Louis Armstrong – Satchmo In Style

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Satchmo in Style is a 1959 studio album by Louis Armstrong, arranged by Gordon Jenkins.

AllMusic Review by Ken Dryden:
Not only was Louis Armstrong a major jazz star, but his fame as a popular entertainer was growing by the time these sessions were recorded for Decca between 1949 and 1954. Gordon Jenkins provides the arrangements and serves as conductor, although the jazz content is minimal and the music is plagued by the rather dated charts and a rather nauseating choir on over half of the tracks. Likewise, the strings (when present) are overbearing and haven’t stood the test of time as well as Armstrong’s warm vocals and still potent trumpet, though he isn’t featured as a trumpeter all that much. His horn is the highlight of “Chloe,” though the overbearing choir makes one long for Spike Jones’ satirical version instead. The undisguised attack on bop, “The Whiffenpoof Song,” falls flat in a bland easy listening arrangement, though Armstrong’s spoof of Dizzy Gillespie’s scat vocals is briefly amusing. “Spooks” doesn’t stand a ghost of chance — it’s an attempt at vocal Halloween humor that deserved to be left in the vault. This release is not one of the high points of Louis Armstrong’s career.

Track listing:

A1 Blueberry Hill 0:00
A2 It’s All In The Game 2:54
A3 Jeannine (I Dream Of Better Times) 6:18
A4 Chlo-e (Song Of The Swamp) 9:42
A5 Indian Love Call 12:47
A6 Listen To The Mocking Bird 15:57
B1 That Lucky Old Sun (Just Rolls Around Heaven All Day) 19:02
B2 The Whiffenpoof Song (Baa Baa Baa) – (The Boppenpoof Song) 22:07
B3 Trees 25:05
B4 Bye And Bye 28:36
B5 Spooks! 31:22
B6 When It’s Sleepy Time Down South 34:01

Personnel:

Louis Armstrong with Gordon Jenkins and his Chorus and Orchestra.
A1 & B1:
Billy Butterfield, Yank Lawson, Carl Poole (tp), Will Bradley (tb),
Milt Yaner, Hymie Schertzer (as), Tom Parshley, Art Drellinger (ts),
Bernie Leighton (p), Carl Kress (g), Jack Lesberg (b), Johnny Blowers (d), plus choir
New York, September 6, 1949.

A2, A3, A5 & B6:
Charles Gifford, George Thow, Bruce Hudson (tp), Eddie Miller, Dent Eckels (ts),
Charlie LaVere (p), Allan Reuss (g), Phil Stephens (b), Nick Fatool (d), plus strings
Los Angeles, November 28, 1951.

A4, A6, A7 & B7:
Bob McCracken (cl), Milt Yaner (as), Stitz Ferguson (ts),
George Berg, Romeo Penque (woodwinds), Marty Napoleon (p),
Art Ryerson (g), Arvell Shaw (b), Cozy Cole (d), plus strings, choir
New York, September 22, 1952.

B2-B5:
Unknown detailed personnel including big band and choir, Gordon Jenkins (arr, cond).
New York, April 5, 1954.