Hardbopjazz Posted July 22, 2004 Report Share Posted July 22, 2004 (edited) For such a long time I only would listen to his trumpet playing. Recently, I have come to really enjoy his singing as much as his trumpet playing. But I have to vote for his trumpet playing. He's likely one of the first person to solo on record. Edited July 22, 2004 by Hardbopjazz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe M Posted July 22, 2004 Report Share Posted July 22, 2004 Well, it would be hard not to pick his trumpet playing, but that question is like asking a dad which of his kids he likes better, his son or his daughter! I think a lot of jazz snobs look down on both his singing AND his trumpet playing and toss them off as mere dixieland or uncle tomming, but that's their loss. He's like the Babe Ruth of jazz. Not only was he far and away the greatest improvisor and instrumentalist of his era, (and maybe any era), he also had that other side as a singer, which was almost as brilliant (like Babe Ruth's remarkable record as a pitcher). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceH Posted July 22, 2004 Report Share Posted July 22, 2004 I think a lot of jazz snobs look down on both his singing AND his trumpet playing and toss them off as mere dixieland or uncle tomming, but that's their loss. Whaaaaaaaaaa????? Who ARE these people? I voted for his trumpet playing, but I love his singing too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danasgoodstuff Posted July 22, 2004 Report Share Posted July 22, 2004 Thing is louis the singer and Louis the trumpet player are absolutely and completely one and the same guy! (metaphorically as well as literally) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hardbopjazz Posted July 22, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2004 Who voted for the singer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spontooneous Posted July 22, 2004 Report Share Posted July 22, 2004 Very far from being the first person to solo on record. Very far indeed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hardbopjazz Posted July 22, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2004 Very far from being the first person to solo on record. Very far indeed. I believe he did it with the King Oliver band. This could be a debate with no ture answer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wesbed Posted July 22, 2004 Report Share Posted July 22, 2004 I voted for the trumpet player. If I could listen to only his singing or playing, forever, I'd choose the trumpet playing. However, Armstrong's singing is a very nice counter to his trumpet playing. Whether Louis sings or plays... I step back and say 'play that funky music.' The guy had it all going on. There is a certain 'something' about Louis that, to me, touches all sides of jazz... all that came before him and all that came after. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harold_Z Posted July 22, 2004 Report Share Posted July 22, 2004 Usually King Oliver's solo on "Dippermouth Blues" is mentioned as the first jazz solo. Louis first solo is "Chimes Blues" - both recorded the same day in 1923. BUT....that IS a clarinet solo by Larry Shields on the Original Dixieland Jazz Band's 1921 "St. Louis Blues"....and probably somebody can come up with other early solos. Louis the singer or Louis the trumpet player ??? WOW...I can't do it - they're inseparable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spontooneous Posted July 22, 2004 Report Share Posted July 22, 2004 Louis' first recorded solos are with Oliver, yes. But plenty of artists recorded solos on other records earlier. Fr'instance, Joe Oliver. We'll probably never identify the first. It sure wasn't Louis, though. He's not the first. Just one of the most amazing of all time, for all time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brownie Posted July 22, 2004 Report Share Posted July 22, 2004 Still in awe of the trumpet player (raised on Cornet Shop Suey, West End Blues et al). Love the singer. Loved the performer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wesbed Posted July 22, 2004 Report Share Posted July 22, 2004 I think a lot of jazz snobs look down on both his singing AND his trumpet playing and toss them off as mere dixieland or uncle tomming, but that's their loss. I don't know if I'm a full-blown jazz snob yet. But, dammit, I'm trying! As a working-to-be jazz snob, I like Louis Armstrong very much, Dixieland, New Orleans jazz, et al. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P.D. Posted July 22, 2004 Report Share Posted July 22, 2004 (edited) Usually King Oliver's solo on "Dippermouth Blues" is mentioned as the first jazz solo. Louis first solo is "Chimes Blues" - both recorded the same day in 1923. BUT....that IS a clarinet solo by Larry Shields on the Original Dixieland Jazz Band's 1921 "St. Louis Blues"....and probably somebody can come up with other early solos. Louis the singer or Louis the trumpet player ??? WOW...I can't do it - they're inseparable. Actually we are having a discussion on this on the other.. not to be mentioned BB.. Dan will get his tits in the mangle if we do, about King Oliver and items like this. Harold.. Chimes blues was recorded before Dippermouth.. if one goes by the matrix numbers Chimes = 11387 Dippermouth = 11389 fairly good sources give Chimes as being recorded April 5 Dippermouth.. April 6th. Chimes is definitely Armstrong's first trumpet solo, although it is obviously well pre-prepared and is not improvised Oliver's Dippermouth may be the first " important" Jazz solo.. though I don't think it was improvised either. However Harold is correct.. there are probably earlier solos. I think what might be interesting would be to discover what was the first ' improvised' solo on record. Also... trivia question.. What was the recording where Armstrong's voice was heard for the first time.. hardly a vocal by my terminology, although I have seen it credited as such. As for those Jazz Snobs.......... no comment. Edited July 22, 2004 by P.D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harold_Z Posted July 22, 2004 Report Share Posted July 22, 2004 P.D. SAID: "Also... trivia question.. What was the recording where Armstrong's voice was heard for the first time.. hardly a vocal by my terminology, although I have seen it credited as such." Pops' "Everybody Loves My Baby" with Fletcher Henderson. Louis sings a tag to end it. Not on the other takes. I think this was a 3rd take. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzbo Posted July 22, 2004 Report Share Posted July 22, 2004 I didn't vote. Pops was ONE PERSON, ONE MUSICAL GENIUS MIND. That whole entity will always have my vote! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shrdlu Posted July 22, 2004 Report Share Posted July 22, 2004 The trumpeter, no question. Enjoyable though it is, and I really like it, his singing is of no importance whatsoever if we are talking jazz innovation. But Louis was an entertainer, and entertaining his singing was. And naturally, it was featured more as his chops aged. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzbo Posted July 22, 2004 Report Share Posted July 22, 2004 NO IMPORTANCE WHATSOEVER AS FAR AS JAZZ INNOVATION? Not in my universe! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White Lightning Posted July 22, 2004 Report Share Posted July 22, 2004 I didn't vote. Pops was ONE PERSON, ONE MUSICAL GENIUS MIND. That whole entity will always have my vote! Ditto Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harold_Z Posted July 22, 2004 Report Share Posted July 22, 2004 Singing AND playing... Louis Armstrong CHANGED music. Profoundly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catesta Posted July 22, 2004 Report Share Posted July 22, 2004 Well, it would be hard not to pick his trumpet playing, but that question is like asking a dad which of his kids he likes better, his son or his daughter! I think a lot of jazz snobs look down on both his singing AND his trumpet playing and toss them off as mere dixieland or uncle tomming, but that's their loss. He's like the Babe Ruth of jazz. Not only was he far and away the greatest improvisor and instrumentalist of his era, (and maybe any era), he also had that other side as a singer, which was almost as brilliant (like Babe Ruth's remarkable record as a pitcher). Yep. The real deal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
king ubu Posted July 22, 2004 Report Share Posted July 22, 2004 I didn't vote. Pops was ONE PERSON, ONE MUSICAL GENIUS MIND. That whole entity will always have my vote! Ditto Same here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlesp Posted July 22, 2004 Report Share Posted July 22, 2004 My "vote" is for the danasgoodstuff/jazzbo/White Lightning/Harold_Z/catesta/king ubu ticket. charlesp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzbo Posted July 22, 2004 Report Share Posted July 22, 2004 "A Pops in every pot!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlesp Posted July 22, 2004 Report Share Posted July 22, 2004 "...and pot in every Pops !" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzbo Posted July 22, 2004 Report Share Posted July 22, 2004 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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