Jazz Classics - Louis Armstrong And His Orchestra (1980 Japan Pressing) (1LP Vinyl) - Near Mint (NM)

Jazz Classics by Louis Armstrong And His Orchestra.

Few names in American music carry the weight of Louis Armstrong, and "Jazz Classics" gathers a dozen performances that show exactly why. This is the sound of an artist who did not simply play jazz but helped invent the language everyone else would go on to speak. From the first notes, the record makes its case for Armstrong as both a peerless trumpeter and one of the most recognizable voices of the twentieth century.

Side A opens with the unmistakable roll of "When The Saints Go Marching In," a piece so tied to Armstrong that it is hard to imagine it in anyone else's hands. From there the program moves through "Bye And Bye" and into "West End Blues," a performance whose opening cadenza remains one of the most celebrated moments in recorded jazz. "Mahogany Hall Stomp," "Hear Me Talkin' To Ya," and "Savoy Blues" round out the side, each one a reminder of the New Orleans roots that Armstrong carried with him wherever the music traveled.

Flip the record over and the pleasures keep coming. "Dippermouth Blues" and "Save It Pretty Mama" set the tone, followed by the sly good humor of "(I'll Be Glad When You're Dead) You Rascal You," a number that lets Armstrong's gift for playful vocal delivery shine as brightly as his horn. It is a track that captures the warmth and wit that made him a beloved figure well beyond the jazz world.

The heart of side B lingers on "When It's Sleepy Time Down South," long a signature piece for Armstrong and a tender counterpoint to the livelier material around it. "Our Monday Date" and "Wolverine Blues" bring the collection to a close, keeping the emphasis squarely on Armstrong's dazzling range as a bandleader and soloist. Together these twelve selections make for a satisfying arc, moving from marching band exuberance to blues feeling and back again.

Presented as Louis Armstrong And His Orchestra, the record puts the spotlight on a musician working with a full ensemble behind him, the interplay of horn, voice, and rhythm building the kind of momentum that defined the era. For anyone assembling a jazz collection, this is essential listening, a compact survey of the material that shaped the music's early decades.

The cover carries artwork by Sid Maurer, adding a piece of visual design to the package that collectors will appreciate alongside the music itself. As a title, "Jazz Classics" promises exactly what it delivers: a generous helping of Armstrong at his most enduring, ready to spin on the turntable at

Pressing Details:
Track Listing:
A1. When The Saints Go Marching In
A2. Bye And Bye
A3. West End Blues
A4. Mahogany Hall Stomp
A5. Hear Me Talkin' To Ya
A6. Savoy Blues
B1. Dippermouth Blues
B2. Save It Pretty Mama
B3. (I'll Be Glad When You're Dead) You Rascal You
B4. When It's Sleepy Time Down South
B5. Our Monday Date
B6. Wolverine Blues

Credits:
Sid Maurer - Artwork

Artist: Louis Armstrong And His Orchestra

Format: 1LP

Genre: Jazz

Label: MCA Records

Catalog Number: VIM-4620(M)

Release Year: 1980

Country: Japan

Condition: Used

Media Condition: Near Mint (NM)

Sleeve Condition: Near Mint (NM)