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These days, good trumpeters, of whom Byron Stripling is certainly one, abound in jazz. This is a collection of numbers associated with
Louis Armstrong--always a dependable source of good material. Nagel-Heyer Records has done sterling work in celebrating Armstrong, notably through the work of trumpeter
Randy Sandke and here with his counterpart, Stripling. Sandke has his own Armstrong album (the highly recommended
Rediscovered Louis and Bix). To further confuse things, Sandke is present on seven of these tracks. But he doesn't solo, confining himself to playing unison and harmony passages with Stripling. Stripling, who doesn't copy Armstrong except when he sings, plays with authority and verve, and even the oft-played standards sound fresh.
The tracks are drawn from two sessions in 1995 and 1998, respectively, and in both cases the accompanying musicians are top class. Kenny Davern and Allan Vaché play clarinets, with Davern gaining the edge. Trombonist Joel Helleny shows his class on his feature "Big Butter and Egg Man," and it's good to hear the expertise of such fine pianists as Mark Shane and Johnny Varro. It's notable that the recent Armstrong tributes have all been constructive and not simply derivative. This is another good one. --Steve Voce
