Louis Armstrong Plays W.C. Handy

Infobox Album
Name = Louis Armstrong Plays W.C. Handy
Type = studio
Artist = Louis Armstrong and His All Stars


Released = 1954
Recorded = Jul 12, 1954
Genre = Jazz
Length = 76:37
Label = Columbia
Producer = George Avakian
Reviews = *"Allmusic" Rating|5|5 [http://wm09.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:fcfixqqgldte link]
Last album = "Satchmo at Pasadena" (1951)
This album = "Louis Armstrong Plays W.C. Handy"
Next album = "Latter Day Louis" (1954)

"Louis Armstrong Plays W.C. Handy" is a 1954 studio release by Louis Armstrong and His All Stars, described by All Music as "Louis Armstrong's finest record of the 1950s" and "essential music for all serious jazz collections". [allmusicguide |id=10:fcfixqqgldte] Columbia CD released the album on CD in 1986 in a much altered form, with alternative versions in place of many of the original songs, but restored the original with its 1997 re-issue, which also included additional tracks: a brief interview by the producer, George Avakian, with W.C. Handy; a joke told by Louis Armstrong; and several rehearsal versions of the songs.

Track listing

ide 1

# "St. Louis Blues" (Handy) - 8:50
# "Yellow Dog Blues" (Handy) - 4:16
# "Loveless Love" (Handy) - 4:28
# "Aunt Hagar's Blues" (Brymn, Handy) - 4:57
# "Long Gone (From Bowling Green)" (Handy, Smith) - 5:08

ide 2

# "Memphis Blues" (Handy, Norton) - 2:59
# "Beale Street Blues" (Handy) - 4:56
# "Ole Miss Blues" (Handy) - 3:25
# "Chantez Les Bas (Sing 'Em Low)" (Handy) - 4:48
# "Hesitating Blues" (Handy) - 5:20
# "Atlanta Blues (Make Me One Pallet on Your Floor)" (Elman, Handy) - 4:33

1996 CD bonus tracks

# "George Avakian's Interview With W.C. Handy - 2:44
# "Loveless Love" (Handy) - 5:55
# "Hesitating Blues" (Handy) - 5:38
# "Alligator Story" - 0:47
# "Long Gone (From Bowling Green)" (Handy, Smith) - 7:53

Personnel

Performers

*Louis Armstrong – trumpet, vocals
*Barney Bigard – clarinet
*Barrett Deems – drums
*W.C. Handy – performer
*Billy Kyle – piano
*Velma Middleton – vocals
*Arvell Shaw – bass
*Trummy Young – trombone

Production

*Rene Arsenault – production assistant
*George Avakian – producer, engineer, liner notes, reissue producer
*Gina Bello – design assistant
*Steven Berkowitz – reissue series
*Jennifer Ebert – packaging manager
*Kevin Gore – reissue series
*Randall Martin – reissue design
*Patti Matheny – A&R, artist coordination
*Seth Rothstein – project director, project manager
*Cozbi Sanchez-Cabrera – art direction, reissue art director
*Mark Wilder – engineer, digital mastering

References

External links

* [http://www.michaelminn.net/armstrong/sessions5/s540712.html "Louis Armstrong Plays W.C. Handy"] , from [http://www.michaelminn.net/armstrong/ The Louis Armstrong Discography] by Scott Johnson with adaptations by Michael Minn, 1997-2007