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"Divaville Lounge" with Sarah O (archive)

step into the lounge!

Sunday, August 4, 2024 | 13:00 to 16:00 | jazz/pop vocalists

http://www.divavillelounge.org

Artist	Song	Album	Label	Comments
Louis Armstrong And His Orchestra	When the Saints Go Marching In	"Satchmo" Louis Armstrong Ambassador of Jazz	Verve	May 13 1938, New York NY, Decca. Louis Armstrong tp, voc, Shelton Hemphill tp, JC Higgenbotham tb, Rupert Cole, Charlie Holmes as, Bingie Madison ts, Luis Russell p, Lee Blair g, Pops Foster b, Paul barbarin d. This is the first jazz recording of this song, which Armstrong learned as a child in the Colored Waif's Home Brass Band.
				Reference for show notes: POPS by Terry Teachout. Reference for discography: ALL OF ME: THE COMPLETE DISCOGRAPHY OF LOUIS ARMSTRONG by Jos Willems. Both available at the Duke music library!
King Oliver's Creole Jazz Band	Chimes Blues	The Complete Set	Retrieval Records	Apr 5 1923, Richmond IN, Gannett. King Oliver c & ldr, Louis Armstrong c, Honoré Dutrey tb, Johnny Dodds cl, Lil Hardin p, Bud Scott bj, Baby Dodds d. Armstrong's first recording session, this was the 5th track recorded and includes Armstrong's first great solo on record. This was before electric recording technology which put limitations on the band: Armstrong's playing was so powerful he had to stand at the back of the room so as not to overwhelm the others, and Baby Dodds couldn't use his bass drum, only wood block and cymbals. The recording session was grueling and when it was over the band had to leave that night to return to Chicago, as Richmond was friendly to the Klan and unsafe for Black people.
Fletcher Henderson & His Orchestra	Shanghai Shuffle	Fletcher Henderson and Louis Armstrong 1924-1925	Timeless Holland	Oct 10-14 1924, New York NY, Paramount. Elmer Chambers, Howard Scott tp, Louis Armstrong c, Charlie Green tb, Buster Bailey as, cl, Don Redman as, cl, oboe, Coleman Hawkins ts, cl, Fletcher Henderson p, ldr, Charlie Dixon bj, Ralph Escudero tu, Kaiser Mitchell d. With Fletcher Henderson Armstrong experienced working with a full, well organized orchestra that focused on solos rather than the pure ensemble that had been Oliver's approach. There was tension between Armstrong and the band: he thought they put on airs and they saw him as a rube (he showed up to his first rehearsal wearing heavy clomping boots and old-fashioned long johns visible at his ankles). The tension was especially great with Coleman Hawkins, who resented this "hick" taking his place as the star of the band.
Clarence Williams' Blue Five	Texas Moaner Blues	The Clarence Williams Collection 1921-1937	Acrobat	Oct 17 1924, New York NY, OKeh. Louis Armstrong c, Charlie Irvis tb, Sidney Bechet cl, ss, Clarence Williams p, Buddy Christian bj. Armstrong recorded a few sides with the Blue Five and his dueling solos with Sidney Bechet show what Armstrong could achieve when he was challenged by his fellow performers.
Fletcher Henderson & His Orchestra	Copenhagen	Fletcher Henderson and Louis Armstrong 1924-1925	Timeless Holland	Oct 30 1924, New York NY, Vocalion. Elmer Chambers, Howard Scott tp, Louis Armstrong c, Charlie Green tb, Buster Bailey as, cl, Don Redman as, cl, oboe, Coleman Hawkins ts, cl, Fletcher Henderson p, ldr, Charlie Dixon bj, Ralph Escudero tu, Kaiser Mitchell d. This is Armstrong's most highly regarded & most often imitated recording from his time with Henderson.
Bessie Smith w/ Louis Armstrong & Fred Longshaw	The St. Louis Blues	The Complete Recordings Vol. 2	Columbia	Jan 14 1925, New York NY, Columbia. Bessie Smith voc, Louis Armstrong c, Fred Longshaw harmonium. This is often called the greatest recording of the 1920s and/or the greatest recording of this song.

Louis Armstrong and His Hot Five	Gut Bucket Blues	Hot Fives and Sevens	JSP	Nov 12 1925, Chicago IL, OKeh. Louis Armstrong c, Kid Ory tb, Johnny Dodds cl, Lil Armstrong p, Johnny St. Cyr bj. The Hot Five was Armstrong's first time as bandleader. These recordings transformed music & changed the course of jazz. This track is from the Hot Five's first recording session. Armstrong introduces the band; Kid Ory introduces Armstrong. A "gut bucket" was the bucket under the table which a fishmonger would sweep the guts into. When they recorded this piece and needed to think of a title, Armstrong mused "it's a low down blues, let's call it Gut Bucket!"
Louis Armstrong and His Hot Five	Cornet Chop Suey	Hot Fives and Sevens	JSP	Nov 12 1925, Chicago IL, OKeh. Louis Armstrong c, Kid Ory tb, Johnny Dodds cl, Lil Armstrong p, Johnny St. Cyr bj. Same session as Heebie Jeebies. These records have been reissued countless times but the Hot Five were paid no royalties and only $50 per session -- not even per recording!
Louis Armstrong and His Hot Five	Heebie Jeebies	Hot Fives and Sevens	JSP	Nov 12 1925, Chicago IL, OKeh. Louis Armstrong c, voc, Kid Ory tb, Johnny Dodds cl, Lil Armstrong p, Johnny St. Cyr bj. Dialogue by Armstrong, Ory & probably St. Cyr. The famous story about this song is that Armstrong dropped his sheet music during the recording and, not wanting to waste expensive session time, he began singing nonsense syllables, thus spontaneously inventing scat singing. This was not the origin of scat singing: Armstrong and others had been doing it for years, and there is at least one earlier scat recording, "Papa Doesn't Two-Time No Time" by Fletcher Henderson with scatting by Don Redman, 1924. But the outlines of the story are true: according to Armstrong and witnesses, he did drop the sheet music and then start scatting to complete the recording. And this is certainly the recording that brought scat singing to public awareness and led to its embrace as a form of jazz singing.
Erskine Tate's Vendome Orchestra	Stomp Off, Let's Go	"Satchmo" Louis Armstrong Ambassador of Jazz	Verve	May 28 1926, Chicago IL, Vocalion. Louis Armstrong, James Tate tp, Ed Atkins tb, Angelo Fernandez as, Stump Evans as, bars, Norval Morton ts, Teddy Wheaterford p, Johnny St. Cyr bj, John Hare sousaphone, Jimmy Bertrand wbd, Erkstine Tate ldr, heard shouting. This is Armstrong's earliest recording on trumpet rather than cornet. Armstrong's OKeh contract was exclusive and he wasn't supposed to record with other bands. OKeh exec Elmer Fearn heard him on a recording like this one & called him onto the carpet. Fearn played him the record & asked "Louis, do you know who is singing?" Armstrong replied, "No sir, and I won't do it again."
Louis Armstrong and His Hot Seven	Potato Head Blues	Hot Fives and Sevens	JSP	May 10 1927, Chicago IL, OKeh. Louis Armstrong tp, Honoré Dutrey tb, Johnny Dodds cl, Lil Armstrong p, Johnny St. Cyr bj. Pete Briggs tu, Baby Dodds d. Armstrong's solo here is considered one of the greatest solos ever recorded. The identity of the trombone player is the subject of some controversy, but Willems (author of ALL OF ME) believes it to be Dutrey as Ory was in NY with King Oliver at the time.
Louis Armstrong and His Hot Five	Hotter Than That	Hot Fives and Sevens	JSP	Dec 13 1927, Chicago IL, OKeh. Louis Armstrong tp, voc, Kid Ory tb, Johnny Dodds cl, Lil Armstrong p, Johnny St Cyr bj, Lonnie Johnson g. Note addition of guitar. Around this time Armstrong recorded a large number of cornet solos without a band, just the solos, which were transcribed into two books: Louis Armstrong's 125 Jazz Breaks for Cornet and Louis Armstrong's 50 Hot Choruses for Cornet. Sadly the wax cylinders from these sessions were never found.

Louis Armstrong and His Hot Five	West End Blues	Hot Fives and Sevens	JSP	June 28 1928, Chicago IL, OKeh. LOuis Armstrong tp, voc, Fred Robinson tb, Jimmy Strong cl, Earl Hines p, Mancy Carr bj, Zutty Singleton hand cymbals. As with Bechet in 1924, having a soloist in the band good enough to challenge Armstrong (Hines) raised Armstrong's performance to new heights, making this one of the greatest Hot Five recordings. Hines said later than when the record came out, he and Armstrong sat and played it over and over for a couple of hours, "we just knocked each other out because we had no idea it was going to turn out so good."
Louis Armstrong and His Savoy Ballroom Five	Beau Koo Jack	Hot Fives and Sevens	JSP	Dec 5, 1928, Chicago IL, OKeh. Louis Armstrong tp, Fred Robinson tb, Don Redman as, Jimmy Strong cl, ts, Earl Hines p, Dave Wilborn bj, Zutty Singleton d. For any other performer a recording this good would have been a career highlight, but Armstrong recorded the superlative "Weather Bird" later the same day
Louis Armstrong & Earl Hines	Weather Bird	Hot Fives and Sevens	JSP	Dec 5 1928, Chicago IL, OKeh. Louis Armstrong tp, Earl Hines p. Armstrong called this timeless duet "our vir-tee-o-so number." Hines said "We had no music. It was all improvised, and I just followed him." At this time Armstrong and Hines were good friends and even owned a car together, but later on there would be bad blood between them that seems to have mainly come from Hines' difficulty at being a sideman to Armstrong rather than an equal musical partner. Armstrong for his part showed deep resentment in the way he talked & wrote about Hines later in life.
Louis Armstrong and His Orchestra	Knockin' A Jug	"Satchmo" Louis Armstrong Ambassador of Jazz	Verve	Mar 5 1929, New York NY, OKeh. Louis Armstrong tp, Jack Teagarden tb, Happy Caldwell ts, Joe Sullivan p, Eddie Lang g, Kaiser Marshall d. The addition of Teagarden and Lang makes this Armstrong's first integrated recording, and Teagarden would become a close friend & member of the All Stars later in life. Armstrong later wrote, "the first time I heard Jack Teagarden on the trombone I had goose pimples all over.
Louis Armstrong and His Savoy Ballroom Five	I Can't Give You Anything But Love	Hot Fives and Sevens	JSP	Mar 5, 1929, New York NY, OKeh. Louis Armstrong tp, voc, JC Higginbotham tb, Albert Nicholas cl, Charlie Holmes as, Teddy Hill ts, Luis Russell p, Eddie Condon bj, Lonnie Johnson g, Pops Foster b, Paul Barbarin d. Around this time Armstrong starts making recordings that are more "pop," less jazz and much less innovative. Jazz critics condemned him for "selling out" for the rest of his life, but Armstrong saw himself primarily as an entertainer and wanted to make music that people wanted to hear. Even songs like this that are more pop, Armstrong's technical prowess is obvious

Louis Armstrong and His Orchestra	Ain't Misbehavin'	Hot Fives and Sevens	JSP	July 19, 1929, New York NY, OKeh. Louis Armstrong tp, voc, Homer Hobson tp, Fred Robinson tb, Jimmy Strong ts, Bert Curry, Crawford Wethington as, Gene Anderson p, Mancy Carr bj, Pete Briggs tu, Zutty Singleton d, Unknown triangle, Carroll Dickerson conductor, violin. This was recorded while Armstrong was appearing in the Broadway show Hot Chocolates. One opening night review said "One song, a synthetic but entirely pleasant jazz ballad called Ain't Misbehavin stands out, and its rendition between the acts by an unnamed member of the orchestra [Armstrong] was a highlight of the premiere." Shortly after Armstrong was listed on the program.
Louis Armstring & His Orchestra	When You're Smiling	Hot Fives and Sevens	JSP	Sep 11 1939, New York NY, OKeh. Louis Armstrong tp, Homer Hobson tp, Fred Robinson tb, Jimmy Strong ts, Bert Curry, Crawford Wethington as, Gene Anderson p, Mancy Carr bj, Pete Briggs tu, Zutty Singleton d, Carroll Dickerson conductor, vln. This song is a great example of Armstrong's ability to play high notes on the trumpet with full expression, something no other trumpeter at the time was able to do. Taft Jordan, then a teenager, saw Armstrong perform this song in Norfolk VA. He said the bandstand was surrounded with musicians, some of whom suspected Armstrong of playing with a trick instrument. One asked to see Armstrong's trumpet between sets. "So the guy put his mouthpiece in and sounded C on Pops' horn and C on his own. He ran the scale on his, and he ran the scale on Pops'. It was all the same. It was no trick horn. It was just the man, the difference of the man."
Louis Armstrong and His Sebastian New Cotton Club Orchestra	Sweethearts On Parade	"Satchmo" Louis Armstrong Ambassador of Jazz	Verve	Oct 16 1930, Los Angeles CA, OKeh. Louis Armstrong tp, voc, McClure Morris, Harold Scott tp, Luther Craven tb, Les Hite as, conductor, Marvin Johnson as, Charlie Jones cl, ts, Henry Prince p, Bill Perkins bj, g, Joe Bailey b, Lionel Hampton d. Recorded while Armstrong was living in LA and performing at the New Cotton Club in Culver City. Note Lionel Hampton on the record, but playing drums not vibraphone. Hampton did play vibes on Armstrong's recording "Memories of You" which I believe is the first jazz vibes recording
Louis Armstrong and His Orchestra	Star Dust	"Satchmo" Louis Armstrong Ambassador of Jazz	Verve	Nov 4 1931, Chicago IL, OKeh. Louis Armstrong tp, voc, Zilner Randolph tp, Preston Jackson tb, Lester Boone as, George James as, Albert Washington ts, Charlie Alexander p, Mike McKendrick g, John Lindsay b, Tubby Hall d. 2 takes of this recording have been released; this is the 1st take. This is maybe the best example of Armstrong's innovative singing style, altering lyrics and melody the same way he did in his trumpet solos. Hoagy Carmichael's biographer Richard Sudhalter called this "a singler and incomparable event.... at once a transfiguration of Carmichael's melody and a reaaffirmation of its hot jazz origins.... Armstrong attenuates, foreshortens, extends and compresses words and entire phrases, sometimes almost into incomprensibility -- only to emerge with a dramatic impact far greater and more immediate than [Mitchell] Parish's lyric could ever have dreamt of attaining."
Louis Armstrong & His Orchestra	I Gotta Right to Sing the Blues	Young Louis Armstrong (1930-1933)	Jazz Tribune	Jan 26 1933, Chicago IL, Victor. Louis Armstrong tp, voc, conductor, Ellis Whitlock, Zilner Randolph tp, Keg Johnson tb, Scoville Browne, George Oldham cl, as, Budd Johnson ts, Teddy Wilson p, Mike McKendrick g, Bill Oldham b, Tank Porter d. Note 20 year old Teddy Wilson on piano. In my opinion this is one of the overlooked masterpieces in Armstrong's work.

Louis Armstrong with Jimmy Dorsey & His Orchestra	The Skeleton in the Closet	Vintage Music for Halloween		Aug 7 1936, Los Angeles CA, Decca. Louis Armstrong tp, voc, George Thow, Toots Camarata tp, Bobby Byrne, Joe Yukl, Don Mattison tb, Jimmy Dorsey cl, as, conductor, Jack Stacey as, ts, Fud Livingston, Skeets Herfurt ts, Bobby Van Eps p, Roscoe Hillman g, Jim Taft b, Ray McKinley d. Recorded to coordinate with release of the film PENNIES FROM HEAVEN, in which Armstrong acted and performed this song. This is not the performance in the film. PENNIES FROM HEAVEN was Armstrong's first film but he appeared in many.
Louis Armstrong and His Orchestra	Struttin' With Some Barbecue	"Satchmo" Louis Armstrong Ambassador of Jazz	Verve	Jan 12 1938, Los Angeles CA, Decca. Louis Armstrong tp, voc, Shelton Hemphill, Henry "Red" Allen, Louis Bacon tp, Wilbur De Paris, George Washington, JC Higginbotham tb, Pete Clarke, Charlie Holms as, Albert Nicholas, Bingie Madison cl, ts, Luis Russell p, Lee Blair g, Red Callender b, Paul Barbarin d. This was Armstrong's second recording of this song; the first was with the Hot Five.
Louis Armstrong And His Orchestra	Jeepers Creepers	"Satchmo" Louis Armstrong Ambassador of Jazz	Verve	Jan 18 1939, New York NY, Decca. Louis Armstrong tp, voc, Shelton Hemphill, Henry "Red" Allen, Otis Johnson tp, Wilbur de Paris, George Washington, JC Higginbotham tb, Rupert Cole, Charlie Holmes as, Albert Nicholas, Bingie Madison ts, Luis Russell p, Lee Blair g, Pops Foster b, Sid Catlett d. Armstrong introduced this Oscar -nominated song in the movie GOING PLACES. This is not the performance in the film.
Esquire All-American 1946 Award Winners	Snafu	"Satchmo" Louis Armstrong Ambassador of Jazz	Verve	Jan 10 1946, New York NY, Victor. Louis Armstrong, Neal Hefti tp, Jimmy Hamilton cl, Johnny Hodges as, Don Byas ts, Billy Strayhorn p, ldr, Remo Palmieri g, Chubby Jackson b, Sonny Greer d. This performance was the winners of the Esquire annual critics' poll. This track showed Armstrong's ability to play music that was more modern than the the big band style he'd been playing for years which was sounding more and more dated, but he was unable to move forward and seek out more modern music to play.
Billie Holiday with Louis Armstrong and His Band	Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans	NEW ORLEANS Original Soundtrack	United Artists	Sep 5 - Oct 8 1946, Los Angeles CA, United Artists. Louis Armstrong tp, voc, Kid Ory tb, Barney Bigard cl, Charlie Beal p, Bud Scott g, Red Callender b, Zutty Singleton d, Billie Holiday voc. From the soundtrack of the film NEW ORLEANS. A forgettable movie, but Armstrong's performances stand the test of time. Armstrong's comment on the film was "Isn't that something? The great Billie Holiday, playing my sweetheart?"

Louis Armstrong and His All Stars	Back O' Town Blues	The Complete Town Hall Concert	Jazz Tribune	May 17 1947, New York NY, concert at Town Hall. Louis Armstrong tp, voc, Bobby Hackett cc, Jack Teagarden tb, Peanuts Hucko cl, Dick Cary p, Bob Haggert b, Sid Catlett, George Wettling d. This concert was birth of the All Stars and the rebirth of Armstrong's career, which had been struggling for years under the weight of overly large orchestras with a dated sound. Here he performed in a small group with talented musicians who understood the New Orleans jazz sound but weren't mired in it. He would continue performing with the All Stars for most of the rest of his life.
Louis Armstrong with Gorden Jenkins and His Orchestra	Blueberry Hill	The Essential Louis Armstrong	Columbia/Legacy	Sep 6 1949, New York NY, Decca. Louis Armstrong voc, Billy Butterfield, Carl Poole, Yank Lawson tp, Will Bradley tb, Milt Yaner, Hymie Schertzer as, Tom Parshley, Art Drelinger ts, Bernie Leighton p, Carl Kress g, Jack Lesberg b, Johnny Blowers d, Unknown female choir voc, Gordon Jenkins conductor, arr. Part of a concerted effort by Armstrong's manager Joe Glaser to make his music more palatable to white audiences and therefore more successful, this became one of his top-selling records. Jazz critics hated Armstrong's turn away from jazz (he doesn't even play the trumpet on this, just sings) but audiences loved it.
Louis Armstrong and His All Stars	New Orleans Function	"Satchmo" Louis Armstrong Ambassador of Jazz	Verve	Apr 26 1949, New York NY, Decca. Louis Armstrong tp, talking, Jack Teagarden tb, Barney Bigard cl, Earl Hines p, Arvell Shaw b, Cozy Cole d. Song references the New Orleans jazz funerals that Armstrong grew up with.
Louis Armstrong with Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five	You Rascal You (I'll Be Glad When You're Dead)	Let the Good Times Roll	Bear Family	Louis Armstrong tp, voc, Louis Jordan as, voc, Aaron Izenhall tp, Josh Jackson ts, Bill Doggett p, Bill Jennigs g, Bob Bushnell b, Joe Morris d.
Bing Crosby and Louis Armstrong	Gone Fishin' (Live)	Bing! His Legendary Years	MCA	Apr 19 1951, Los Angeles CA, CBS broadcast "Bing Crosby Show." Louis Armstrong tp, voc, Bing Crosby voc, Nick Travis tp, Dick Taylor tb, Matty Matlock cl, Jack Chaney ts, Mel Henke p, Perry Botkin g, Phil Stephens b, John Cyr d. Armstrong and Crosby performed together many times on the radio and in movies, but despite the friendly on-air rapport Crosby always kept himself separate. Armstrong noted later than none of the white celebrities he worked with ever invited him to their homes, "not even Bing."

Louis Armstrong and The All Stars	Beale Street Blues	Louis Armstrong Plays W.C. Handy	Columbia/Legacy	July 12 1954, Chicago IL, Columbia. Louis Armstrong tp, voc, Trummy Young tb, Barney Bigard cl, Billy Kyle p, Arvell Shaw b, Barrett Deems d. This album was the greatest work of the All Stars and second only to the Hot Five as the greatest work of Armstrong's career. After completing the session Armstrong told producer George Avakian "I can't remember when I felt this good about making a record."
Louis Armstring and His All Stars	Mack The Knife	The Essential Louis Armstrong	Columbia/Legacy	Sep 28 1955, New York NY, Columbia. Louis Armstrong tp, voc, Trummy Young tb, Edmond Hall cl, Billy Kyle p, Arvell Shaw b, Barrett Deems d. Other recordings by Bobby Darin and Ella Fitzgerald sold better, but this recording is what made the song an American pop classic.
Louis Armstrong and the All Stars with the New York Philharmonic	St. Louis Blues (Concerto Grosso)	"Satchmo" Louis Armstrong Ambassador of Jazz	Verve	Jul 14 1956, New York NY, concert at Lewisohn Stadium, United Artists. Louis Armstrong tp, Trummy Young tb, Edmond Hall cl, Billy Kyle p, Dale Jones b, Barrett Deems d, The New York Philharmonic, Leonard Bernstein conductor. This was the first time jazz musicians were featured at Lewisohn Stadium. Dave Brubeck Quartet performed before Armstrong and the All Stars. Armstrong was a fan of classic music and was reportedly intimidated to appear on stage with Bernstein. Note the condescending way Bernstein talks about Armstrong, calling his music "true and honest and simple and even noble" as if Armstrong were some sort of idiot savant, not a hardworking professional with decades of experience.
Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong with the Oscar Peterson Quartet	Cheek to Cheek	Ella and Louis	Verve	Jul 23 1957, Los Angeles CA, Verve. Louis Armstrong tp, voc, Ella Fitzgerald voc, Oscar Peterson p, Herb Ellis g, Ray Brown b, Buddy Rich d. Armstrong and Fitzgerald made three albums together, Ella and Louis and Ella and Louis Again with Peterson and one, Porgy and Bess, with orchestra led by Russell Garcia.
Louis Armstrong with the Oscar Peterson Quartet	I Get a Kick Out of You	"Satchmo" Louis Armstrong Ambassador of Jazz	Verve	Oct 14 1957, Los Angeles CA, Verve. Louis Armstrong tp, voc, Oscar Peterson p, Herb Ellis g, Ray Brown b, Louie Bellson d. These are rare unreleased takes: first a brief runthrough, then takes 3 and 4. I included the runthrough so you can hear Armstrong feeling his way through an unfamiliar song. (The final release was take 13!)
Louis Armstrong with Dave Brubeck Quartet	Summer Song	The Real Ambassadors	Essential Jazz Classics	Sep 13 1961, New York NY, Columbia. Louis Armstrong voc, Dave Brubeck p, Gene Wright b, Joe Morello d. Soundtrack to a musical written by Dave and Iola Brubeck about race relations in the US.
Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington	Black and Tan Fantasy	The Great Summit: The Master Tapes	Blue Note	Apr 4 1961, New York NY, Roulette. Louis Armstrong tp, Duke Ellington p, Trummy Young tb, Barney Bigard cl, Mort Herbert b, Danny Barcelona d. Ellington joined Armstrong and members of the All Stars for this recording. They had tried to work together decades earlier but had been prevented by management/label issues.
Louis Armstrong and The All Stars	Hello, Dolly!	"Satchmo" Louis Armstrong Ambassador of Jazz	Verve	Dec 3, 1963, New York NY, Kapp. Louis Armstrong tp, voc, Trummy Young tb, Joe Darensbourg cl, Billy Kyle p, Tony Gottuso bj, g, Arvell Shaw b, Danny Barcelona d. Armstrong recorded this song from the Broadway show which was still in development, and it was such an obvious winner that they changed the name of the show (originally called Dolly, A Damned Exasperating Woman or Call On Dolly). When the single was released and immediately became a massive hit, Armstrong had forgotten all about it, his manager had to air ship him a copy of the record so he could remember what it sounded like to play it on tour. He played it at every show for the rest of his career.
Louis Armstrong's Orchestra and Chorus	What a Wonderful World	"Satchmo" Louis Armstrong Ambassador of Jazz	Verve	Aug 16 1967, New York NY, ABC-Paramount. Tommy Goodman arr, conductor. Armstrong's last great recording, its greatness comes from the melancholy Armstrong brings to the performance. One of his sidemen said "The real meaning of the tune to Pops was that he was getting old, had a heart condition and was facing death. When death is in the room with you, it's perfectly natural to think about the 'wonderful world' you have in life." Armstrong died four years later.