Album Review: The Wonderful World of Louis Armstrong All Stars – A Gift to Pops
People of a certain age (i.e. my age) may have early memories of Louis Armstrong singing “Hello, Dolly,” “Wonderful World” or the theme song from On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, “We Have All the Time in the World.” Of course we (and most everyone else) know that Armstrong’s career had been through several phases by that time. His early work with his Hot Fives and similar outfits helped form the foundations of jazz. Born nearly 120 years ago (and gone since 1971) his influence cast a long shadow upon music of the 20th century and beyond.
A collective of New Orleans musicians led by Wycliffe Gordon pays tribute to Pops (aka Satchmo) on this new collection. Opening with a vintage recording of the man himself singing “When It’s Sleepy Time Down South” live onstage in 1964 – in stunning fidelity, it should be noted – the album then moves into new recordings.
These songs – exploring Armstrong’s varied catalog – strike a nice balance between faithful readings of the tunes and modern-day approaches to the material, always honoring the songs and their place in Armstrong’s body of work.
It’s not all hot jazz, either. While cuts like “Struttin’ With Some Barbecue” have that ineffable Crescent City flavor, tracks like “Up a Lazy River” are more relaxed. Drummer/vocalist Herlin Riley does an uncanny vocal simulation of Louis.
Compositions by Hoagy Carmichael, W.C. Handy, Oscar Hammerstein (and Louis himself) provide a tidy survey of the breadth of the music that has become associated with Armstrong. Piano, vocal and trumpet are all that are needed for a rousing “Rockin’ Chair.” And the All Stars’ reading of “St. Louis Blues” sounds and feels the way this reviewer imagines Vince Guaraldi might’ve tackled it.
Listening today in 2021, Sam Theard’s 1929 “I’ll Be Glad When You’re Dead” doesn’t sound all that far removed from the kind of thing another Louis (Jordan) was doing, and of course that led in fairly short order to rock’n’roll. See? It really is all connected.
The set ends with another brief Armstrong clip. It’s not music; instead it’s a lovey interview clip thin which Pops expresses his philosophy of life. It’s one we could all do well to share.
About the Author
Bill Kopp
With a background in marketing and advertising, Bill Kopp got his professional start writing for Trouser Press. After a stint as Editor-in-chief for a national music magazine, Bill launched Musoscribe in 2009, and has published new content every business day since then (and every single day since 2018). The 4000-plus interviews, essays, and reviews on Musoscribe reflect Bill's keen interest in American musical forms, most notably rock, jazz, and soul. His work features a special emphasis on reissues and vinyl. Bill's work also appears in many other outlets both online and in print. He regularly hosts lecture/discussions on artists and albums of historical importance (including monthly events Music to Your Ears and Music Movie Mondays), and is a frequent guest on music-focused radio programs and podcasts. In Spring 2023 he is co-teaching a history of Rock 'n' Roll at UNC Asheville's College for Seniors. He also researches and authors liner notes for album reissues -- more than 30 to date -- and co-produced a reissue of jazz legend Julian "Cannonball" Adderley's final album. His first book, Reinventing Pink Floyd: From Syd Barrett to The Dark Side of the Moon was published by Rowman & Littlefield in 2018, and in paperback in 2019. His second book, Disturbing the Peace: 415 Records and the Rise of New Wave, was published in 2021 by HoZac Books. His third book, What's the Big Idea: 40 Great Concept Albums will be published in 2024. Read even more about him here.