In Feb 1940 Harry James made a terrific record of "Shiek of Araby" with his still new band. He had clearly heard Louis 1938 "Struttin' with Some Barbecue." James took two choruses structured very similarly to his Columbia "Chiribiribin." Except that on "Shiek" he honored Louis with a loving salute by capping his last chorus with the same inside-out phrasing that Louis used to such dazzling effect on his '38 remake. Google James' "Shiek" if you haven't heard it. Louis was certainly still a player of consequence and influence in the Decca '30s period. But I suspect that if you were young and musically ambitious during that period, you would have been studying even more closely what Roy Eldridge and perhaps Gillespie were doing.
@ToddCMorgan2 I have to agree with you; as superb as this set is from "Mosaic" Armstrong on Decca as a "pop" star is the one portion of his career that I generally skip over. Yes, there are some gems in there, of course but largely I have to agree with you; my interest in Armstrong then picks up again after his contract with Decca ends. I am temporarily down financially; if I weren't, as an Armstrong fan, I'd still buy this set just to have it and yes, there are some good ones.
I know that Mr. Morgenstern is well-intended and intends no disrespect to Louis Armstrong, but Louis was emphatic in correcting those who didn't call him "Lewissss." One biographer quotes Louis as saying that the Whites called him "Lewee." It doesn't matter a lot, but it did matter to Louis a bit. Armstrong Lives!
His wife called him Louie! His referred to himself as Louis, but that argument has pretty much been put to bed here: dippermouth.blogspot.com/2020/01/the-eternal-debate-louis-vs-louie.html
The Blue Deccas and the Luis Russell Black Okehs, and Brunswick sides are the best music Pops ever blew. I have purchased MANY Mosaic sets over the years. The problem is that Mosaic does "NOT become technically involved" with the music. I.e., Mosaic simply licenses the original sound recordings from the record company; -e.g., Capitol Records for the "Johnny Mercer Select" set. When I phoned Mosaic and complained about some of the poor transferring and mastering in this Mosaic set, I was told "Mosaic does not get involved with the technology. Capital sent us material that was supposed to be ready for pressing…" -Not a great excuse. In other words, whatever great source, or pitiful poor rubbish that the licensing source sends to Mosaic, Mosaic will make a stamping master directly from this source (usually CDs or tape (both digital and analogue), and press a new Mosaic set of CDs; -regardless of how it sounds, no questions asked. You can easily see where problems might arise from this process. The earlier Mosaic collections sounded much better and required very little digital re-mastering. Those days are, unfortunately GONE. -E.g., The Bix, Tram and Mr T. Mosaic set was 100% horrible sounding transfers/remasters from shellac. If the shellac had sounded that bad when it was originally released, NO ONE would have bought the shellac records in the first place! Mosaic has been lucky…until recently. A lot of Jazz lovers are not as discriminating as people like myself...or the late Phil Schaap. -Or, just about ANY SERIOUS Jazz lover who has their own shellac copies or has heard this music from original shellac pressings on a good playback system. If the music of Whiteman and Bix had sounded as bad as Mosaic's compilation set of CDs, the original records would NEVER HAVE SOLD IN THE FIRST PLACE! Mosaic needs a technical department and some basic gear. Or, Mosaic can hire out the work to engineers who specialise in pre-tape source parts. -E.g., Doug Pomeroy in Brooklyn is an excellent choice. I have never heard a bad product come out of his shop. Alas, there are MANY others. I am a retired E.E. with over 40 years of experience transferring and remastering shellac. lacquer, acetate, metal parts, TPs, etc.. I will do the job at COST; -I will earn NO PROFIT. I love this music THAT MUCH. -But just for this one project. My health would not allow more. Mosaic MUST learn to assume responsibility for the technical quality of the music it releases. If Mosaic has recently begun doing its own transfer and remastering, than you have clearly hired the wrong engineer. Pop's Blue Deccas are IMPORTANT. HISTORICALLY VALUABLE, and also wonderful entertainment. If this release has poor sound quality, then it will take another 10 years before someone else can be assured of a market for a superior collection. By then, even more source parts will be gone or damaged. The longer we wait, the worse the music will sound. RESPONSIBILITY, Mosaic. Prof. Morgenstern, do not forget to LISTEN to the products you endorse. I have a large shellac and acetate collection, but The Institute of Jazz Studies has a far larger collection. Not all of us already have 100% of Pop's Blue Deccas. But, I own enough of these shellac records, and have sufficient professional gear to know how they are SUPPOSED to sound.
Very interesting stuff about the genius that is Louis Armstrong.
Louis Armstrong is the REAL king of swing..simple as that.......
You are 100/100 right
Yep and as MANY stole from, he would be DEMEANED by others, SMDH....
Probably INVENTED it AFTER he got out of the Waits home in New Orleans....
In Feb 1940 Harry James made a terrific record of "Shiek of Araby" with his still new band. He had clearly heard Louis 1938 "Struttin' with Some Barbecue." James took two choruses structured very similarly to his Columbia "Chiribiribin." Except that on "Shiek" he honored Louis with a loving salute by capping his last chorus with the same inside-out phrasing that Louis used to such dazzling effect on his '38 remake. Google James' "Shiek" if you haven't heard it. Louis was certainly still a player of consequence and influence in the Decca '30s period. But I suspect that if you were young and musically ambitious during that period, you would have been studying even more closely what Roy Eldridge and perhaps Gillespie were doing.
I bought the Decca album of his first sides for them, BACK IN NEW YORK.
Dan Morgenstern always loved Louis. Great clip. Thank you for posting.
@ToddCMorgan2 I have to agree with you; as superb as this set is from "Mosaic" Armstrong on Decca as a "pop" star is the one portion of his career that I generally skip over.
Yes, there are some gems in there, of course but largely I have to agree with you; my interest in Armstrong then picks up again after his contract with Decca ends.
I am temporarily down financially; if I weren't, as an Armstrong fan, I'd still buy this set just to have it and yes, there are some good ones.
I know that Mr. Morgenstern is well-intended and intends no disrespect to Louis Armstrong, but Louis was emphatic in correcting those who didn't call him "Lewissss." One biographer quotes Louis as saying that the Whites called him "Lewee." It doesn't matter a lot, but it did matter to Louis a bit. Armstrong Lives!
His wife called him Louie! His referred to himself as Louis, but that argument has pretty much been put to bed here: dippermouth.blogspot.com/2020/01/the-eternal-debate-louis-vs-louie.html
The Blue Deccas and the Luis Russell Black Okehs, and Brunswick sides are the best music Pops ever blew.
I have purchased MANY Mosaic sets over the years.
The problem is that Mosaic does "NOT become technically involved" with the music. I.e., Mosaic simply licenses the original sound recordings from the record company; -e.g., Capitol Records for the "Johnny Mercer Select" set. When I phoned Mosaic and complained about some of the poor transferring and mastering in this Mosaic set, I was told "Mosaic does not get involved with the technology. Capital sent us material that was supposed to be ready for pressing…" -Not a great excuse.
In other words, whatever great source, or pitiful poor rubbish that the licensing source sends to Mosaic, Mosaic will make a stamping master directly from this source (usually CDs or tape (both digital and analogue), and press a new Mosaic set of CDs; -regardless of how it sounds, no questions asked.
You can easily see where problems might arise from this process.
The earlier Mosaic collections sounded much better and required very little digital re-mastering.
Those days are, unfortunately GONE.
-E.g., The Bix, Tram and Mr T. Mosaic set was 100% horrible sounding transfers/remasters from shellac. If the shellac had sounded that bad when it was originally released, NO ONE would have bought the shellac records in the first place!
Mosaic has been lucky…until recently. A lot of Jazz lovers are not as discriminating as people like myself...or the late Phil Schaap. -Or, just about ANY SERIOUS Jazz lover who has their own shellac copies or has heard this music from original shellac pressings on a good playback system.
If the music of Whiteman and Bix had sounded as bad as Mosaic's compilation set of CDs, the original records would NEVER HAVE SOLD IN THE FIRST PLACE!
Mosaic needs a technical department and some basic gear. Or, Mosaic can hire out the work to engineers who specialise in pre-tape source parts. -E.g., Doug Pomeroy in Brooklyn is an excellent choice. I have never heard a bad product come out of his shop. Alas, there are MANY others.
I am a retired E.E. with over 40 years of experience transferring and remastering shellac. lacquer, acetate, metal parts, TPs, etc.. I will do the job at COST; -I will earn NO PROFIT. I love this music THAT MUCH. -But just for this one project. My health would not allow more.
Mosaic MUST learn to assume responsibility for the technical quality of the music it releases.
If Mosaic has recently begun doing its own transfer and remastering, than you have clearly hired the wrong engineer.
Pop's Blue Deccas are IMPORTANT. HISTORICALLY VALUABLE, and also wonderful entertainment. If this release has poor sound quality, then it will take another 10 years before someone else can be assured of a market for a superior collection. By then, even more source parts will be gone or damaged. The longer we wait, the worse the music will sound.
RESPONSIBILITY, Mosaic.
Prof. Morgenstern, do not forget to LISTEN to the products you endorse. I have a large shellac and acetate collection, but The Institute of Jazz Studies has a far larger collection. Not all of us already have 100% of Pop's Blue Deccas. But, I own enough of these shellac records, and have sufficient professional gear to know how they are SUPPOSED to sound.