A completely charming vocal session from Louis Armstrong – done in the later pop years of his life, but a record that's not nearly as well known as his bigger hits for Kapp! Louis works with arrangements from Dick Jacobs – the Brunswick arranger who first provided the early charts for Jackie Wilson – and the style is kind of a 60s update of 20s styles – that retro mode that was showing up in the decade as a few artists like Armstrong were reinvented for the younger generation. But despite the setting, Louis is wonderful throughout – with that honest, raspy tone of later years – and just a bit of trumpet to jazz things up amidst the pop. Titles include "I Will Wait For You", "Sunrise Sunset", "Rosie", "Willkommen", "I Believe", "The Happy Time", and "Talk To The Animals". (Jazz, Vocalists) LP, Vinyl record album

One of the hippest takes ever on the Porgy & Bess score – done in duet format by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong, in a fuller spirit than their other albums for Verve! Like many late 50s albums of Gershwin's score, this one was issued in advance of the film with Sidney Poitier – but unlike most, this is less of a cash-in affair, and really takes Gershwin's music on its own – serving it up with that newly serious style that Verve was hitting with some artists, especially Ella, in the latter half of the 50s. Most tracks have relatively full backings – strings and jazz orchestrations – and the double-length set features 15 tracks that include "Buzzard Song", "I Got Plenty O Nuttin", "My Man's Gone Now", "I Wants To Stay Here", "Summertime", "It Ain't Necessarily So", "What You Want Wid Bess", "There's A Boat Dat's Leavin Soon For New York", "Oh Lawd I'm On My Way", and "A Woman Is A Sometime Thing". LP, Vinyl record album

Two totally fantastic versions of this spiritual jazz standard – a version recorded by Leon Thomas that's shorter and different than his famous vocal performance of the tune with Pharoah Sanders – and a stunning second take from Louis Armstrong, with backings from Oliver Nelson – all at a level that works surprisingly well! (Funky 45's, Vocalists) 7-inch, Vinyl record

Later recording by Armstrong, with notable sidemen including Bernard Purdie, James Spaulding, Frank Owens, Kenny Burrell, Richard Davis, Goergoe Duvivier, Leon Thomas, Billy Harper, Al Grey, Thad Jones, Jimmy Owens, and more. (Jazz, Vocalists) LP, Vinyl record album

One of the hippest takes ever on the Porgy & Bess score – done in duet format by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong, in a fuller spirit than their other albums for Verve! Like many late 50s albums of Gershwin's score, this one was issued in advance of the film with Sidney Poitier – but unlike most, this is less of a cash-in affair, and really takes Gershwin's music on its own – serving it up with that newly serious style that Verve was hitting with some artists, especially Ella, in the latter half of the 50s. Most tracks have relatively full backings – strings and jazz orchestrations – and the double-length set features 15 tracks that include "Buzzard Song", "I Got Plenty O Nuttin", "My Man's Gone Now", "I Wants To Stay Here", "Summertime", "It Ain't Necessarily So", "What You Want Wid Bess", "There's A Boat Dat's Leavin Soon For New York", "Oh Lawd I'm On My Way", and "A Woman Is A Sometime Thing". LP, Vinyl record album

A very cool little record – even though it's a bit out of the ordinary for the Louis Armstrong catalog! The set was recorded during that 60s stretch when Louis was emerging as a hell of a charming singer – one who scored a few big pop hits, in a mode that he also invokes here – providing vocal renditions of some of the best Disney theme tunes from the postwar years! The mix of material is very nice – some obvious numbers by the Shermans, mixed with more surprising earlier tracks – and arrangements are by Maxwell Davies, who keeps things groovier than most talents in the Disney studios might have. Titles include "Bout Time", "Bare Necessities", "Ten Feet Off The Ground", "When You Wish Upon A Star", "Chim Chim Cher-ee", "Heigh Ho", Zip A Dee Doo Dah", and "Bibbidi Bobbidi Bo". (Jazz, Vocalists) LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderful 50s vocal work from Louis Armstrong – with backing from Sy Oliver, and some sweet trumpet solos too! (Jazz, Vocalists) LP, Vinyl record album

Louis Armstrong's given the world a number of famous Christmas tunes over the years – but oddly, he never issued a full album of Holiday music over the course of his many decades of recordings – a fact that's finally corrected here, with the first-ever full length record of Louis' Holiday songs! The album's maybe most noteworthy for its final track – an unissued reading of "A Visit From St Nicholas" by Armstrong, with piano backing from Sullivan Fortner – and the album also includes a duet with Velma Middleton on "Baby It's Cold Outside", and with Ella Fitzgerald on "I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm" – next to other cuts that include "Christmas Night In Harlem", "Cool Yule", "Zat You Santa Claus", "Christmas In New Orleans", "Moments To Remember", "Winter Wonderland", "White Christmas", and "What A Wonderful World". (Holiday Music, Vocalists) LP, Vinyl record album

(Jazz, Vocalists) LP, Vinyl record album

A legendary pairing of two classic postwar singers – each of whom were really finding their own sort of sound in the 50s, then found a way to make some real magic together on a record like this! Louis Armstrong was very much senior to the younger Ella Fitzgerald – but both had become such beautifully expressive singers, their voices here really ignite a special sort of energy that maybe even elevates the record past some of their solo sets of the time. Backings are in a nice small combo mode – with Armstrong on both trumpet and vocals – and Ella and Louis carry most of the set with their great vocal interplay – warm, personal, and pretty darn charming – in a mode that should be hokey, but comes across great, thanks to the quality of both vocalists! Titles include "April In Paris", "Can't We Be Friends", "Isn't This A Lovely Day", "Under A Blanket Of Blue", and "A Foggy Day". LP, Vinyl record album

Classic duets between Ella & Louis – done in a sweet mode that only could have been handled by Verve in the 50s! Backings are in a nice small combo mode, and Ella and Louis carry most of the set with their great vocal interplay – warm, personal, and pretty darn charming – in a mode that should be hokey, but comes across great! Oscar Peterson's group provides backing – with Ray Brown on bass and Herb Ellis on guitar – and titles include "Love Is Here To Stay", "I Won't Dance", "The Nearness Of You", "Cheek To Cheek", "Moonlight In Vermont", "Can't We Be Friends", and "A Foggy Day". LP, Vinyl record album

Gentle-going genius from the later years of Satchmo's career – a session that has Louis on trumpet and vocals, backed by the Oscar Peterson Trio! Peterson's usual group with Herb Ellis and Ray Brown is expanded slightly for this outing – bringing in Louis Bellson on drums to syncopate the tunes a bit more strongly, and give them that gently swinging rhythm that always works well with Armstrong's style. The real surprise, though, is Louis' voice – which is simple, almost elegant at times – and free from some of the gimmicks of other 50s sessions, or the too-playful style of his better-known duets of the period. We really love his gentle, honest approach to the lyrics here – on tunes that include "I'll Never Be The Same", "Moon Song", "What's New", "There's No You", "You Go To My Head", "That Old Feeling", and "Let's Fall In Love". (Jazz, Vocalists) LP, Vinyl record album

Interesting stuff, if not the kind of record you'd put on every day. The album's an interview with Louis Armstrong's wife Lil, and she talks at length about her famous days in the early years of jazz. Segments include "The Young Louis", "Early Life In Chicago", "Return To New Orleans", and "The End Of A Marriage" – and the whole thing's the kind of record that was perfect for the bespectacled jazzbo trad collector of the early 60s. LP, Vinyl record album

A great Brubeck side project – featuring music by Dave and lyrics by Iola Brubeck – kind of a reworking of the Gilbert & Sullivan musical, but with a hip 60s swinging jazz vibe – and a story about the importance of American jazz musicians as cultural ambassadors in the postwar years! There's some especially great vocal numbers from Lambert Hendricks & Ross – and Carmen McRae sings a bit in a mode that's similar to her Brubeck albums. And even Louis Armstrong is pretty charming, too! (Jazz, Vocalists) LP, Vinyl record album

Classic singers take on the sound of the season – in the kind of collection that really takes aim at those years when the world of Christmas records really started to explode! The tunes here mix some of the paternalistic voices of TV Christmas specials with some that are more in the world of jazz and rock – mixing things up in a nice way, and offering up plenty of classics along the way! Titles include "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" by Frank Sinatra, "Christmas Time All Over The World" by Sammy Davis Jr, "Let It Snow" by Dean Martin, "Winter Wonderland" by Paul Anka, "Christmas Night In Harlem" by Louis Armstrong, "White Christmas" by Bing Crosby, "It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas" by Perry Como, "The Christmas Song" by Mel Torme, "Baby It's Cold Outside" by Ray Charles & Betty Carter, "I'll Be Home For Christmas" by Frank Sinatra, and "Blue Christmas" by Elvis Presley. (Holiday Music, Vocalists) LP, Vinyl record album

The ghost of Christmas past comes back to haunt us – but in the grooviest way possible, thanks to a fab selection of old school Holiday tunes from the folks at Bear Family! The music here is mostly from the 40s and 50s – and is mostly vocal overall, sung by artists who move through jazz, R&B, and pop vocal styles – often putting an extra sort of punch in a Christmas tune, with the kind of upbeat, optimistic quality that was often the best part of mainstream postwar music! There's few folks we'd trust more than Bear Family for a collection like this – and they do a great job – with titles that include "Here Comes Santa Claus" by The Mills Brothers, "Boogie Woogie Santa Claus" by Lionel Hampton with Sonny Parker, "Dig That Crazy Santa Claus" by Ralph Martierie, "The Christmas Spell" by Peggy Lee, "Santa Claus Got Stuck In My Chimney" by Ella Fitzgerald, "I Need A Man For Xmas" by Thelma Cooper, "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" by Johnny Mercer, "The Man With The Bag" by Kay Starr, and "Cool Yule" by Louis Armstrong. (Holiday Music, Vocalists) LP, Vinyl record album

Previously unreleased cuts – and a great set that features rare jazz vocal gems from the Columbia vaults – including a solo cut by Jon Hendricks, 2 Lambert Hendricks & Ross numbers, 2 tracks by Carmen McRae with Louis Armstrong, 3 jazzy numbers by Tony Bennett, a Mose Allison cut, and a rare 1954 recording by The Gordons! LP, Vinyl record album

Includes recordings with the orchestras of Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Oscar Peterson, and Mal Waldron. LP, Vinyl record album

Audiophile compilation with selections by Al Di Meola, Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong, Amber Rubarth, Allan Taylor, Geoffrey Oryema, Hans Theessink & Terry Evans, Nils Lofgren, Kari Bremnes, Mckinley Black, and pieces by Scarlatti and Rossini. (Jazz, Vocalists) LP, Vinyl record album