Customer Reviews

Satch Plays Fats

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Certainly there is hotter, earlier Louis out there. But just as certainly, this is Traditional jazz in a superb and swinging setting. Louis lays it down with respect on this one - adding his famous 'scats' sort of the way Fats would throw in his "yes, YAS, yes!" and trademark asides, but the vocals are true to the classics that are being played and sung. This is a mature Louis, along with Trummy Young, Billy Kyle, and Barney Bigard, and impeccable rhythm from Arvell Shaw on bass and Barrett Deems on drums. Recorded in 1955, a few tracks feature Velma Middleton on vocals also. All of the tunes are vintage Waller-Razaf standards, and all swing mightily, but my personal favorite is "I've Got A Feelin' I'm Fallin'", specifically where the band changes key, and Louis simply eats it alive. I first heard this album when I was 15, and it served as my introduction to the music of Waller, and made a lasting impression as to the real Armstrong, and Traditional jazz in general.

This one ranks up there with "The Great Summit" -- fabulous, virtuosic musicianship will have you toe-tapping, gyrating, singing and smiling

Louis Armstrong without a doubt was a jazz pioneer(just listen to any of his Hot Fives and Sevens from the 20's), not just the guy who sings "Hello Dolly" and "What A Wonderful World"(not to say that those aren't great too). Louis Satchmo Armstrong had a respect and admiration for jazz, and here he pays tribute to another singing musician, perhaphs the greatest stride pianist of them all(with the acception of James P. Johnson) Thomas "Fats" Waller. The name of the album "Satch Plays Fats" says it all, Louis & His All Stars, playing the songs that Fats made into standards. Thelma Middleton, Armstrong's girl singer duets on a few tracks adding some humor(which Fats would approve of). This CD slong with "Plays WC Handy" is one of Satch's best recordings from the 50's, and it is perhaphs one of the best LP's made in the entire decade of the 50's. Essential.

I dont exactly know who Fats domino is, but the man can write some amazing songs. And Louis interprets them beautifully. A little raw, but all for the better. And his trumpet playing powers over everything. The banter between him and the woman on "meat and potatoes", for example, is amazing. The SACD version makes Louis' voice shake the walls and your head. Yeah.

Maybe you've seen my opinionated writings elsewhere on this server, maybe not; regardless I must state the Louie Armstrong is the God of all music. Period. If you've seen the other groups, singers and so forth then you might take me seriously. The variety of music he inspired is infinite.