What a fantastic album. Out of the past come these electrifying voices: Ella’s so expressive and rich, Louis’ thick and gravelly, the perfect accompaniment to his duet partner. The cover of this album is understated and oozes vintage taste.
The back cover has the standard record cover notes that it would be welcome to see make a return. It constantly amazes me to see these historical artifacts that have survived after so many years, intact and in fact in unbelievably untouched condition. 1956. That is sixty six-years ago. This record has been in someone’s house, possibly for the best part of sixty-six years. I always marvel at this as I imagine that when I was a young boy, sixty six years ago would have been the turn of the century. As time marches on, the past doesn’t seem so far away for me until I stop and think about it.
The songs on this album are well-worn classics. They probably were even then, when this record was released. Most of them are laid back and relaxed, suiting Louis Armstrong’s delivery and velvety trumpet playing. Every single time I play an album from this era, I think how these songs have lost nothing in the intervening years since release. Styles of music have come and gone but at the heart of any good album is strong songwriting and good arrangements. That’s the same now as it ever has been. It’s just a pity that popular music has strayed so far from it’s roots. Here are the roots, and how strong they are. Music as good as this is consigned to niches now I think, rather than being what is heard every day on the radio.
A vinyl record just feels the natural habitat for this type of music. The needle sits down on the surface of the record and the gentle crackle finding the groove just suits the sound so well that it really should be compulsory to listen to this album in this way. In fact, it should be compulsory for every young person to listen to this album. If all the young ‘uns did, I wonder what would happen to modern music. It would be like going back to tinned spam after you’ve had fillet mignon.