl) Col Mas OL 5850
CO 68010-1 (BD) Lonesome (1st version) (LA-vcl) unissued
CO 68010-2 Lonesome (1st version) previously unissued
CO 68010-3 (BD) Lonesome (1st version) unissued
CO 68010-4 Lonesome (1st version) –
CO 68010-ins Lonesome (1st version) –
CO 68010-1 & -2 (BD) Lonesome (2nd version) –
CO 68010-3 Lonesome (2nd version) previously unissued
CO 68010-1 & -2 Lonesome (composites) (LA-vcl) unissued
CO 68010-1 Lonesome (LA-vocal readings) –
CO 68010-speech -3 Lonesome (LA-vocal readings) previously unissued
CO 68010-3 (2nd ver)/
Speech -3 Lonesome (LA-vcl) Col CK 57663 (CD)
CO 68175-ins -1/-2 Swing Bells (LA-vcl) unissued
CO 68175-Letter B-3 (mst) Swing Bells Col Mas OL 5850
Note: Carmen McRae’s vocal on good reviews is not live but her prerecorded track from the September 13, 1961 session.
Matrix CO 68009-6 also includes a discussion.
Matrix CO 68010-speech -3 is Armstrong’s trumpet backed by piano and bass and then just Armstrong’s voice reciting the lyrics. In 1994, they were mixed on Columbia CK 57663 and issued as a “master”. What we have presented here is separating, and issuing for the first time, the instrumental and speech as was originally recorded.
Matrix CO 68175-Letter B-3 (mst) is part of the swing bells/blow satchmo/finale track used as the master on the original LP (Columbia Masterworks OL 5850).
(V) THE REAL AMBASSADORS: Dave Brubeck (p, arr), Gene Wright (b), Joe Morello (d),
Carmen McRae, Annie Ross (vcl).
NYC, December 19, 1961
7:00–10:00 pm
Supervised by Teo Macero
CO 68799-11 My One Bad Habit (CM-vcl) unissued
CO 68799-12 My One Bad Habit (CM-vcl) Col Mas OL 5850
CO 69149-4? Easy As You Go (CM-vcl) Col 4-42292 (45)
CO 69149-alt? Easy As You Go (CM-vcl) Col CK 57663 (CD)
CO 68797-1 (BD) In The Lurch (CM-vcl) unissued
CO 68797-2 & 3 In The Lurch (CM-vcl) –
CO 68797-4 thru -6 (BDs) In The Lurch (CM-vcl) –
CO 68797-7 & -8 In The Lurch (CM-vcl) –
CO 68797-9 (BD) In The Lurch (CM-vcl) –
CO 68797-10 In The Lurch (CM-vcl) Col Mas OL 5850
CO 68798-1 thru -3 (BDs) In The Lurch (Duo) (CM-vcl) unissued
CO 68798-BGT -1 In The Lurch (Duo) (CM-vcl) –
CO 68798-BGT-ins -1 & -2 In The Lurch (Duo) (CM-vcl) –
CO 69150-? Summer Song (CM-vcl) Col CK 57663 (CD)
CO 67990-6/-7/inserts Good Reviews (CM-vcl) Col Mas OL 5850
Note: It is not known if matrices CO 69149-? and CO 69150-? (listed in some discographies as being issued on Columbia CK 57663) are both alternate takes. We have not included them in this set since they are not part of the original LP and not Armstrong items.
Matrix CO 68798 was an attempt to make a track with Armstrong, McRae and Ross. Ross’s tracks were to be overdubbed later, however, no takes were completed.
(W) LOUIS ARMSTRONG: Louis Armstrong (tp, vcl), Tyree Glenn (tb), Buster Bailey (cl), unidentified (strings) -1, Marty Napoleon (p), Robert Dominick (bjo), Buddy Catlett (b),
Danny Barcelona (d), Robert Mersey (arr & cond) -1.
NYC, August 25, 1966
Supervised by Bob Johnston
2:30–5:30 pm
CO 90013-1 Canal Street Blues unissued
CO 90013-2 Canal Street Blues Col 4-43819 (45)
CO 90013-insert #1 Canal Street Blues unissued
CO 90013-3 (BD #1) Canal Street Blues –
CO 90013-4 (FS) Canal Street Blues –
CO 90013-5 (BD #2) Canal Street Blues –
CO 90013-insert #2 Canal Street Blues –
CO 90014-1 Cabaret (LA-vcl) (RM-arr) -1 –
CO 90014-2 & -3 (BD) Cabaret (RM-arr) -1 –
CO 90014-4 thru -6 Cabaret (LA-vcl) (RM-arr) -1 –
CO 90014-7 (BD) Cabaret (RM-arr) -1 –
CO 90014-8 Cabaret (LA-vcl) (RM-arr) -1 Col 4-43819 (45)
CO 90014-10 (BD) Cabaret (LA-vcl) (RM-arr) -1 unissued
CO 90014-11 Cabaret (LA-vcl) (RM-arr) -1 –
CO 90014-insert Cabaret (LA-vcl) (RM-arr) -1 –
Note: The master take of cabaret (CO 90014-8) has been incorrectly listed as an alternate take on Columbia CK 57900 (CD). Actually, this take is one with alternate lyrics that were spliced in after the trumpet solo.
Matrix CO 90014-9 was not used.
Album Index:
78
RCA Victor HJ-8 (40-4001) ?various artists – esquire’s all american hot jazz
1946 award winners
10″ LP
Columbia CL 6334 louis armstrong plays w.c. handy vol. 1
Columbia CL 6335 louis armstrong plays w.c. handy vol. 2
12″ LP
Book Of The Month 21-6547 louis armstrong – rare and unreleased performances
Columbia CL 591 louis armstrong plays w.c. handy
Columbia CL 708 louis armstrong – satch plays fats
Columbia CJ 40242 louis armstrong plays w.c. handy
Columbia CJ 40378 louis armstrong – satch plays fats
Columbia Masterworks OL 5850 various artists – the real ambassadors
RCA Victor LJM-1005 louis armstrong sings the blues
RCA Victor VPM-6044 louis armstrong july 4, 1900–july 6, 1971
CD
Columbia CK 40242 louis armstrong plays w.c. handy
Columbia CK 57663 various artists – the real ambassadors
Columbia CK 64925 louis armstrong plays w.c. handy
Sony MHK 60647 lotte lenya sings kurt weill
Produced for release by Richie Noorigian, David Ostwald, Ricky Riccardi and Scott Wenzel
Executive Producer: Michael Cuscuna
Transfers: Matt Cavaluzzo at Battery Studios, NYC and Andreas Meyer for Session (P).
Sound restoration and mastering: Noelle Byer, Andreas Meyer, Nancy Conforti and Jenn Nulsen from Meyer Media (www.meyer-media.com)
24-bit technology was utilized at all stages of the production of this Mosaic release.
Special thanks: All those at Sony Music and The Institute of Jazz Studies.
Founded by Louis and Lucille Armstrong, The Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation supports jazz education for children of all ages. We fund jazz musicians, programs, institutions and advocates. It is Mr. Armstrong’s legacy and intention to make the world a more soulful place. To donate or learn more about the Louis Armstrong Foundation, we invite you to visit our website at www.louisarmstrongfoundation.org.
©2020 Mosaic Records L.L.C., 425 Fairfield Ave, Suite 421, Stamford, CT 06902. All rights reserved.
This compilation 9 2020 Sony Music Entertainment / Manufactured for Mosaic Records L.L.C. by Sony Music Entertainment / 25 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10010-8601 / “Columbia” and W Reg. U.S. Pat. & Tm. Off. Marca Registrada / WARNING: All rights reserved. / Unauthorized duplication is a violation of applicable laws. 19075982552BK5
Printed in the U.S.A.
Producer’s Note:
The vision of this set was to release all of the studio recordings made for the Columbia and RCA Victor labels by Louis Armstrong beginning in 1946 and including all singles and album releases through 1966.
Although the sound quality of these sessions will differ from track to track, we have made every effort to obtain the best possible source material, whether it be the original metal parts, vinyl test pressings or reel to reel tapes. However, the following contain some flaws that could not be eliminated in either the transfer or restoration process: In session (F) there is distortion on jack-armstrong blues; Session (S) there is a dropout at 0:28 of one moment worth years -1; and on the Lotte Lenya / mack the knife track, Session (N), the beginning is missing from the original tape.
The albums louis armstrong plays w.c. handy, satch plays fats and the real ambassadors are presented in the order they were released on the original LP. The alternate takes also follow that same order and not chronologically.
Some material remains unissued from these sessions since they are similar to either a master or alternate take.
—Scott Wenzel
“Mosaic is the king of the boxed set, releasing beautifully packaged reissues with some of the most exhaustive liner notes in the industry”
– David Germain, Associated Press
