From the Big Band to the All Stars (1946-56)

Louis Armstrong

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From the Big Band to the All Stars (1946-56) Review

by Scott Yanow

With the exception of the alternate take of "Hobo, You Can't Ride This Train" from 1932 and a couple of numbers with a big band in 1956, this two-CD set (a straight reissue of the RCA Jazz Tribune two-LP release of the same name) concentrates on the 1946-47 period. Most of the music has been reissued several times by RCA (including in their Bluebird series), but it is still quite valuable and enjoyable. The great trumpeter/vocalist Louis Armstrong is heard on a couple of numbers with the Esquire All-Americans, on his final dozen recordings with his swing big band, with trombonist Kid Ory for a few songs (highlighted by the earliest version of "Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans"), with "The Leader's Band" (a group taken from the film A Song Is Born) and with trombonist Jack Teagarden in a couple of all-star bands; their version of "Jack-Armstrong Blues" is a real classic while "Please Stop Playing Those Blues" and "A Song Was Born" are close behind. Very enjoyable music, highly recommended in one form or another.

Track Listing - Disc 1

	Title/Composer	Performer	Time	Stream
1	Long, Long Journey Leonard Feather	Louis Armstrong	04:18	Spotify Amazon
2	Snafu Leonard Feather	Louis Armstrong feat: Leonard Feather All Stars	04:11	Spotify Amazon
3	Linger in My Arms a Little Longer, Baby Herbert Magidson	Louis Armstrong	02:58	Spotify Amazon
4	Whatta Ya Gonna Do? Patrick Lewis / Sunny Skylar	Louis Armstrong	02:54	Spotify Amazon
5	No Variety Blues Louis Armstrong / Herman Fairbanks	Louis Armstrong	02:52	Spotify Amazon
6	Joseph 'N' His Brudders Louis Armstrong / Barbara Belle	Louis Armstrong	03:01	Spotify Amazon
7	Back O' Town Blues Louis Armstrong / Luis Russell	Louis Armstrong	03:13	Spotify Amazon
8	Endie Louis Alter / Eddie DeLange	Louis Armstrong	02:49	Spotify Amazon
9	The Blues Are Brewin' Louis Alter / Eddie DeLange	Louis Armstrong	02:55	Spotify Amazon
10	Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans? Louis Alter / Eddie DeLange	Louis Armstrong feat: Louis Armstrong & His All-Stars	02:59	Spotify Amazon
11	Where the Blues Were Born in New Orleans Cliff Dixon	Louis Armstrong feat: Louis Armstrong & His All-Stars	03:06	Spotify Amazon
12	Mahogany Hall Stomp Spencer Williams	Louis Armstrong feat: Louis Armstrong & His All-Stars	02:54	Spotify Amazon
13	I Wonder, I Wonder, I Wonder Daryl Hutchinson	Louis Armstrong	02:32	Spotify Amazon
14	I Believe Sammy Cahn / Jule Styne	Louis Armstrong	02:57	Spotify Amazon
15	Why Doubt My Love? Louis Armstrong / Helen Mercer	Louis Armstrong	03:18	Spotify Amazon

Track Listing - Disc 2

	Title/Composer	Performer	Time	Stream
1	It Takes Time Arthur Korb	Louis Armstrong	02:37	Spotify Amazon
2	You Don't Learn That in School Roy Alfred / Marvin Fisher	Louis Armstrong	02:41	Spotify Amazon
3	Jack Armstrong Blues Louis Armstrong / Jack Teagarden	Louis Armstrong	02:58	Spotify Amazon
4	Rockin' Chair Hoagy Carmichael	Louis Armstrong	03:03	Spotify Amazon
5	Someday You'll Be Sorry Louis Armstrong	Louis Armstrong	03:09	Spotify Amazon
6	Fifty-Fifty Blues Billy Moore Jr.	Louis Armstrong	02:57	Spotify Amazon
7	A Song Was Born Gene DePaul / Don Raye	Louis Armstrong	04:12	Spotify Amazon
8	A Song Was Born Gene DePaul / Don Raye	Louis Armstrong	04:51	Spotify Amazon
9	A Song Was Born Gene DePaul / Don Raye	Louis Armstrong feat: Louis Armstrong & His All-Stars	03:18	Spotify Amazon
10	Please Stop Playing Those Blues, Boy Claude Demetrius / Billy Moore Jr.	Louis Armstrong feat: Louis Armstrong & His All-Stars	03:16	Spotify Amazon
11	Before Long Big Sid Catlett / Carl Sigman	Louis Armstrong feat: Louis Armstrong & His All-Stars	02:50	Spotify Amazon
12	Lovely Weather We're Having Joe Bushkin / John DeVries	Louis Armstrong feat: Louis Armstrong & His All-Stars	03:18	Spotify Amazon
13	Rain, Rain Hal Stanley / Irv Taylor	Louis Armstrong feat: Hal Mooney Orchestra	02:36	Spotify Amazon
14	I Never Saw a Better Day Hal Stanley / Irving Taylor	Louis Armstrong feat: Hal Mooney Orchestra	03:09	Spotify Amazon
15	Hobo, You Can't Ride This Train Louis Armstrong	Louis Armstrong	02:57	Spotify Amazon

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