Louis Armstrong

INCLUDES 1 BONUS TRACK

As the original album’s title indicates, "Together for the First Time" marked the first collaborative album by the legendary jazz giants Louis Armstrong and DukeEllington. By the time the LP was recorded in 1961, both musicians had already enjoyed long and prosperous careers, and hadknown each other for decades.

These sessions, however, are the only ones that capture them truly interacting together. The album was warmly received at the time of its release, with Down Beat giving it a rating of four and a half stars. ““We have A&R man Bob Thiele and Roulette to thank for what is the most inspired Armstrong record performance since the W.C. Handy session for Columbia a few years ago”, wrote Don DeMicheal, who added that: “Most of the credit for the quality of the date, however, must go to Ellington, whose presence evidently brought out the creative powers that Armstrong still possesses. Ellington is playing better now than he has ever before. A successful album, a good turn that deserves another.” The album has since been given a five-star rating in All Music Guide.

PERSONNEL:

LOUIS ARMSTRONG, vocals & trumpet
DUKE ELLINGTON, piano
TRUMMY YOUNG, trombone
BARNEY BIGARD, clarinet
MORT HERBERT, bass
DANNY BARCELONA, drums

New York, April 3 & 4, 1961.

(*) BONUS TRACK (B6):
Louis Armstrong (vcl) with Russell Garcia’s Orchestra:
Frank Beach, Buddy Childers, Cappy Lewis (tp),
Milt Bernhart, Marshall Cram, James Henderson, Lloyd Ulyate (tb),
Vincent DeRosa (frh), Paul Smith (p), Tony Rizzi (g),
Joe Mondragon (b), Alvin Stoller (d), Russ Garcia (arr, cond).
Los Angeles, August 14, 1957.

SIDE A:

01 DUKE’S PLACE
02 I’M JUST A LUCKY SO AND SO
03 COTTONTAIL
04 MOOD INDIGO
05 DO NOTHIN’ TILL YOU HEAR FROM ME

SIDE B:

01 THE BEAUTIFUL AMERICAN
02 BLACK AND TAN FANTASY
03 DROP ME OFF IN HARLEM
04 THE MOOCHE
05 IN A MELLOW TONE
06 DO NOTHIN’ TILL YOU HEAR FROM ME (*)

(*) BONUS TRACK