May 2002

Louis Armstrong and His All Stars
In Chicago Aug. 1, 1962
Storyville

By Larry Appelbaum

Like musical comfort food, Louis Armstrong in Chicago, 1962 (Storyville 101 837; 66:20) offers up a familiar repertoire with a generous helping of shtick on the side. But no matter how many times you've heard Louis Armstrong's routine, it's still satisfying to listen to his mighty vibrato on "Indiana," his sublime slow-motion scat on "Basin Street Blues," his sly quotes from commercial jingles on "Ole Miss" and his Crescent City elocution on "La Vie en Rose" ("Hold me close and hold me fass, the magic spell you cass"). Trombonist Trummy Young is especially effective in both solo and supporting roles, whether playing beautiful obbligatos on "Blueberry Hill" or lying behind the beat on "The Bucket's Got a Hole in It." Sound quality is good and liner notes by Mike Hennessey are informative, though we might ask just where in Chicago was this recorded?