Six Minutes With Satch: My Sweet / I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me
Today's entry introduces us to an entirely new band: Willie Lynch's Cocoanut Grove Orchestra, which later morphed into the Mills Blue Rhythm Band. After two glorious months with Luis Russell, Armstrong spent much of February in Chicago. A letter to Russell showed that Louis expected to be reunited with Luis soon but that reunion wouldn't happen until October 1935!
Instead, Louis opened a brand new Harlem nightclub, the Cocoanut Grove, with Lynch's band, which included many fine musicians, such as pianist Joe Turner, trumpeter Ed Anderson, guitarist Bernard Addison and the reed-playing McCord brothers. However, no disrespect to tubas (and to my friend David Ostwald) but the thumpy playing of Lavert Hutchinson was no match for the slapping and swinging bass playing of Pops Foster that we've heard in recent weeks.
The first track issued by this ensemble is the mysterious "My Sweet." Composed by Hoagy Carmichael and Stu Gorrell--the same time responsible for "Georgia On My Mind"--this tune was actually never published (Gorrell's family didn't even know about it and didn't start collecting royalties until recent years). Perhaps because of this--and because of Armstrong's almost abstract treatment of it--the melody and especially the lyrics are something of a mystery. This is a singular performance and it's a rollicking one (dig the four-handed piano by Joe Turner and special guest Buck Washington--he'll be back), but "My Sweet" was not destined to become a standard (though check out Django Reinhardt's version with the Quintette du Hot Club de France for a wonderful tribute).
The opposite could be said for the flip side, Jimmy McHugh and Clarence Gaskill's "I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me" which did indeed go out to standard status. This song wasn't brand now, having been kicking around since 1927, but again, it seems that Armstrong's version was the signal to jazz people that it was worthy of tackling. I do find Tommy Rockwell's strategy interesting, though again, maybe it's not much of a strategy; I know I sound like a repeater pencil, but what if he was just recording whatever Louis had been doing live? We know for a fact that that's the case with one of tomorrow's entries, "Indian Cradle Song." This song was from 1927, "Bessie Couldn't Help It" was from 1924; Rockwell did get to feed Armstrong some new things that were in vogue like "Blue Turning Grey Over You" and "Song of the Islands," but the more I think about it, the more I think that these records are just time capsules capturing the sounds and routines Louis perfected live with Carroll Dickerson, Luis Russell and/or Willie Lynch.
Regardless, it's a sunny record with an infectious vocal, some excellent drumming by Lynch, the crooning trombone of Henry Hicks, and of course, the tough-to-top Armstrong trumpet (I love that final bridge). Rockwell had another offering for the pop series, OKeh 41415, even if "My Sweet" might have a little too "out" for some listeners. The pop sides continue tomorrow so don't forget to clear off six minutes to spend with ol' Satchelmouth.
LOUIS ARMSTRONG AND HIS ORCHESTRA
Louis Armstrong (tp, voc), Ed Anderson (tp), Henry Hicks (tb), Bobby Holmes, Theodore McCord (as), Castor McCord (ts), Joe Turner (p), Buck Washington (p), Bernard Addison (g), Lavert
Hutchinson (tu), Unknown, probably Joe Turner (vbs), Willie Lynch (d, ldr).
OKeh recording session - New York City, NY April 5, 1930
LOUIS ARMSTRONG AND HIS ORCHESTRA
Louis Armstrong (tp, voc), Ed Anderson (tp), Henry Hicks (tb), Bobby Holmes, Theodore McCord (as), Castor McCord (ts), Joe Turner (p), Bernard Addison (g), Lavert
Hutchinson (tu), Unknown, probably Joe Turner (vbs), Willie Lynch (d, ldr).
OKeh recording session - New York City, NY April 5, 1930
YouTube links:
Instead, Louis opened a brand new Harlem nightclub, the Cocoanut Grove, with Lynch's band, which included many fine musicians, such as pianist Joe Turner, trumpeter Ed Anderson, guitarist Bernard Addison and the reed-playing McCord brothers. However, no disrespect to tubas (and to my friend David Ostwald) but the thumpy playing of Lavert Hutchinson was no match for the slapping and swinging bass playing of Pops Foster that we've heard in recent weeks.
The first track issued by this ensemble is the mysterious "My Sweet." Composed by Hoagy Carmichael and Stu Gorrell--the same time responsible for "Georgia On My Mind"--this tune was actually never published (Gorrell's family didn't even know about it and didn't start collecting royalties until recent years). Perhaps because of this--and because of Armstrong's almost abstract treatment of it--the melody and especially the lyrics are something of a mystery. This is a singular performance and it's a rollicking one (dig the four-handed piano by Joe Turner and special guest Buck Washington--he'll be back), but "My Sweet" was not destined to become a standard (though check out Django Reinhardt's version with the Quintette du Hot Club de France for a wonderful tribute).
The opposite could be said for the flip side, Jimmy McHugh and Clarence Gaskill's "I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me" which did indeed go out to standard status. This song wasn't brand now, having been kicking around since 1927, but again, it seems that Armstrong's version was the signal to jazz people that it was worthy of tackling. I do find Tommy Rockwell's strategy interesting, though again, maybe it's not much of a strategy; I know I sound like a repeater pencil, but what if he was just recording whatever Louis had been doing live? We know for a fact that that's the case with one of tomorrow's entries, "Indian Cradle Song." This song was from 1927, "Bessie Couldn't Help It" was from 1924; Rockwell did get to feed Armstrong some new things that were in vogue like "Blue Turning Grey Over You" and "Song of the Islands," but the more I think about it, the more I think that these records are just time capsules capturing the sounds and routines Louis perfected live with Carroll Dickerson, Luis Russell and/or Willie Lynch.
Regardless, it's a sunny record with an infectious vocal, some excellent drumming by Lynch, the crooning trombone of Henry Hicks, and of course, the tough-to-top Armstrong trumpet (I love that final bridge). Rockwell had another offering for the pop series, OKeh 41415, even if "My Sweet" might have a little too "out" for some listeners. The pop sides continue tomorrow so don't forget to clear off six minutes to spend with ol' Satchelmouth.
LOUIS ARMSTRONG AND HIS ORCHESTRA
Louis Armstrong (tp, voc), Ed Anderson (tp), Henry Hicks (tb), Bobby Holmes, Theodore McCord (as), Castor McCord (ts), Joe Turner (p), Buck Washington (p), Bernard Addison (g), Lavert
Hutchinson (tu), Unknown, probably Joe Turner (vbs), Willie Lynch (d, ldr).
OKeh recording session - New York City, NY April 5, 1930
LOUIS ARMSTRONG AND HIS ORCHESTRA
Louis Armstrong (tp, voc), Ed Anderson (tp), Henry Hicks (tb), Bobby Holmes, Theodore McCord (as), Castor McCord (ts), Joe Turner (p), Bernard Addison (g), Lavert
Hutchinson (tu), Unknown, probably Joe Turner (vbs), Willie Lynch (d, ldr).
OKeh recording session - New York City, NY April 5, 1930
YouTube links:
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