ProJazz.net

The Real Ambassadors is a jazz musical developed in the late 1950s and early 1960s by Dave and Iola Brubeck, in collaboration with Louis Armstrong and his band. It addressed the Civil Rights Movement, the music business, America’s place in the world during the Cold War, the nature of God, and a number of other themes. It was set in a fictional African nation called Talgalla, and its central character was based on Armstrong and his time as a jazz ambassador.

Track listing:

1 Everybody’s Comin’ 1:46
2 Cultural Exchange 4:38
3 Good Reviews 2:05
4 Remember Who You Are 2:31
5 My One Bad Heart 2:37
6 Lonesome 2:24
7 Summer Song 3:14
8 King For A Day 3:41
9 Blow Satchmo 0:44
10 The Real Ambassadors 3:06
11 Nomad 2:51
12 In The Lurch 2:28
13 One Moment Worth Years 4:18
14 You Swing Baby (The Duke) 2:31
15 Summer Song 2:32
16 They Say I Look Like God 5:26
17 I Didn’t Know Until You Told Me 2:58
18 Since Love Had Its Way 2:31
19 Easy As You Go 1:35
20 Swing Bells; Blow Satchmo; Finale 6:06

Personnel:

Gene Wright , Irving Manning (# 4, 8, 18) – bass
Irving Manning (# 2) – bass
Howard Brubeck (# 20) – chimes [tubular]
Joe Darensbourg (# 2 to 4, 8, 11, 18) – clarinet
Danny Barcelona (# 2, 4, 8, 18), Joe Morello (# 1 to 5, 7 to 20) – drums
Iola Brubeck – lyrics
Billy Kyle (# 2, 4, 7, 8, 11, 18) – piano
Dave Brubeck – music, drums
Trummy Young (# 2 to 4, 8, 18) – trombone
Louis Armstrong (# 2 to 4, 6, 8, 11, 14, 18, 20) – trumpet
Carmen McRae (# 3, 5, 12 to 15, 17, 19) – vocals
Lambert, Hendricks & Ross (# 1, 2, 9, 10, 16, 20) – vocals
Louis Armstrong (# 1, 2, 4, 6 to 8, 10, 11, 13, 14, 16 to 18, 20) – vocals
Trummy Young (# 2, 4, 8, 18) – vocals

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Recorded in New York July 2, September 12, 13 19 1961.
The Real Ambassadors was produced at the Monterey Jazz Festival in 1962.
Tracks 6, 11 & 14 were not on the original LP
Tracks 15 & 19 were not previously issued

Producer – Teo Macero