LOUIS ARMSTRONG AND HIS HOT FIVE – 1925-1926 | The Classics Chronological Series – 600 (1991) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

If one CD compilation could represent a body of work that defined the art of jazz during the mid-'20s, this might be it: cornetist Louis Armstrong's first recordings as leader of his own band, beginning in November of 1925 and covering almost exactly one year of vigorously creative activity as the OKeh record label's hottest act. In addition to Lil Hardin's skills as composer, pianist, arranger, and professional advisor, Armstrong was fortunate to have in his little group rock-solid trombonist Kid Ory and clarinetist Johnny Dodds, who can be heard playing alto sax on "Come Back Sweet Papa" and "Don't Forget to Mess Around." Last but not least, Johnny St. Cyr's banjo served as the rhythmic and tonal backbone of the Hot Five. Some of these records -- "Cornet Chop Suey," "Muskrat Ramble," "Heebie Jeebies," and "Yes! I'm in the Barrel" -- became archetypal blueprints for jazz performance. Each track is packed with pleasant surprises. "Gut Bucket Blues," named in honor of a diet of entrails dictated by poverty, was one of Armstrong's very first recordings to be punctuated with friendly, vocal outbursts. Inspired by a popular dance step, "Georgia Bo Bo" was composed by Thomas "Fats" Waller. Lil Hardin's "King of the Zulus" is a masterpiece of comically enhanced jazz, topped only by a cover version waxed a few months later by Thomas Morris and the New Orleans Blue Five. The vaudeville aspect of Louis Armstrong is well represented here, particularly when he is joined by punky-voiced Lil Hardin on "Georgia Grind." May Alix, typical of music hall singers of her day, uses a shrill vibrato to serenade her "Big Butter and Egg Man." The effect, especially when tempered by a humorous vocal from the cornet player, is marvelously old-fashioned. Also included are four Vocalion sides from May of 1926 by the Hot Five -- billed as Lil's Hot Shots -- and two featuring Armstrong with Erskine Tate's Vendome Orchestra. Tate's high-stepping group only managed to record four titles, two in 1923 with Freddie Keppard and the two sizzling stomps issued here. With master percussionist Jimmy Bertrand hitting the cymbals with all his might, the two frantic Tate sides contrast wonderfully with the more compact, intimate sound of Louis Armstrong's Hot Five. arwulf arwulf    Tracklist + Credits :

LOUIS ARMSTRONG AND HIS HOT FIVE AND HOT SEVEN – 1926-1927 | The Classics Chronological Series – 585 (1991) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Louis Armstrong's Hot Five was the most influential jazz band of the mid-'20s. The first volume of Armstrong's complete works reissued by Classics followed this group's trail of recordings from November of 1925 through those made almost exactly one year later. Opening this second volume of vintage Armstrong, the Hot Five's last three records of 1926 are peppered with hot vocals intended to entertain and amuse. May Alix shouts the lyrics to "Sunset Cafe Stomp" and Armstrong puts across an interesting tune referencing two downtrodden ethnic groups, Irish and Afro-American. "You Made Me Love You" is not the venerable vaudeville number recorded by Al Jolson in 1913, but a punchy Armstrong original similar to the quaint syncopated love songs he had cooked up with Lil Hardin when they were still working for King Oliver. In May 1927 Armstrong expanded his ensemble for the first time to become the Hot Seven. The addition of Pete Briggs on tuba and Baby Dodds at the drums resulted in a full-bodied sound that made "Willie the Weeper" and "Potato Head Blues" so remarkably and enduringly potent. Armstrong's version of Fats Waller's "Alligator Crawl" is a miracle of perfect timing and immaculate ease. If Lil Hardin Armstrong's references to domestic violence seem a bit reckless during "That's When I'll Come Back to You," listeners should be advised that Afro-American music has always caused consternation by openly referring to topics usually swept under the rug. During the autumn and winter of 1927 Armstrong scaled his band back to five pieces, revisiting Kid Ory's 1922 novelty rag "Ory's Creole Trombone," adding a sixth player in guitarist Lonnie Johnson on "I'm Not Rough," and introducing to the world one of Lil Hardin Armstrong's all-time greatest compositions, "Struttin' with Some Barbecue." arwulf arwulf  Tracklist :

KING OLIVER AND HIS CREOLE JAZZ BAND – 1923 | The Chronogical Classics – 650 (1992) FLAC (tracks), lossless

There are more than a handful of undiluted jazz records that predate King Oliver's sessions of 1923, but few had managed to put it together in a recording studio quite so powerfully or, as it turned out, so very influentially. These primordial artifacts, now digitally remastered and chronologically assembled, form a substantial chunk of the bedrock of early recorded jazz. They're also remarkably liberating if, for just a few minutes, you make yourself into a fly on the wall of the Gennett studios. Note that young Louis Armstrong had to pretty well stand outside of the room so that he wouldn't overpower the rest of the players. Johnny Dodds interacted wonderfully with the brass, weaving wreaths of wooded filigree around the exhortations of Honore Dutrey's deep-voiced trombone. Lil Hardin, when you can hear her, is quite the majestic pianist, especially on "Chimes Blues." Baby Dodds couldn't use a full set of drums, as Gennett's Neolithic microphones couldn't handle anything beyond wood block or muffled snare and a small cymbal. Most previous issues of the 1923 Oliver Gennetts didn't include the OKeh sessions from June of that same year. These help to fill out the rest of the picture. The general recording ambience is less muddled, the clarinet seems to have been given greater opportunities for expressing itself in the lower register, and Lil's piano is more audible. Hardin and Armstrong's collaborative "Where Did You Stay Last Night?" sounds like a clear premonition of what Armstrong's Hot Five would be accomplishing by 1925. For years, jazz critics and historians have whined about the presence of Stump Evans, who blew C-melody saxophone on the session of October 5, 1923. As if being nicknamed "Stump" wasn't demeaning enough, Evans has been posthumously reviled for not sounding like Coleman Hawkins, although in 1923 young Hawk was hardly more facile than Stump, who sounds just fine on "Krooked Blues," slap tongue and all. Everything here bears repeated listening. Savor the wonderment of experiencing most of the best recordings King Oliver managed to make before pyorrhea forced him off the scene. Hearing those two cornets flying around the room together is an essential part of any classic jazz appreciation. A special treat lies within the melodic structure of "Camp Meeting Blues," which is clearly recognizable as the basis for Duke Ellington's "Creole Love Call." The inclusion of this and three other Columbia sides makes Classics 650 the ultimate early King Oliver survey, second to none. arwulf arwulf  
Tracklist + Credits :

KING OLIVER's JAZZ BAND – 1923-1926 | The Chronogical Classics – 639 (1992) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

We'd like to introduce the last 11 sides that Louis Armstrong made with Joe Oliver's Jazz Band. After listening through three or four of these, you'll have a pretty good idea why this group generated so much excitement in its heyday. Already the ensemble has begun to morph. Papa Charlie Jackson's bass saxophone adds an extra level of funk to "Buddy's Habit," a thrilling stomp gone slightly weird when Louis takes an entire chorus using a slippery "swanee whistle." Jackson played a worthy tuba but his bass sax was all prostate and peritoneum. This was a hot band and these are among the best records they ever managed to conjure. Two cornets harmonize in striking tandem during the breaks. Honore Dutrey's trombone is the perfect counterweight for Johnny Dodds' clarinet. We're experiencing authentic collective improvisation, eight people sharing one microphone. Each of these numbers will charm you if you give the music a chance. Go ahead. Spend more than a half-hour with this amazing band. Suddenly the chapter ends and we've entered a completely different phase of Oliver's life. The group has dissolved after a dispute over pay. Louis lingered longer than the rest but by December of 1924 he's off plowing his own turf. A full year has passed since the band's final session as a unit. King Oliver is heard in duet performance with Jelly Roll Morton, working up a gutsy "King Porter Stomp" and a "Tom Cat" which soon reveals itself as Morton's "Winin' Boy." Now we're wading into the year 1926. Oliver has put his name in front of a band, which is essentially Luis Russell & His Burning Eight. Suddenly there are a lot more reed players than have ever been heard on any of King Oliver's records. There's Albert Nicholas, Barney Bigard and an alto player from Detroit named Billy Paige. He wrote the arrangements for "Too Bad" and "Snag It." Vocals are by the venerably funky Richard M. Jones, the soulful Teddy Peters, the salty Georgia Taylor and the chronically blue Irene Scruggs. Albert Nicholas plays a mean soprano sax on "Home Town Blues." "Deep Henderson" kicks and shakes. "Jackass Blues" is a masterpiece of distorted reality. Gone is the precision of the Creole Jazz Band. The Dixie Syncopators blow hard and swing loose. "Sugar Foot Stomp" is a screamer. Conventional criticism is full of complaints about this band. Why compare it with the smaller, more disciplined ensembles of 1923? These big bumbling bands of 1926 are about feeling good. The records don't exist to authenticate some expert's theories of refined excellence. If Barney Bigard wants to slap his tongue against the reed and Stump Evans tries his luck with a soprano saxophone, well, good for them. It's all about having a good time. And this is good time music. arwulf arwulf  
Tracklist + Credits :

JOHNNY DODDS – 1928-1940 | The Chronogical Classics – 635 (1992) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

By 1928 and '29 jazz was beginning to mature and recording technology was growing up along with it. Even taking into account his remarkable accomplishments on phonograph records from 1923 through early 1928, the exciting material gathered together on this disc represents -- without question -- some of the very best jazz ever recorded by New Orleans/Chicago clarinet archetype Johnny Dodds. On the first 11 selections, Natty Dominique blows one tough little cornet, and Bill Johnson's bull fiddle comes across more clearly and dramatically than ever before. Throughout the 1920s, many bands relied on the tuba to provide the bassline on their recordings. Bolstered by the Victor Record company's superior equipment, Johnson's pulsing, visceral viol carries everyone along on a tonal current of unforgettable intensity. Anybody interested in trombonist Honore Dutrey should listen closely as this has got to be some of his best work on record. There's nothing quite like hearing Baby Dodds using the washboard as a neat, precise percussion tool. All the same it's refreshing when he switches to the drum kit and Lil Hardin Armstrong presides at the ivories. "Heah Me Talkin'" is a triumph, "Goober Dance" is pleasantly weird, and "Indigo Stomp" a wonderful ritual for piano, clarinet and bass fiddle. At that same session Johnny's group backed blueswoman Sippie Wallace on one song. This would be the only time Sippie and Johnny would collaborate in the studio. "I'm a Mighty Tight Woman" is a remarkable document, one of the strongest performances that this singer ever put across. The Paramount Pickers and Beale Street Washboard Band sessions are a delight, the sort of music you can go back and revisit regularly. The crowning glory of this collection is the inclusion of eight Decca recordings from 1938 and '40 that constitute the phonographic last will and testament of Johnny Dodds. Hearing his noble clarinet resounding in the same company as Charlie Shavers, John Kirby, Lonnie Johnson, Teddy Bunn, and the mighty Richard M. Jones brings out all of the best qualities in each musician. With O'Neill Spencer singing, drumming and rubbing on a washboard, we're faced with fully half of the John Kirby Sextet, a decidedly modern contingent mingling perfectly with players whose experience reached back towards the very beginnings of recorded jazz. arwulf arwulf  
Tracklist + Credits :

HENRY "RED" ALLEN AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1937-1941 | The Chronogical Classics – 628 (1992) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The final of the five Classics CDs that document the early recordings of trumpeter Henry "Red" Allen covers music from three very different bands. Allen is first heard singing and playing trumpet on eight pop tunes he uplifts with a recording group in 1937 that features altoist Tab Smith. Allen also plays four Dixieland standards with a hot septet in 1940 that includes trombonist Benny Morton, clarinetist Edmond Hall and pianist Lil Armstrong. The final eight numbers (four of which were previously unreleased) showcases his regular band from 1941 (with trombonist J.C. Higginbottham and clarinetist Edmond Hall) really romping through some hard-swinging performances, including "K.K. Boogie" and a two-part version of "Sometimes I'm Happy." All five of these Classics CDs are easily recommended; this is one of the better ones. Scott Yanow
Tracklist + Credits :

BLUE LU BARKER – 1938-1939 | The Classics Chronological Series – 704 (1993) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This is one of the lesser entries put out by the European Classics label. Blue Lou Barker was a so-so singer who had the novelty hit "Don't You Make Me High"; all 21 of her prewar recordings are included on this CD. The more memorable moments are provided by the sidemen, which include trumpeters Red Allen and Charlie Shavers, clarinetist Buster Bailey, tenor saxophonist Chu Berry, and her husband, guitarist Danny Barker. Scott Yanow  
Tracklist + Credits :

SIDNEY BECHET – 1952, Vol. 2 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1431 (2005) FLAC (tracks), lossless

Volume 16 in the complete recordings of Sidney Bechet as reissued in the Classics Chronological Series opens with two live concert recordings of Bechet in performance with Claude Luter's Orchestra at the Salle Pleyel in Paris on March 12, 1952. The balance of that evening's entertainment may be heard on the previous volume in the series. Luter, a capable clarinetist, accompanied Bechet with a band of traditional minded Frenchmen consisting of trumpeter Guy Lognon, trombonist Bernard Zacharias, pianist Raymond Fol, bassist Roland Bianchini, and drummer François "Moustache" Galépides. The seven-piece unit's renditions of "Casey Jones" and "Dippermouth Blues" typify the old-fashioned repertoire preferred by this branch of the European jazz community during the early 1950s. The Bechet/Luter band (with the addition of cornetist Claude Rabanit) is heard again, this time in a studio setting, on tracks 13-20. Although the Bechet/Luter collaborations are enjoyable, the artistic heart of this album lies within tracks three-twelve in the form of ten master takes from a trio session involving Bechet, pianist Lil Armstrong, and drummer Zutty Singleton, three jazz pioneers who were born only months apart near the close of the 19th century. An opportunity to hear them working together in an intimate studio environment is a major treat for anyone who truly loves this kind of music. Everything on this compilation was originally issued by the Vogue label. The folks at Classics should be proud to have unearthed this fine music and brought it out in this handsome edition for all to enjoy. arwulf arwulf
Tracklist : 

LIL HARDIN ARMSTRONG AND HER SWING ORCHESTRA – 1936-1940 | The Classics Chronological Series – 564 (1991) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Years before Joe Glaser assumed unmitigated control over Louis Armstrong's professional existence, Lil Hardin Armstrong essentially served as her husband's manager. She taught him music theory, and advised him how to dress in style and conduct himself with dignity in public. She also suggested when the time was ripe for Louis to break away from King Oliver's band and venture out on his own. Had it not been for Lil Hardin Armstrong, the Hot Five and Hot Seven recordings would never have come together the way they did, and Louis Armstrong's career would have unfolded much differently. Lil was a brilliant pianist. She sang in a gutsy manner, often using lyrics that were disarmingly funny. "Or Leave Me Alone" is one of the best examples of her knuckly humor that you'll ever hear. It also anticipates a song that Groucho Marx would present many years later as an elderly man singing softly under the spotlight at Carnegie Hall. "Show me a rose, and I'll show you a stag at bay...Show me a rose, or leave me alone," he sang, along with other lyrics that can only be described as surreal. Who wrote Groucho's song, and wasn't it closely based upon this spunky bit of fun from 1936? In another surprising premonition, "Brown Gal" is clearly the direct ancestor of "Bad Boy," a big hit for the Jive Bombers during the 1950s. Chu Berry is all over the first six selections, and Buster Bailey's clarinet lights up the first 14. Berry is succeeded by Robert Carroll, Prince Robinson, Tony Zimmers, and Russell Johns. Let's hear it for the great forgotten tenor players! When Wellman Braud showed up to play bass on April 15, 1937, Pops Foster retreated to the drums. It's the kind of a reaction you'd expect out of any sensible bassist, although Foster could have stood his ground. Maybe they flipped a coin. In any case, Foster uses the hi-hat with great success. These songs are all typical of the 1930s, a time when anybody could float a three-minute song regardless of lyrical content. Lil plays no piano on this collection until the session of September 9, 1939. And it isn't until March 18, 1940, that listeners get to enjoy a pair of instrumentals. In spite of the band being identified as Lil's Dixielanders, "Sixth Street" and "Riffin' the Blues" sound like pure unadulterated Harlem swing. The next place to go is Lil's fabulous 1961 session for Riverside Records, a strong installment in that marvelous series entitled Chicago: The Living Legends.  arwulf arwulf   
Tracklist :
1    Lil Armstrong And Her Swing Orchestra–    Or Leave Me Alone 2:58
Clarinet – Buster Bailey
Double Bass [String Bass] – John Frazier
Guitar – Huey Long
Piano – Teddy Cole
Tenor Saxophone – Chu Berry
Trumpet – Joe Thomas
Vocals – Lil Armstrong
Written-By – Buck
2    Lil Armstrong And Her Swing Orchestra–    My Hi-De-Ho Man 2:39
Clarinet – Buster Bailey
Double Bass [String Bass] – John Frazier
Guitar – Huey Long
Piano – Teddy Cole
Tenor Saxophone – Chu Berry
Trumpet – Joe Thomas
Vocals Written-By – Lil Armstrong
3    Lil Armstrong And Her Swing Orchestra–    Brown Gal 2:43
Clarinet – Buster Bailey
Double Bass [String Bass] – John Frazier
Guitar – Huey Long
Piano – Teddy Cole
Tenor Saxophone – Chu Berry
Trumpet – Joe Thomas
Vocals – Lil Armstrong
Written-By – Avon, Armstrong
4    Lil Armstrong And Her Swing Orchestra–    Doin' The Suzie-Q 2:48
Clarinet – Buster Bailey
Double Bass [String Bass] – John Frazier
Guitar – Huey Long
Piano – Teddy Cole
Tenor Saxophone – Chu Berry
Trumpet – Joe Thomas
Vocals, Written-By – Lil Armstrong
5    Lil Armstrong And Her Swing Orchestra–    Just For A Thrill 2:48
Clarinet – Buster Bailey
Double Bass [String Bass] – John Frazier
Guitar – Huey Long
Piano – Teddy Cole
Tenor Saxophone – Chu Berry
Trumpet – Joe Thomas
Vocals, Written-By – Lil Armstrong
6    Lil Armstrong And Her Swing Orchestra–    It's Murder 2:18
Clarinet – Buster Bailey
Double Bass [String Bass] – John Frazier
Guitar – Huey Long
Piano – Teddy Cole
Tenor Saxophone – Chu Berry
Trumpet – Joe Thomas (4)
Vocals – Lil Armstrong
Written-By – Buck, Armstrong
7    Lil Armstrong And Her Swing Orchestra–    Born To Swing 2:33
Clarinet – Buster Bailey
Double Bass [String Bass] – Wellman Braud
Drums – George "Pop" Foster
Guitar – Arnold Adams
Piano – James Sherman
Tenor Saxophone – Robert Carroll
Trumpet – Joe Thomas
Vocals – Lil Armstrong
Written-By – Avon, Armstrong
8    Lil Armstrong And Her Swing Orchestra–    (I'm On A) Sit-Down Strike For Rhythm 2:41
Clarinet – Buster Bailey
Double Bass [String Bass] – Wellman Braud
Drums – George "Pop" Foster
Guitar – Arnold Adams
Piano – James Sherman
Tenor Saxophone – Robert Carroll
Trumpet – Joe Thomas
Vocals – Lil Armstrong
Written-By – Avon, Armstrong
9    Lil Armstrong And Her Swing Orchestra–    Bluer Than Blue 3:08
Clarinet – Buster Bailey
Double Bass [String Bass] – Wellman Braud
Drums – George "Pop" Foster
Guitar – Arnold Adams
Piano – James Sherman
Tenor Saxophone – Robert Carroll
Trumpet – Joe Thomas
Vocals – Lil Armstrong
Written-By – Avon, Armstrong
10    Lil Armstrong And Her Swing Orchestra–    I'm Knockin' At The Cabin Door 2:54
Clarinet – Buster Bailey
Double Bass [String Bass] – Wellman Braud
Drums – George "Pop" Foster
Guitar – Arnold Adams
Piano – James Sherman
Tenor Saxophone – Robert Carroll
Trumpet – Joe Thomas
Vocals – Lil Armstrong
Written-By – Avon, Armstrong
11    Lil Armstrong And Her Swing Orchestra–    Lindy Hop 2:49
Clarinet – Buster Bailey
Double Bass [String Bass] – Wellman Braud
Drums – Manzie Johnson
Guitar – Arnold Adams
Piano – James Sherman
Tenor Saxophone – Prince Robinson
Trumpet – Shirley Clay
Vocals – Lil Armstrong
Written-By – Avon, Armstrong
12    Lil Armstrong And Her Swing Orchestra–    When I Went Back Home 2:37
Clarinet – Buster Bailey
Double Bass [String Bass] – Wellman Braud
Drums – Manzie Johnson
Guitar – Arnold Adams
Piano – James Sherman
Tenor Saxophone – Prince Robinson
Trumpet – Shirley Clay
Vocals – Lil Armstrong
Written-By – Avon, Armstrong
13    Lil Armstrong And Her Swing Orchestra–    Let's Call It Love 3:00
Clarinet – Buster Bailey
Double Bass [String Bass] – Wellman Braud
Drums – Manzie Johnson
Guitar – Arnold Adams
Piano – James Sherman
Tenor Saxophone – Prince Robinson
Trumpet – Shirley Clay
Vocals – Lil Armstrong
Written-By – Armstrong, Matthews
14    Lil Armstrong And Her Swing Orchestra–    You Mean So Much To Me 2:50
Clarinet – Buster Bailey
Double Bass [String Bass] – Wellman Braud
Drums – Manzie Johnson
Guitar – Arnold Adams
Piano – James Sherman
Tenor Saxophone – Prince Robinson
Trumpet – Shirley Clay
Vocals – Lil Armstrong
Written-By – Jackson
15    Lil Armstrong And Her Swing Orchestra–    Let's Get Happy Together 2:54
Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone – Tony Zimmers
Double Bass [String Bass] – Haig Stephens
Drums – Sam Weiss
Guitar – Dave Barbour
Piano – Frank Froeba
Trombone – Al Philburn
Trumpet [or] – Johnny McGee, Ralph Muzillo
Vocals, Written-By – Lil Armstrong
16    Lil Armstrong And Her Swing Orchestra–    Happy Today, Sad Tomorrow 3:09
Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone – Tony Zimmers
Double Bass [String Bass] – Haig Stephens
Drums – Sam Weiss
Guitar – Dave Barbour
Piano – Frank Froeba
Trombone – Al Philburn
Trumpet [or] – Johnny McGee, Ralph Muzillo
Vocals – Lil Armstrong
Written-By – Armstrong, Livingston
17    Lil Armstrong And Her Swing Orchestra–    You Shall Reap What You Sow 2:59
Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone – Tony Zimmers
Double Bass [String Bass] – Haig Stephens
Drums – Sam Weiss
Guitar – Dave Barbour
Piano – Frank Froeba
Trombone – Al Philburn
Trumpet [or] – Johnny McGee*, Ralph Muzillo
Vocals – Lil Armstrong
Written-By – Robinson
18    Lil Armstrong And Her Swing Orchestra–    Oriental Swing 2:58
Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone – Tony Zimmers
Double Bass [String Bass] – Haig Stephens
Drums – Sam Weiss
Guitar – Dave Barbour
Piano – Frank Froeba
Trombone – Al Philburn
Trumpet [or] – Johnny McGee, Ralph Muzillo
Vocals – Lil Armstrong
Written-By – Spencer
19    Lil Armstrong And Her Swing Orchestra–    Safely Locked Up In My Heart 2:54
Clarinet – Buster Bailey
Double Bass [String Bass] – Wellman Braud
Drums – O'Neil Spencer
Piano, Vocals – Lil Armstrong
Trombone – J.C. Higginbotham
Trumpet – Reunald Jones
Written-By – Avon, Armstrong
20    Lil Armstrong And Her Swing Orchestra–    Everything's Wrong, Ain't Nothing Right 3:02
Clarinet – Buster Bailey
Double Bass [String Bass] – Wellman Braud
Drums – O'Neil Spencer
Piano, Vocals – Lil Armstrong
Trombone – J.C. Higginbotham
Trumpet – Reunald Jones
Written By – Evans
Written-By – Armstrong
21    Lil Armstrong And Her Swing Orchestra–    Harlem On Saturday Night 2:40
Clarinet – Buster Bailey
Double Bass [String Bass] – Wellman Braud
Drums – O'Neil Spencer
Piano, Vocals – Lil Armstrong
Trombone – J.C. Higginbotham
Trumpet – Reunald Jones
Written-By – Smith, Johnson
22    Lil Armstrong And Her Swing Orchestra–    Knock-Kneed Sal (On The Mourner's Bench) 2:31
Clarinet – Buster Bailey
Double Bass [String Bass] – Wellman Braud
Drums – O'Neil Spencer
Piano, Vocals – Lil Armstrong
Trombone – J.C. Higginbotham
Trumpet – Reunald Jones
Written-By – Armstrong, Randolph
23    Lil "Brown Gal" Armstrong And Her Dixielanders–    Sixth Street 2:47
Alto Saxophone – Don Stovall
Double Bass [String Bass] – Wellman Braud
Drums – Manzie Johnson
Piano – Lil Armstrong
Tenor Saxophone – Russell Johns
Trumpet – Jonah Jones
Written By – Fitzpatrick
24    Lil "Brown Gal" Armstrong And Her Dixielanders–    Riffin' The Blues 2:37
Alto Saxophone – Don Stovall
Double Bass [String Bass] – Wellman Braud
Drums – Manzie Johnson
Piano – Lil Armstrong
Tenor Saxophone – Russell Johns
Trumpet – Jonah Jones
Written By – Fitzpatrick
25    Lil "Brown Gal" Armstrong And Her Dixielanders–    Why Is A Good Man So Hard To Find? 3:00
Alto Saxophone – Don Stovall
Double Bass [String Bass] – Wellman Braud
Drums – Manzie Johnson
Piano – Lil Armstrong
Tenor Saxophone – Russell Johns
Trumpet – Jonah Jones
Vocals – Midge Williams
Written-By – Davis
26    Lil "Brown Gal" Armstrong And Her Dixielanders–    My Secret Flame 3:09
Alto Saxophone – Don Stovall
Double Bass [String Bass] – Wellman Braud
Drums – Manzie Johnson
Piano – Lil Armstrong
Tenor Saxophone – Russell Johns
Trumpet – Jonah Jones
Vocals – Hilda Rogers
Written-By – Avon, Armstrong

LOUIS ARMSTRONG & HIS HOT FIVE & HOT SEVEN - 1926-1927 {CC, 585} (1991) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Louis Armstrong's Hot Five was the most influential jazz band of the mid-'20s. The first volume of Armstrong's complete works reissued by Classics followed this group's trail of recordings from November of 1925 through those made almost exactly one year later. Opening this second volume of vintage Armstrong, the Hot Five's last three records of 1926 are peppered with hot vocals intended to entertain and amuse. May Alix shouts the lyrics to "Sunset Cafe Stomp" and Armstrong puts across an interesting tune referencing two downtrodden ethnic groups, Irish and Afro-American. "You Made Me Love You" is not the venerable vaudeville number recorded by Al Jolson in 1913, but a punchy Armstrong original similar to the quaint syncopated love songs he had cooked up with Lil Hardin when they were still working for King Oliver. In May 1927 Armstrong expanded his ensemble for the first time to become the Hot Seven. The addition of Pete Briggs on tuba and Baby Dodds at the drums resulted in a full-bodied sound that made "Willie the Weeper" and "Potato Head Blues" so remarkably and enduringly potent. Armstrong's version of Fats Waller's "Alligator Crawl" is a miracle of perfect timing and immaculate ease. If Lil Hardin Armstrong's references to domestic violence seem a bit reckless during "That's When I'll Come Back to You," listeners should be advised that Afro-American music has always caused consternation by openly referring to topics usually swept under the rug. During the autumn and winter of 1927 Armstrong scaled his band back to five pieces, revisiting Kid Ory's 1922 novelty rag "Ory's Creole Trombone," adding a sixth player in guitarist Lonnie Johnson on "I'm Not Rough," and introducing to the world one of Lil Hardin Armstrong's all-time greatest compositions, "Struttin' with Some Barbecue." by arwulf arwulf
Tracklist :
1     Sunset Cafe Stomp 2:53
Louis Armstrong / Percy Venable
2     You Made Me Love You 2:59
Louis Armstrong / Percy Venable
3     Irish Black Bottom 2:45
Louis Armstrong / Percy Venable
4     Willie the Weeper 3:10
Marty Bloom / Walter Melrose / Grant Rymal
5     Wild Man Blues 3:17
Louis Armstrong / Jelly Roll Morton
6     Chicago Breakdown 3:27
Big Maceo Merriweather / Jelly Roll Morton
7     Alligator Crawl 3:05
Joe Davis / Andy Razaf / Fats Waller
8     Potato Head Blues 2:58
Louis Armstrong
9     Melancholy Blues 3:04
Marty Bloom / Walter Melrose / Elmer Schoebel
10     Weary Blues 3:03
Artie Matthews
11     Twelfth Street Rag 3:12
Euday L. Bowman
12     Keyhole Blues 3:31
Wesley Wilson
13     S.O.L. Blues 2:59
Louis Armstrong
14     Gully Low Blues 3:22
Louis Armstrong
15     That's When I'll Come Back to You 3:00
F. Biggs / Frank Biggs
16     Put 'Em Down Blues 3:12
E. Bennett / E.J. Bennett
17     Ory's Creole Trombone 3:06
Edwin H. Morris / Kid Ory
18     The Last Time 3:27
Bill Ewing / Sara Martin
19     Struttin' with Some Barbecue 3:04
Lil Hardin Armstrong / Louis Armstrong / Lil Hardin / Don Raye
20     Got No Blues 3:22
Lil Hardin Armstrong / Lil Hardin
21     Once in a While 3:14
William Butler
22     I'm Not Rough 2:59
Lil Hardin
23     Hotter Than That 3:01
Lil Hardin Armstrong / Lil Hardin
24     Savoy Blues 3:24
Kid Ory

 

LOUIS ARMSTRONG AND KING OLIVER'S CREOLE JAZZ BAND - Louis Armstrong & King Oliver (1992) APE (image+.cue), lossless

Louis Armstrong's tenure as second cornetist to the great King Oliver is one of jazz history's legendary apprenticeships, on par with the one Miles Davis served with Charlie Parker or Stephane Grappelli's with Django Reinhardt. Sadly, only a handful of recordings survive from this formative period in Armstrong's career. This LP features 18 of King Oliver's 1923 recordings with Armstrong, as well as a bonus appendix consisting of seven tracks recorded in 1924 by the Red Onion Jazz Babies under Armstrong's sole leadership (and featuring, on one number, a very young Alberta Hunter). The performances are as red-hot as you'd expect, and include two King Oliver and Jelly Roll Morton duets. by Rick Anderson
Tracklist:
1 Just Gone 2:41
Bill Johnson / King Oliver
2 Canal Street Blues 2:28
Louis Armstrong / King Oliver
3 Mandy Lee Blues 2:09
Marty Bloom / Walter Melrose
4 I'm Going Away to Wear You off My Mind 2:49
W. Smith
5 Chimes Blues 2:52
King Oliver
6 Weather Bird Rag 2:41
Louis Armstrong
7 Dippermouth Blues 2:25
King Oliver
8 Froggie Moore 2:59
Jelly Roll Morton
9 Snake Rag 2:57
King Oliver / Armand Piron
10 Alligator Hop 2:22
King Oliver / Armand Piron
11 Zulu's Ball 2:28
King Oliver / Alvin Robertson / Robinson
12 Working Man Blues 2:09
Lil Hardin / King Oliver
13 Krooked Blues 2:43
Bill Johnson / Dink Johnson / Benjamin Franklin Spikes / John Spikes
14 Mabel's Dream 2:47
Ike Smith
15 Mabel's Dream 2:43
Ike Smith
16 Southern Stomp 2:42
Richard M. Jones
17 Southern Stomp 2:42
Richard M. Jones
18 Riverside Blues 2:56
Tommy Dorsey / Richard M. Jones
19 Texas Moaner Blues 3:03
Fay Barnes / Clarence Williams
20 Of All the Wrongs You've Done to Me 2:49
Edgar Dowell / Lawrence Payton / Chris Smith
21 Terrible Blues 2:49
Clarence Williams
22 Santa Claus Blues 2:45
Gus Kahn / Charley Straight
23 Nobody Knows the Way I Feel This Morning 2:50
Pearl Delaney / Tom Delaney
24 Early in the Morning 2:54
William Higgins / W. Benton Overstreet
25 Cake Walking Babies from Home 3:08
Chris Smith / Henry Troy / Clarence Williams
Credits:

Banjo – Bill Johnson (tracks: 1 to 9), Buddy Christian (tracks: 19 to 22), Johnny St. Cyr (tracks: 10 to 13)

Bass Saxophone – Charlie Johnson (tracks: 14 to 18)
Clarinet – Johnny Dodds (tracks: 1 to 18)
Clarinet, Soprano Saxophone – Buster Bailey (tracks: 19 to 22)
Cornet – King Oliver, Louis Armstrong
Drums – Baby Dodds (tracks: 1 to 18)
Piano – Lil Hardin Armstrong
Producer [Reissue] – Orrin Keepnews
Saxophone – Stump Evans (tracks: 10 to 13)
Soprano Saxophone – Sidney Bechet (tracks: 23 to 25)
Trombone – Aaron Thompson (tracks: 19 to 22), Charlie Irvis (tracks: 23 to 25), Honore Dutrey (tracks: 1 to 18)
Vocals – Clarence Todd (tracks: 25), Josephine Beatty (tracks: 19 to 25)