eShop USA > Music > Plays W.C. Handy
Plays W.C. Handy
Binding: Audio CD
EAN: 0074646492567
Edition: Requires SACD-compatible hardware
Format: SACD
Label: Sony
Manufacturer: Sony
Number Of Discs: 1
Publisher: Sony
Release Date: November 16, 1999
Studio: Sony
Related Items: Featured Listmania!
Editorial Review:
A wonderful meeting of two institutions of American music, this 1954 album was the finest recording of Louis Armstrong's later career, with the great trumpeter-singer turning to material that was very close to his roots. Both W.C. Handy and Armstrong had a complex relationship with the blues, an essential source for both Handy's popular songs and Armstrong's improvisational art, and these recordings touch on the heart of the matter. On "Yellow Dog Blues," a product of Handy's own early and chance encounter with the rural blues, there's a majesty that recalls Armstrong's early recordings with Bessie Smith. Armstrong is clearly inspired by the classic material and the chance to stretch out on record, and his regular band of the period joins in perfectly. Trombonist Trummy Young, clarinetist Barney Bigard, pianist Billy Kyle, and singer Velma Middleton contribute stellar solos and support, while bassist Arvell Shaw and drummer Barrett Deems do an exceptional job of keeping the slower tempos rock steady. This is a deeply moving and consummately executed performance. --Stuart Broomer
Customer Reviews
Average Rating: 
Rating: - How good is this record...?
How good is this CD?
I've had to buy this CD on 3 separate occasions...that's how good it is...the first 2 times I stupidly lent them out to friends who never returned it...it's money well-spent though...this is Louis at his most bluesy, and his wonderful sandpaper vocals are the perfect complement to Velma Middleton's velvety voice...some of the best music ever committed to record
Rating: - Swingin' and Fun
Swingin' and fun--this is probably Satchmo's finest hour. In the presence of the (elderly and blind) Father of the Blues, the trumpet master exemplifies both the deep feeling and the joy of these magical tunes. Check out "Aunt Hagar's Blues" and especially both versions of "Long Gone"! But make sure you get THIS version, cause the older CD has bastardized renditions replacing some of the original 50's masters, which had been lost. Columbia did a great job in reconstructing the original sound this ... Read More
Rating: - Great, simply Great!
Statch never sounded better. This takes one back several years and, of course, Beale Street Blues is a favorite of almost all Blues lovers. Great remake and collection.
Rating: - Could anything be better Needs 2000 stars
This album is one of the best recordings of any kind I have ever heard. Now I have thousands of recordings, write seriously about music, and have a lot of Louis, but this is one of those CDs that are simply hard to get out of the player. Forget about the historical significance of the recordings, the extras which include a few rehearsal cuts with the band getting itself ready, a fine excerpt from an interview with Handy, and a nice little joke--not necessarily one that could be told on network television ... Read More
Rating: - A "Must Have" for Lovers of Satchmo, Blues, or Jazz!!
Given the fact that WC Handy and Satch had parallel careers and Handy's compositions and Pops' magic are a natural combination, that alone makes this a "no-brainer" for anyone looking for great jazz. But in this particular package, there are several alternative takes as well as rehearsal "patter" that gives the listener a glimpse into what a Satchmo record date was like, as well as what a craftsman he was in his art! The "Alligator Story" is worth the price of the CD itself!! Listening to this disc deepened ... Read More
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