C'est Ci Bon: Satchmo in the Forties [Box set, Import]

Louis Armstrong | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 23, 2001)
• Number of Discs: 4
• Format: Box set, Import
• Note on Boxed Sets: During shipping, discs in boxed sets occasionally become dislodged without damage. Please examine and play these discs. If you are not completely satisfied, we'll refund or replace your purchase.
• Label: Proper Box UK
• ASIN: B00005MOCU
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #112,107 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Cherry

2. Perdido Street Blues

3. 2:19 Blues

4. Down In The Honkey Tonk Town

5. Coal Cart Blues

See all 25 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Long Long Journey

2. Snafu

3. Linger In My Arms A Little Longer

4. Whatta Ya Gonna Do?

5. No Variety Blues

See all 23 tracks on this disc

Disc: 3

1. Back O'Town Blues

2. Pennies From Heaven

3. Save It Pretty Mama

4. St. James Infirmary

5. Jack-Armstrong Blues

See all 20 tracks on this disc

Disc: 4

1. Body And Soul

2. Steak Face

3. Mahogany Hall Stomp

4. On The Sunny Side Of The Street

5. High Society

See all 18 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

UK budget-price 4 CD box-set. Includes 48 page illustrated booklet. Tracks include 'Perdido Street Blues', 'Coal Cart Blues', 'Aint Misbehavin'', 'Before Long', 'Body And Soul', 'La Vie En Rose', & many more. Packaged in standard jewel cases in a slipcase. 2001.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Over four hours of GREAT music, July 29, 2004

By 

Richard E. Hourula (Berkeley, CA. United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: C'est Ci Bon: Satchmo in the Forties (Audio CD)

I can't believe I've gone this long in my life without owning this fantastic collection of Satchmo in the Forties.
Do you like pure jazz?
Do you like the big band sound?
Do you like blues?
Do you like the New Orleans sound?
Do you like awesome trumpet playing?
Do you like Louis Armstrong?
It's all here. Some of the best music you'll ever own. I just recently purchased "C'est Ci Bon" and can't be bothered with listening to anything else.
The two renditions of "Rocking Chair" are worth the purchase price alone. As with many other cuts this one features the vastly underrated Jack Teagarden along with Satchmo.
Other featured performers include Billie Holiday, the Mills Brothers, Barney Bigard, Earl Hines, Benny Goodman and Lionel Hampton. A veritable who's who of the mid century music industry.
Of course Armstrong is the star attraction and I have to revise my previously held views and say that this was when he was at this best. He was, by comparison, rougher in the Thirties and blander in the Fifties. His voice, his horn playing and his arrangements are at their best in this set. Enclosed with the set is one of the better insert booklets you'll come across, replete with background information, full discography and pictures.
Great music and a great bargain.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great, classic jazz from the greatest jazzman ever!, May 8, 2010

By 

M. A. Casey (Las Vegas, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: C'est Ci Bon: Satchmo in the Forties (Audio CD)

C'est Ci Bon literally means that it's so good, and this box set is better than good! This chronicles 86 of Armstrong's biggest hits from 1940-1950. All with a 48-page booklet and extensive liner notes and at a very affordable price---even new---to boot! Every jazz lover should have this in his or her collection. Yes, okay some of the live songs are a bit too long. But you need to hear the live versions of "Muskrat Ramble" and "Boff-Boff" (love the drum solo in the middle!). And he actually improves on Duke Ellington's "C-Jam Blues" (unbelievable but true). Those songs, along with his versions of "Black and Blue", "Perdido Street Blues", and "St. James Infirmary", make this set worth every penny!

Of course, when you have this many songs there's bound to be a few missteps. But only very few! There's a few standards that I find corny ("Since I fell For You" for example). Also, I never realized how lame the English lyrics to "La Vie En Rose" are! However, somehow Louis himself can record a standard and it'll usually sound far better than any other version. He will either almost always sing it in a way that gives an edge to the trite lyrics he's singing, or he'll turn it into a kick-butt insturmental (witness "Body and Soul" or "Tea For Two"). And while Louis was never a technically a great singer in the traditional sense, his singing by this time had greatly improved over his earlier days (although I love the early days too). Though great singing doesn't always make a great song, witness "Cherry". I have the biggest problem with this song because it isn't jazz. It's more barber-shop harmony. But I quibble. This is an excellent box set!

This gets an A-plus! It's a must-have if you love traditional jazz!

3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WOW!, October 11, 2006

By 

Constantine Spathis "Random thoughts and musi... (New York, NY United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: C'est Ci Bon: Satchmo in the Forties (Audio CD)

A short simple WOW! This is an absolutely glorious collection of Armstrong classics. Should be in everyone's music collection.