Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
for jazz beginners and general fans, 25 May 2008
OK; let me list the faults of this DVD first, than some praise will come.
Basically, I liked it in spite of its flaws.
First of all, this is not a concert DVD (as suggested on the back cover) - actually, by my count, I'm positive that 3 out of 16 tracks are actually recorded in concerts, although some television performances and jazz-films mimic the concerts...
The last track ("Down Younder in Louisiana") is not a track - it's just closing credits. And what's with the biography; I had to pause the playing in order to read it (it's not bad when you read, although I'm not completely sure about some of the fact).
Naturally, performances taken from same films and TV shows are not integral; they're mixed with other performances and, as expected tracks 5,11,13 and 16 are taken from unrestored 1962 musical film (beautifully restored in its stereo version and available by Storyville films)...
Yes, another thing:
There's no booklet and information on personell and dates, which is inexcusable for a serious jazz fan... And who are these presenters? Is one of them Edward Morrow?
And some of the performances are actually partial, or too abrubptly cut of from the natural context of a short musical film or a TV presentation...
And then again, I still enjoyed this DVD and have already watched it twice (admittedly, skipping the Storyville films I can watch in a much better state)...
So, for the praise part of this review, the DVD actually catches the spirit and essence of Satchmo's music, as much as it's recorded by cameras...
Films from his youth lack some degree of restauration as well, but the gist of performances (and of the strange ideas of filmmakers) is discernible. Mature Satchmo (star of most tracks) gives beautiful vocal and instrumental performances with some of the usual and expected (Trummy Young, Jack Teagarden, Billy Kyle, Peanuts Hacko, Ed Hall, Danny Barcelona, Joe Darrensbourg...) and some quite unusual partners in jazz.
For instance, one of the main reasons I bought this DVD was my correct assumption that "Umbrella Man" number is the wacky but musically quite inspiring collaboration with none other than Dizzy Gillespie I've seen on TV once!
A sheer joy. I heard there was a concert performance with Satchmo, Dizzy and Clark Terry; I wonder whether can it be found on a dvd?
Another gem is an unusual television session of W. C. Handy's "St. Louis Blues", with Louis announcing a reconstruction of the original blues feeling, starting with "brother George Shearing" (a British giant of jazz),
continuing with young and blindingly white (but still great) Gerry Mulligan on baritone, followed by the first authentic bluesman in the performance, another white giant of jazz- the "Big T", Jack Teagarden...
The session also includes Lionel Hampton conversing (on vibes) with Satchmo's trumpet and leading the big band, a drum battle between Gene Krupa and Cozy Cole....Strange and infectuously entertaining.
Most trombone parts on this DVD are deftly played by good old Trummy Young; clarinetists vary (including Ed Hall, Peanuts Hacko, Joe Darensbourg); where I recognize the pianist, it's Billy Kyle.
Bob Crosby's Bobcats on "South Rampart Street Parade" are a real revelation (is that Bud Freeman on tenor? And who are the other hard-swinging dixielanders on that number?) - basically they don't need Satchmo to light up the audience.
Even "Hello Dolly" at the start of the DVD, one of the rare actual concert performances included, sounds much better to me than I'm used to (although the picture is far from brilliant and you need some sort of ESP to guess all the members of All-stars)...
Yes, and who is the hot (and white) trumpet player who introduces "Jeepers Creepers" before Satchmo takes over (and duets beautifully with fellow-singer Jack Teagarden)? Ruby Braff perhaps? But he should look a bit younger, I think...
Well, what can say; I'm not only a jazz fanatic, I'm an Armstrong fanatic. So, the variety and hapyness from this DVD made me quite happy as well. After all, although it is far from a perfect choice for a serious jazz fan, at least it doesn't call itself "The Ultimate" selection, as DVD compilations too often do (although the "in concert" label is quite incorrect in its own rank).
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