Louis Armstrong: Satchmo at Symphony Hall 65th Anniversary, The Complete Performances

As Satchmo himself would say, “Now, you gots jazz!” That just about summarizes the attitude here on this legendary 1947 performances with some of the guys who actually invented this stuff. Along with Armstrong, you’ve got Barney Bigard/cl, Jack Teagarden/tb-v, Velma Middleton/v, Big Sid Catlett/dr, Arvell Shaw/b and Dick Cary/p, and they give it everything they’ve got, and then some. Armstrong is in vintage form, delivering a vocal treatment of “Black and Blue” that is second to none, while blowing the horn like Gabriel on “Muskrat Ramble,” “High Society” and “Royal Garden Blues.” Teagarden, meanwhile is arresting on an enthralling “Lover Man,”  and Middleton is in her element on “I Cried For You.’ Everyone gets a chance to stretch out, with Shaw getting some room on “How High The Moon.” Complaining that Armstrong didn’t go modern is like griping that Mozart didn’t do 12 tone. Enjoy it for what it is-the best music this side of the hemisphere and Duke Ellington.

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