Customer Reviews

The Complete Louis Armstrong & Duke Ellington Sessions

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is my favorite CD. These are the two greatest musicians in jazz history and the chemistry between them is incredible. It's the perfect mixture of Duke's New York sophistication and Louis' New Orleans down-home feeling. There is not a bad note on this record, but my favorite cut is "Azalea." When I close my eyes and listen to Louis sing this little-known Ellington gem, I can feel the muggy Louisiana heat, feel the breeze from slowly turning ceiling fan, and taste the bourbon on the rocks. (As another reviewer said, Louis Armstrong's worst recording is better than 98% of the music currently available on record. The same, I'd say, is true of Duke.) Buy this CD. If it doesn't make you feel good, you must be dead.

I got this CD for Christmas, and I must say that it was my favorite gift! At the time I got it, I didn't read the other customer reviews, and I was just going to post my thoughts when I saw that the other reviews weren't good at all! The one who said that "Some Jazz Musicians Just Aren't Meant To Make Music Together" or whatever he said was CRAZY! Just relax, and listen to the best version of 'Azalea' yet! It's magic and the two mix together so nicely! I promise you'll be happy with it!

The idea of getting Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong together had probably been on many peoples minds, but their schedules just seemed to keep it a dream. That is until Roulette scheduled a date when both Armstrong and Ellington was in town. Some compromises had to be made, the band used was Armstrong's All Stars, and the music is all Ellington. Using the All Stars instead of Ellington's big band kept Armstrong in the small combo setting where he fits best. Ellington replaced Armstrongs normal piano player and everything worked out fine. The songs were well know to the band as several had played in Ellington's big band. This is classic jazz of the highest order. The technical quality of the disk (all in stereo) will not disappoint.

This recording is my favorite and I have been collecting music for over 40 years. This is not arguably the finest American pianist coupled with the finest American trumpetier. "The Summit" is 2 of America's most established legends ; Jazz icons playing with one of the finest Jazz bands of any age.
To the fellah that gave this recording a 1 star rating , evidently he listens to alot of rap music , case closed. If you cant get religion from this music , think about Joe Zwiebacks' GeraSpeed ..... ? Oh well we all have opinions right ? If you like Jazz music this recording will make you love it ...
Oh Satchamo , where did you go .....?
Savor the Duke tickling the ivories as only he could.
One other thing people should realize is , calling Louis Armstrong an Uncle Tom is taking alot for granted for all the crap he had to endure , to make a better life for his own race. Compared with what AAmericans have today , Satch made strides to make their own life better , and in his own life , he played in the finest halls and ate in the finest restaraunts at a time when that was unheard of in parts of this country. In fact Louis Armstrong is not only noted for being one of the finest American influential musicians , he is beloved as a personality , and if it took ONE or THREE of us awhile to see it , I would say we are talking of youngsters living in Padooka. Boom shaka laka boom !

The recording sessions were made on 3 and 4 April 1961.It results impossible to describe the admirable and instantaneous alchemy and enviable rapport among these two giants.

Duke Ellington was by far the most complete jazz musician in the Century. And Satchmo was (behind Davis of course) was a true living legend of the instrument. Duke, playing the piano gave us a sonorous surprise with his expressive sound.

Every piece is a joy by itself. I 'm just a lucky so and so is true orgiastic blues. Cottontail is a moving theme with Barney Bigard playing clarinet in extraordinary shape,making a superb counterpoint with Satchmo.

Mood Indigo is (who can deny it?) the jewel of the crown. What feeling and expression, what sense of the color and what sublime inspiration; you feel the blues in your veins, and the rough voice of Satchmo confers the piece an additional touch of joy: an extraordinary version without any doubt.

Black and fantasy is another gem. What sensation. It don 't mean a thing is a gorgeous instrumental where you can realize the Dionysian mood of Mr. Satchmo in that studio recording. Solitude is another sensitive blues with a great accompaniment of Duke.

Mort Herbert in bass is splendid too as well as Tommy young at trombone.

This Disc is Incredible.Hearing Two Great Minds Of Genius is very Essential too anyones Collection.The Arrangements here are Fantastic as is the Playing.The Music is Timeless here.Two Of Musics Greatest Pioneers.

Until very recently I never had thought much of the work of Louis Armstrong. Part of this dismissive attitude may have been from being put off by his cringing "Uncle Tom" type roles in movies like "High Society (with Grace Kelly and Bing Crosby). It was only when I accidentally listened to his "Potato Blues Album" that I realized that I had been wrong about his music, if not his persona. As for the Duke, since the centenary of his birth in 1999 I have developed an appreciation for his wonderful jazz tone poems, for lack of better term to express these virtuoso works, especially those from the late 1930's-early 1940's when he was riding high in the jazz world. Well put these to legends together, any where, any time and you have a big moment in American musical history. Duke with his beautifully controlled use of the piano and Satch with his horn and be-bop, scat voice and you have one version of musical heaven. Highlights here include the classic "Mood Indigo", "Solitude" and the instrumental "Black And Tan Fantasy".

This album just doesn't work. The producers certainly were well intentioned, but not all jazz players were meant to work together. The southern-influenced Armstrong-led musicians are steeped in a musical tradition that is incompatible with the more urbane material written by the Duke. Both are champions of jazz. Just different types of jazz. Many of the Ellington rythms that I had enjoyed at a lush, relaxed tempo became rushed and choppy in the hands of Mr. Armstrong. Both men have produced awesome material. None of it appears on this album.