Louis Armstrong Hot Five and Hot Seven Sessions
The Louis Armstrong Hot Five and Hot Seven Sessions were recorded between 1925 and 1928 by Louis Armstrong with his Hot Five and Hot Seven groups. According to the National Recording Registry,[1] "Louis Armstrong was jazz's first great soloist and is among American music's most important and influential figures. These sessions, his solos in particular, set a standard musicians still strive to equal in their beauty and innovation." These recordings were added to the National Recording Registry in 2002, the first year of the institution's existence.
Ron Wynn and Bruce Boyd Raeburn, writing for the All Music Guide to Jazz, note that "these recordings radically altered jazz's focus; instead of collective playing, Armstrong's spectacular instrumental (and vocal) improvisations redefined the music."[2] Armstrong helped popularize scat singing in "Heebie Jeebies," and his solo on "Potato Head Blues" helped establish the stop-time technique in jazz.[2]
Recordings
[edit]1925–1926 Hot Five recordings
[edit]- "My Heart" (Lil Armstrong)
- "Yes! I'm in the Barrel"
- "Gut Bucket Blues"
- "Come Back Sweet Papa" (Paul Barbarin, Luis Russell)
- "Georgia Grind" (Spencer Williams)
- "Heebie Jeebies" (Boyd Atkins)
- "Cornet Chop Suey"
- "Oriental Strut" (Johnny St. Cyr)
- "You're Next"
- "Muskrat Ramble" (Kid Ory)
"Heebie Jeebies" by Louis Armstrong and his Hot Five - "Don't Forget to Mess Around" (Armstrong, Barbarin)
- "I'm Gonna Gitcha" (Lil Hardin)
- "Droppin' Shucks" (Hardin)
- "Who' Sit" (Richard M. Jones)
- "He Likes It Slow" (J. Edwards)
- "The King of the Zulus" (Lil Armstrong)
- "Big Fat Ma and Skinny Pa" (Richard M. Jones)
- "Lonesome Blues" (Hardin)
- "Sweet Little Papa" (Ory)
- "Jazz Lips" (Hardin)
- "Skid-Dat-De-Dat" (Hardin)
- "Big Butter and Egg Man" (Armstrong, Percy Venable)
- "Sunset Cafe Stomp" (Armstrong, Venable)
- "You Made Me Love You" (Armstrong, Venable)
- "Irish Black Bottom" (Armstrong, Venable)
1927 Hot Seven recordings
[edit]- "Willie the Weeper" (Marty Bloom, Walter Melrose)
- "Wild Man Blues" (Armstrong, "Jelly Roll" Morton)
- "Chicago Breakdown" (Morton)
- "Alligator Crawl" (Joe Davis, Andy Razaf, Thomas Waller)
- "Potato Head Blues"
- "Melancholy Blues" (Bloom, Melrose)
- "Weary Blues" (Artie Matthews)
- "Twelfth Street Rag" (Euday Bowman)
- "Keyhole Blues" (Wesley Wilson)
- "S.O.L. Blues"
- "Gully Low Blues"
- "That's When I'll Come Back to You" (Biggs)
1927 Hot Five recordings
[edit]- "Put 'Em Down Blues" (Armstrong)
- "Ory's Creole Trombone" (Ory)
- "The Last Time" (Ewing, Martin)
- "Struttin' With Some Barbecue" (Armstrong)
- "Got No Blues" (Hardin)
- "Once in a While" (William Butler)
- "I'm Not Rough" (Armstrong, Hardin)
- "Hotter Than That" (Hardin)
- "Savoy Blues" (Ory)
1928 Hot Five recordings
[edit]- "Fireworks" (Spencer Williams)
- "Skip the Gutter" (S. Williams)
- "A Monday Date" (Earl Hines)
- "Don't Jive Me" (Hardin)
- "West End Blues" (King Oliver, C. Williams)
- "Sugar Foot Strut" (Pierce)
- "Two Deuces" (Hardin)
- "Squeeze Me" (Waller, C. Williams)
- "Knee Drops" (Hardin)
Recording dates
[edit]| Title | Artist | Composer | Record Label | Issued Number | Master Number | Recording Date | Recording Location | Personnel | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1925–1926 Hot Five recordings | |||||||||
| 1 | "Gambler's Dream" | Hociel Thomas Acc. by Louis Armstrong's Jazz Four | Hociel Thomas | OKeh | 8289 | 9471-A | 11/11/1925 | Chicago | [a] |
| 2 | "Sunshine Baby" | Hociel Thomas | 8326 | 9472-A | |||||
| 3 | "Adam And Eve Had The Blues" | Hociel Thomas | 8258 | 9473-A | |||||
| 4 | "Put It Where I Can Get It" | Hociel Thomas | 8258 | 9474-A | |||||
| 5 | "Wash Woman Blues" | Hociel Thomas, Bollinger | 8289 | 9475-A | |||||
| 6 | "I've Stopped My Man" | Hociel Thomas | 8326 | 9476-A | |||||
| 7 | "My Heart" | Louis Armstrong and His Hot Five | Lil Armstrong | OKeh | 8320 | 9484-A | 11/12/1925 | Chicago | [b] |
| 8 | "Yes! I'm In The Barrel" | Louis Armstrong | 8261 | 9485-A | |||||
| 9 | "Gut Bucket Blues" | Louis Armstrong | 8261 | 9486-A | |||||
| 10 | "Come Back, Sweet Papa" | Paul Barbarin, Luis Russell | OKeh | 8318 | 9503-A | 2/22/1926 | Chicago | ||
| 11 | "Georgia Grind" | Spencer Williams | OKeh | 8318 | 9533-A | 2/26/1926 | Chicago | ||
| 12 | "Heebie Jeebies" | B. Atkins | 8300 | 9534-A | |||||
| 13 | "Cornet Chop Suey" | Louis Armstrong | 8320 | 9535-A | |||||
| N/A | "Cornet Chop Suey" (in E♭) | Louis Armstrong | 8320 | 9535-A | |||||
| 14 | "Oriental Strut" | Johnny St. Cyr | 8299 | 9536-A | |||||
| 15 | "You're Next" | Louis Armstrong | 8299 | 9537-A | |||||
| 16 | "Muskrat Ramble" | Edward "Kid" Ory | 8300 | 9538-A | |||||
| 17 | "Don't Forget To Mess Around" | Paul Barbarin | OKeh | 8343 | 9729-A | 6/16/1926 | Chicago | ||
| 18 | "I'm Gonna Gitcha" | Lil Hardin | 8343 | 9730-A | |||||
| 19 | "Droppin' Shucks" | Lil Hardin | 8357 | 9731-A | |||||
| 20 | "Who'sit" | Richard M. Jones | 8357 | 9732-A | |||||
| 21 | "He Likes It Slow" | Butterbeans and Susie | J. Edwards | Okeh | 8355 | 9750-A | 6/18/1926 | Chicago | [c] |
| 22 | "The King of the Zulus" | Louis Armstrong and His Hot Five | Lil Armstrong | OKeh | 8396 | 9776-A | 6/23/1926 | Chicago | [d] |
| 23 | "Big Fat Ma and Skinny Pa" | Richard M. Jones | 8379 | 9777-A | |||||
| 24 | "Lonesome Blues" | Lil Hardin | 8396 | 9778-A | |||||
| 25 | "Sweet Little Papa" | Edward "Kid" Ory | 8379 | 9779-A | |||||
| 26 | "Jazz Lips" | Lil Hardin | OKeh | 8436 | 9890-A | 11/16/1926 | Chicago | [e] | |
| 27 | "Skid-Dat-De-Dat" | Lil Hardin | 8436 | 9891-A | |||||
| 28 | "Big Butter and Egg Man" | Louis Armstrong, Percy Venable | 8423 | 9892-A | [f] | ||||
| 29 | "Sunset Cafe Stomp" | Louis Armstrong, Percy Venable | 8423 | 9893-A | |||||
| 30 | "You Made Me Love You" | Louis Armstrong, Percy Venable | OKeh | 8447 | 9980-A | 11/27/1926 | Chicago | [g] | |
| 31 | "Irish Black Bottom" | Louis Armstrong, Percy Venable | 8447 | 9981-A | |||||
| N/A | "Leave Mine Alone" | Louis Armstrong, Percy Venable | Rejected | 9982-A | |||||
| 1927 Hot Seven recordings | |||||||||
| 32 | "Willie the Weeper" | Louis Armstrong and His Hot Seven | Marty Bloom, Walter Melrose | OKeh | 8482 | W.80847-C | 5/7/1927 | Chicago | [h] |
| 33 | "Wild Man Blues" | Louis Armstrong, Fred "Jelly Roll" Morton | 8474 | W.80848-C | |||||
| 34 | "Chicago Breakdown" | Louis Armstrong and His Stompers | Fred "Jelly Roll" Morton | Columbia | 36376 | W.80851-C | 5/9/1927 | Chicago | [i] |
| 35 | "Alligator Crawl" | Louis Armstrong and His Hot Seven | Andy Razaf, Thomas Waller | OKeh | 8482 | W.80854-B | 5/10/1927 | Chicago | [j] |
| 36 | "Potato Head Blues" | Louis Armstrong | 8503 | W.80855-C | |||||
| 37 | "Melancholy Blues" | Marty Bloom, Walter Melrose | OKeh | 8496 | W.80862-A | 5/11/1927 | Chicago | ||
| 38 | "Weary Blues" | Artie Matthews | 8519 | W.80863-A | |||||
| 39 | "Twelfth Street Rag" | Euday Bowman | Columbia | 35663 | W.80864-A | ||||
| 40 | "Keyhole Blues" | Wesley Wilson | OKeh | 8496 | W.80876-A | 5/13/1927 | Chicago | ||
| 41 | "S.O.L. Blues" | Louis Armstrong | Columbia | 35661 | W.81126-B | ||||
| 42 | "Gully Low Blues" | Louis Armstrong | OKeh | 8474 | W.80877-D | 5/14/1927 | Chicago | ||
| 43 | "That's When I'll Come Back to You" | F. Biggs | 8519 | W.80884-B | |||||
| 1927 Hot Five recordings | |||||||||
| 44 | "Put 'Em Down Blues" | Louis Armstrong and His Hot Five | Louis Armstrong | OKeh | 8503 | W.81302-B | 9/2/1927 | Chicago | [k] |
| 45 | "Ory's Creole Trombone" | Edward "Kid" Ory | Columbia | 35838 | W.81310-D | ||||
| 46 | "The Last Time" | Ewing, Martin | Columbia | 35838 | W.81317-A | 9/6/1927 | Chicago | ||
| 47 | "Struttin' With Some Barbecue" | Louis Armstrong | OKeh | 8566 | W.82037-B | 12/9/1927 | Chicago | ||
| 48 | "Got No Blues" | Lil Hardin | 8551 | W.82038-B | |||||
| 49 | "Once in a While" | William Butler | OKeh | 8566 | W.82039-B | 12/10/1927 | Chicago | ||
| 50 | "I'm Not Rough" | Louis Lil Hardin Armstrong | 8551 | W.82040-B | |||||
| 51 | "Hotter Than That" | Lil Hardin | OKeh | 8535 | W.82055-B | 12/13/1927 | Chicago | [l] | |
| 52 | "Savoy Blues" | Edward "Kid" Ory | 8535 | W.82056-A | |||||
| 1928 Hot Five recordings | |||||||||
| 53 | "You're A Real Sweetheart" | Lillie Delk Christian with Louis Armstrong and His Hot Four | Caesar, Friend | OKeh | 8607 | 400954-B | 6/26/1928 | Chicago | [m] |
| 54 | "Too Busy" | Coslow, Spier | 8596 | 400956-A | |||||
| 55 | "Was It A Dream" | Miller, Cohn | 8596 | 400955-B | |||||
| 56 | "Last Night I Dreamed You Kissed Me" | Kahn, Lombardo | 8607 | 400957-A | |||||
| 57 | "Fireworks" | Louis Armstrong and His Hot Five | Spencer Williams | OKeh | 8597 | W.400960-B | 6/27/1928 | Chicago | [n] |
| 58 | "Skip the Gutter" | S Williams | 8631 | W.400961-A | |||||
| 59 | "A Monday Date" | Earl Hines | 8609 | W.400962-B | |||||
| 60 | "Don't Jive Me" | Hardin | Columbia | 36376 | W.400966-C | 6/28/1928 | Chicago | ||
| 61 | "West End Blues" | King Oliver, C Williams | OKeh | 8597 | W.400967-B | ||||
| 62 | "Sugar Foot Strut" | Pierce | 8609 | W.400968-B | |||||
| 63 | "Two Deuces" | Lil Hardin | OKeh | 8641 | W.400973-B | 6/29/1928 | Chicago | ||
| 64 | "Squeeze Me" | Waller, C Williams | 8641 | W.400974-B | |||||
| 65 | "Knee Drops" | Lil Hardin | OKeh | 8631 | W.400991-B | 7/5/1928 | Chicago | ||
| 66 | "No, Papa, No" | Louis Armstrong and His Orchestra | Spivey, Victoria | OKeh | 8690 | W.402513-A | 12/4/1928 | Chicago | |
| 67 | "Basin Street Blues" | Spencer Williams | 8690 | W.402514-A | |||||
| 68 | "No One Else But You" | Louis Armstrong and His Savoy Ballroom Five | Don Redman | OKeh | 8669 | W.402168-B | 12/5/1928 | Chicago | [o] |
| 69 | "Save It, Pretty Mama" | Don Redman, J. Davis, P. Dennicker | 8657 | W.402170-C | |||||
| 70 | "Beau Koo Jack" | Hill, Armstrong, Milrose | 8680 | W.402169-C | |||||
| 71 | "Weather Bird" | Louis Armstrong | Louis Armstrong | OKeh | 41454 | W.402199-A | 12/5/1928 | Chicago | [p] |
| 72 | "Muggles" | Louis Armstrong and His Orchestra | Louis Armstrong | OKeh | 8703 | W.402200-B | 12/7/1928 | Chicago | [q] |
| 73 | "Hear Me Talkin' To Ya" | Louis Armstrong and His Savoy Ballroom Five | Louis Armstrong | OKeh | 8649 | W.402224-A | 12/12/1928 | Chicago | [r] |
| 74 | "St. James Infirmary" | J. Primrose | 8657 | W.402225-A | |||||
| 75 | "Tight Like This" | Curl | 8649 | W.402226-C | |||||
| N/A | "I'm Gonna Stomp, Mr. Henry Lee" | Louis Armstrong and His Orchestra | ? | OKeh | Rejected | W.401688-A | 3/5/1929 | New York | [s] |
| N/A | "I'm Gonna Stomp, Mr. Henry Lee" | ? | Rejected | W.401688-B | |||||
| 76 | "Knockin' A Jug" | Louis Armstrong, Eddie Condon | 8703 | W.401689-B | |||||
| 77 | "I Can't Give You Anything But Love" (common take) | Louis Armstrong and His Savoy Ballroom Five | Dorothy Fields, Jimmy McHugh | 8669 | W.401690-C | [t] | |||
| 78 | "I Can't Give You Anything But Love" (alternate take) | Dorothy Fields, Jimmy McHugh | 8669 | W.401690-C | |||||
| 79 | "Mahogany Hall Stomp" | Williams, Spencer | 8680 | W.401691-B | |||||
Personnel
[edit]1925–1926 Hot Five recordings
[edit]Tracks 1–6
[edit]- Hociel Thomas (voice)
Trombonist Kid Ory in 1944 - Louis Armstrong (cornet)
- Johnny Dodds (clarinet)
- Hersal Thomas (piano)
- Johnny St. Cyr (banjo)
Tracks 7–20
[edit]- Louis Armstrong (cornet)
- Kid Ory (trombone)
- Johnny Dodds (clarinet)
- Lil Hardin Armstrong (piano)
- Johnny St. Cyr (banjo)
Track 21
[edit]- Joe and Susie Edwards (Butterbeans and Susie) (voice)
- Louis Armstrong (cornet)
- Kid Ory (trombone)
- Johnny Dodds (clarinet)
- Lil Hardin Armstrong (piano)
- Johnny St. Cyr (banjo)
Tracks 22–25
[edit]- Clarence Babcock (voice)
- Louis Armstrong (cornet, voice)
- Kid Ory (trombone)
- Johnny Dodds (clarinet)
- Lil Hardin Armstrong (piano)
- Johnny St. Cyr (banjo)
Tracks 26–27
[edit]- Louis Armstrong (cornet, voice)
- Kid Ory (trombone)
- Johnny Dodds (clarinet)
- Lil Hardin Armstrong (piano)
- Johnny St. Cyr (banjo)
Tracks 28–29
[edit]- May Alix (voice)
- Louis Armstrong (cornet, voice)
- Kid Ory (trombone)
- Johnny Dodds (clarinet)
- Lil Hardin Armstrong (piano)
- Johnny St. Cyr (banjo)
Tracks 30–31
[edit]- Louis Armstrong (cornet, voice)
- Henry Clark (trombone)
- Johnny Dodds (clarinet)
- Lil Hardin Armstrong (piano)
- Johnny St. Cyr (banjo)
1927 Hot Seven recordings
[edit]Tracks 32–33
[edit]- Louis Armstrong (cornet)
Baby Dodds, Ole South, New York, ca. December 1946 - John Thomas (trombone)
- Johnny Dodds (clarinet)
- Lil Hardin Armstrong (piano)
- Johnny St. Cyr (banjo)
- Pete Briggs (tuba)
- Baby Dodds (drums)
Track 34
[edit]- Louis Armstrong (cornet)
Earl Hines in 1936 - Bill Wilson (cornet)
- Honoré Dutrey (trombone)
- Boyd Atkins (clarinet, alto saxophone, soprano saxophone)
- Joe Walker (alto saxophone, baritone saxophone)
- Albert Washington (tenor saxophone)
- Earl Hines (piano)
- Rip Bassett (banjo, guitar)
- Pete Briggs (tuba)
- Tubby Hall (drums)
Tracks 35–43
[edit]- Louis Armstrong (cornet)
- John Thomas (trombone)
- Johnny Dodds (clarinet)
- Lil Hardin Armstrong (piano)
- Johnny St. Cyr (banjo, guitar)
- Pete Briggs (tuba)
- Baby Dodds (drums)
1927 Hot Five recordings
[edit]Tracks 44–50
[edit]- Louis Armstrong (cornet)
- Kid Ory (trombone)
- Johnny Dodds (clarinet)
- Lil Hardin Armstrong (piano)
- Johnny St. Cyr (banjo, guitar)
Tracks 51–52
[edit]- Louis Armstrong (cornet, voice)
Lonnie Johnson in Chicago, 1941 - Kid Ory (trombone)
- Johnny Dodds (clarinet)
- Lil Hardin Armstrong (piano)
- Johnny St. Cyr (banjo, guitar)
- Lonnie Johnson (guitar)
1928 Hot Five recordings
[edit]Tracks 53–56
[edit]- Lillie Delk Christian (voice)
- Louis Armstrong (trumpet)
- Jimmy Noone (clarinet)
- Earl Hines (piano)
- Mancy Carr (banjo)
Tracks 57–67
[edit]
Zutty Singleton with Adele Girard on harp in 1939; photo: William P. Gottlieb - Fred Robinson (trombone)
- Jimmy Strong (clarinet, tenor saxophone)
- Earl Hines (piano)
- Mancy Carr (banjo)
- Zutty Singleton (drums)
Tracks 68–70
[edit]- Louis Armstrong (trumpet, voice)
- Fred Robinson (trombone)
- Jimmy Strong (tenor saxophone, clarinet)
- Don Redman (clarinet, alto saxophone)
- Earl Hines (piano)
- Dave Wilborn (banjo, guitar)
- Zutty Singleton (drums)
Track 71
[edit]- Louis Armstrong (trumpet)
- Earl Hines (piano)
Track 72
[edit]- Louis Armstrong (trumpet)
- Fred Robinson (trombone)
- Jimmy Strong (clarinet)
- Earl Hines (piano)
- Mancy Carr (banjo)
- Zutty Singleton (drums)
Tracks 73–75
[edit]- Louis Armstrong (trumpet, voice)
- Fred Robinson (trombone)
- Jimmy Strong (clarinet, tenor saxophone)
- Don Redman (clarinet, alto saxophone)
- Earl Hines (piano)
- Mancy Carr (banjo)
- Zutty Singleton (drums)
Track 76
[edit]
Albert Nicholas, Jimmy Ryan's (Club), New York, ca. March 1947 - Jack Teagarden (trombone)
- Happy Caldwell (tenor saxophone)
- Joe Sullivan (piano)
- Eddie Lang (guitar)
- Kaiser Marshall (drums)
Tracks 77–79
[edit]- Louis Armstrong (trumpet, voice)
- J.C. Higginbotham (trombone)
- Albert Nicholas (alto saxophone)
- Charlie Holmes (alto saxophone)
- Teddy Hill (tenor saxophone)
- Luis Russell (piano)
- Eddie Condon (banjo)
- Lonnie Johnson (guitar)
- Pops Foster (bass)
- Paul Barbarin (drums)
See also
[edit]- Hot Fives & Sevens, a box set comprising these sessions
References
[edit]- ^ National Recording Registry. "15.Hot Five and Hot Seven recordings. Louis Armstrong. (1925-1928)". Library of Congress.
- ^ a b Wynn, Ron; Raeburn, Bruce Boyd (1994), Ron Wynn (ed.), All Music Guide to Jazz, M. Erlewine, V. Bogdanov, San Francisco: Miller Freeman, p. 43, ISBN 0-87930-308-5
