Billie Holiday and Louis Armstrong at Carnegie Hall (1947)

2022 marks 75 years since the release of Billie Holiday's only full length motion picture film New Orleans (1947) which also starred her childhood idol Louis Armstrong. 1947 was an interesting year for both Lady and Pops, not only did they star in the same picture: Pops saw a popularity resurgence when he ditched his orchestra outfit and started his All-Star unit and Lady was just hitting the peak of her career and would appear at Carnegie Hall not once but twice in February and May, right before she served her prison term for possession of narcotics.
This particular recording is from February 8, 1947. This was one of Louis Armstrong's first major concerts with his "All-Star" band. This isn't necessarily his All Star unit officially but the concert comprised of his orchestra along with a six piece band led by clarinetist Edmond Hall. The reception of the six piece band was so well received that it influenced Joe Glaser, both Pops and Lady's manager, to make Pops ditch his orchestra for the latter. This was also one of many performances that Pops and Lady had together throughout the first half of 1947, to promote their new film no doubt. They also appeared together at Symphony Hall in Boston as well as in Philadelphia, infamously the engagement where Lady gets nabbed by the narcotics fuzz.
Louis Armstrong starts off with "Do You Know What it Means to Miss New Orleans?" from the film with singing and takes a solo and then Billie Holiday makes a surprise appearance (much to the audience's delight) and sings the song as well. Louis Armstrong introduces her as his "co-star in the picture New Orleans" and Lady thanks the crowd before going into her song "Don't Explain" with her pianist Bobby Tucker at the piano. Everyone is in fine form here and it is a joy to listen to. The pictures are also from the same night as well!
I hope you all enjoy!