Tuesday, March 20, 2012: TWOfer Tuesday - Two Giants: Louis Armstrong on "The Johnny Cash Show"

This TWOfer is less about the songs, and more about the artist - Louis Armstrong and Johnny Cash

From the October 28, 1970 episode of Cash's TV variety show, Armstrong sings "Crystal Chandeliers" and "Ramblin' Rose" with the band then duets with Cash on the Jimmy Rodgers classic "Blue Yodel #9."

Epic cool.

Tuesday, November 1, 2011: Louis Armstrong - St James Infirmary

Today is All Saints Day.

In the Roman Catholic Church, today is officially known as the Solemnity of All Saints, also called All Hallows or Hallowmas. Today is the reason yesterday (All Hallows Eve, or Halloween), even exists at all.

So, as this is a day for remembering the great ones, let's spend it remembering one of the greatest.

This is the track that kicks off his October 1959 album "Satchmo Plays King Oliver", who was one of Armstrongs earliest influences and supporters.

Satch plays here with the All-Stars:

Peanuts Hucko - Clarinet

Trummy Young - Trombone

Billy Kyle - Piano

Mort Herbert - Bass

Danny Barcelona - Drums

Louis Armstrong - Trumpet & Vocals

It's All Saints Day, and I guarantee you will not hear a more Heavenly sound today, all week, or maybe ever.

Tuesday, August 23, 2011: TWOfer Tuesday - Old School Jump

There's no school like the old school.

We may think we know about fun and freedom here in the 21st Century, but we really need to go back and see how the true hipsters and hep cats blew wild to really show us bumpkins how to cut a rug proper.

The first lesson comes from Senior Louis Prima, the coolest of cool dudes who rocked the big band in the 1940s, a Vegas lounge act in the 1950s, and also did pop-rock band in the 1960s. And he always looked great doing it.

However, if Mr Prima schooled us, then Mr Belefonte will not only administers our final exams but also grade our dissertations of cool while he sits as the Dean of Cool University. Our work, held up against the standards of the King of Calypso though, falls miserably short and we are all destined to flip burgers and wear name tags at our jobs for the rest of our miserable, uncool lives.

Or, we can just do what most university students do - crank up the music, have fun and dance!*

I dare you to sit still during this song, I double-dog dare you!





*well, obviously, there's also the drinking and the sex - but I do struggle to keep this blog strictly PG-13, gentle reader. I do try.

Thursday, March 31, 2011: Louis Armstrong and His Hot Five - Heebie Jeebies

The Hot Five was trumpet player Louis Armstrong's first jazz recording band led under his own name. The Music of the Hot Five (and his later group, Hot Seven) is considered by most critics to be among the finest recordings in Jazz history.

And probably the most important jazz recordings of the 1920's.

Not only were these informal sessions breakthrough records, but they also managed to begin a whole new musical style - scat sining.

The story goes, Louis invented "scat", or vocal improvisation with wordless vocables and nonsense syllables, in November 1925 recording this tune, “Heebies Jeebies” with his Hot Five.

In “Jazz on a High Note,” published in Esquire in 1951 he wrote: “…the day we recorded “Heebie Jeebies,” I dropped the paper with the lyrics—right in the middle of the tune…And I did not want to stop and spoil the record which was moving along so wonderful…So when I dropped the paper, I immediately turned back into the horn and started to Scatting…Just as nothing had happened…When I finished the record I just knew the recording people would throw it out.. And to my surprise they all came running of the controlling booth and said—“ Leave That In”…

Thus, a whole new musical style is born.

Monday, December 20, 2010: Louis Jordan & Ella Fitzgerald - Baby, It's Cold Outside

Is global warming a myth?

Who knows. All I know that unless you are in the southern hemisphere, it's cold outside. Baby.

And for a cool song to kick off Christmas week here on CSOTD, how can we even think of a warming planet when we've got the epic cool of Louis Jordon and Ella Fitzgerald.

Here is a holiday song often covered, but never bettered.

Enjoy.

Saturday, October 9, 2010: Louis Gordon - This Air

Saturday songs are a stuggle.

Somedays I just want to crank up the volume, wake the neighbours, rattle the dishes and scream out loud, "Thank God It's The Weekend!"

But then, other days I'll want more of a reflective time, something not too catatonic, but nothing too jarring. You just want to let the coffee settle in the French press, lay on the sofa and relax.

Exhale.

Here's a song for everyone who needs to exhale this Saturday.

Enjoy.