LOS ANGELES, March 16,
2018 -- In the summer and fall of 1957, Louis Armstrong, already
one of the most important musicians of the 20th century, had one of
the most prolific periods of his spirited career. In addition to
recording the follow-ups to his highly successful duets album with
Ella Fitzgerald, Ella And Louis Again and Porgy and Bess, Armstrong
recorded three albums for Norman Granz's newly minted Verve Records
across a handful of incredibly productive sessions.
For the first time, these
records – I've Got The World On A String, Louis Under The Stars,
both recorded with the Russ Garcia Orchestra, and Louis Armstrong
Meets Oscar Peterson, plus the previous digital-only release A Day
With Satchmo – have been collected together as Pops Is Tops:
The Verve Studio Albums, a new four CD and digital box set from
Verve/UMe available on April 13.
With Granz supplying the
cream of the crop of the Great American Song Book and first-class
backing, Armstrong's Verve recordings constitute the definitive
portrait of the artistry of his singing. They are presented in their
original mono masters – the first time since the original vinyl
releases – and include the original liner notes as well as
extensive liners, recording and track info by foremost Armstrong
authority Ricky Riccardi, Director of Research Collections for the
Louis Armstrong House Museum and author of "What A Wonderful
World: The Magic of Louis Armstrong's Later Years." Each disc
also contains a wealth of bonus material featuring alternate takes
from the sessions. Preorder is available now and the digital version
includes an instant grat download of "Sweet Lorraine" from
Louis Armstrong Meets Oscar Peterson.
Armstrong's classic duets
with Ella Fitzgerald will also be released as a new four CD and
digital set titled Cheek To Cheek: The Complete Duet Recordings,
on April 6. The 75-track collection gathers their three timeless
Verve albums – newly remastered versions of Ella and Louis, Ella
and Louis Again and Porgy and Bess – along with all of their Decca
singles, live recordings from Jazz at the Hollywood Bowl, recorded as
a warmup for Ella and Louis, plus several alternates and false starts
from the Decca and Verve eras, illuminating their craft and good
humor. Cheek To Cheek also includes unreleased material: "The
Memphis Blues," with Bing Crosby, from his radio show; several
takes of Armstrong's solo showcase, "Bess, Oh Where's My Bess;"
and an instrumental mix of "Red-Headed Woman."
By 1957, Armstrong was
the most popular and influential musician in jazz history. Famous
worldwide as Satchmo and Pops, Armstrong had revolutionized jazz in
the 1920s with his superb trumpet playing which helped to change jazz
from an ensemble-oriented music to one that featured exciting
soloists. His phrasing on both trumpet and his very distinctive voice
uplifted and swung every song that he interpreted.
In the 1930s and early
1940s when he led a big band, Armstrong the entertainer blossomed. He
was not only universally known for his musical abilities but as a
joyful and witty personality who could be seen in occasional movies.
In 1947, he broke up his orchestra and formed his sextet Louis
Armstrong and the All-Stars, becoming a world traveler who was
nicknamed Ambassador Satch. He introduced millions of listeners to
his brand of New Orleans jazz.
Armstrong first worked
with Granz and his Verve label at a concert at the Hollywood Bowl on
August 15, 1956. Over the next year, he was featured on three classic
projects with Ella Fitzgerald. Granz, who wanted to document
Armstrong in different settings than his usual one with his All
Stars, also recorded him on five extensive sessions in 1957 that cast
a different light on his talents.
During August 14-16,
1957, Armstrong and an orchestra arranged by Russ Garcia recorded
enough music to fill two albums which were originally released as
I've Got The World On A String and Louis Under The Stars. As Granz
had planned, Armstrong performs a variety of songs that he had rarely
sung before including "You're The Top," "You Turned
The Tables On Me," "Little Girl Blue" and "We'll
Be Together Again."
He consistently comes up
with fresh variations of the swing era songs, many of which he had
missed recording the first time around. The first disc of Pops Is
Tops not only has the ten selections that comprised I've Got The
World On A String but also includes eight alternate takes.
The original liner notes
to Louis Under The Stars reveals the thought behind the record.
"There isn't much that one can say about this kind of an album,
except to suggest that this is an emotional experience of the
best-known and best-loved figure in the history of jazz doing some of
the most beautiful songs ever written with a background not
customarily thought of in terms of his artistry, but which
nonetheless beautifully complements the soul and feeling of this
great human being." The recordings don't disappoint and include
highlights like "Have You Met Miss Jones," "I Only
Have Eyes For You" and "East Of The Sun," each of
which received a fresh and heartfelt interpretation from Armstrong.
The eight song album is bolstered by six additional bonus tracks.
Louis Armstrong Meets
Oscar Peterson from October 14, 1957 teams Armstrong with the
brilliant pianist Oscar Peterson, guitarist Herb Ellis, bassist Ray
Brown and drummer Louie Bellson. On such songs as "That Old
Feeling," "Let's Fall In Love," "I Was Doing All
Night," "Moon Song" (which has a particularly
memorable trumpet solo) and "Just One Of Those Things,"
Armstrong gives new life to the veteran standards, swinging the music
while doing justice to the lyrics. Four bonus cuts including an
instrumental version of "Indiana" are also included on the
disc.
On August 1, 1957,
Armstrong and the same Peterson Quartet recorded four numbers for the
Ella and Louis Again release: "Makin' Whoopee," "I Get
A Kick Out Of You," "Let's Do It" and "Willow
Weep For Me." The many alternate takes that resulted were
formerly only available on the digital release A Day With Satchmo.
This set marks the first time the entire contents of the August 1
session tapes are out in any physical form.
As Riccardi writes in the
liners: "Armstrong's Verve recordings are unlike any others in
his discography and Granz must be given full credit for taking jazz's
greatest genius, surrounding him with the finest rhythm sections,
giving him nothing by timeless tunes, and stepping aside to let
Armstrong's vocal and instrumental magic take over. In the midst of a
punishing schedule and occasionally fighting a losing battle with his
legendary lip, Armstrong nobly overcame it all to create some of the
most timeless recordings of his career."
Source: PRNEWSWIRE
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