West End Blues
"West End Blues" | |
---|---|
Joe "King" Oliver | |
Released | 1928 |
Recorded | June 11, 1928 |
Genre | Jazz |
Label | Brunswick |
Composer(s) | Joe "King" Oliver |
"West End Blues" is a multi-strain
King Oliver and his Dixie Syncopators made the first recording for Brunswick Records on June 11, 1928.[1] Clarence Williams later added lyrics to the instrumental tune. He recorded the song several times in 1928, first with vocalist Ethel Waters, then with Irene Mims, aka Hazel Smith (with King Oliver playing trumpet),[2] then again with Katherine Henderson.[3]
The "
Louis Armstrong's recording
"West End Blues" | |
---|---|
Joe "King" Oliver |
By far the best known recording of "West End Blues" is the 3-minute-plus,
Armstrong plays trumpet and sings, backed by a band including pianist Earl Hines, clarinetist Jimmy Strong, trombonist Fred Robinson, banjoist Mancy Carr and drummer Zutty Singleton on hand cymbals.[7] Armstrong's unaccompanied opening cadenza is considered to be one of the defining moments of early jazz, incorporating a rhythmic freedom that anticipated many later musical developments.[8] In addition, Lil Hardin Armstrong later explained that this introduction stemmed from trumpet exercise books that she and Louis had drilled.[9] Also notable is Armstrong's tender scat vocal chorus in a duet with the clarinet in its low register played by Strong.[10] Hines takes a "beautifully crafted" piano solo, which was praised as a "perfect... example of originality in harmony, phrases, and general style."[11] The final chorus is dominated by a four-bar (12-second) high B♭ played by Armstrong. The number is closed by the metallic click of drummer Zutty Singleton's cymbals.
This recording was inducted in the
Armstrong recorded several later versions of "West End Blues", including for the 1947 film New Orleans and with his All Stars in the 40s.[14]
King Oliver's recordings
Joe "King" Oliver wrote "West End Blues", and was the first to record it on June 11, 1928, with his band The Dixie Syncopators.[1] This recording established the basic form of the song that Armstrong's later recording followed.[2] On January 16, 1929, Oliver recorded the song again, borrowing from the Hot Five arrangement, though at a quicker tempo. The opening trumpet cadenza (based heavily on Armstrong's 1928 recording) has frequently been incorrectly credited to Oliver, but was in fact played by trumpeter Louis Metcalf.[2] Pianist Luis Russel also takes a solo, in turn basing it on Earl Hines' solo from the Hot Five recording.
References
- ^ ISBN 0-313-30208-1
- ^ a b c Riccardi, Ricky (June 28, 2012). "84 Years of West End Blues". The Wonderful World of Louis Armstrong.
- ^ "Blues Influence". Facebook.com. Archived from the original on 2022-02-26. Retrieved 2014-09-13.
- ISBN 978-0-393-06582-4.
- ISBN 030680302X.
- ^ "Louis Armstrong:Expert insights and analysis of the artist & albums". Mosaic Records - Home for Jazz fans!. Retrieved 2021-07-22.
- ^ Alexander, Scott. "Arthur "Zutty" Singleton (1898-1975)". The Red Hot Jazz Archive. Scott Alexander. Retrieved 16 February 2017.
- ISBN 9780195040432.
- ISBN 978-0-393-06582-4.
- ISBN 978-0-393-06582-4.
- ISBN 978-0-393-06582-4.
- ^ "GRAMMY Hall Of Fame History". GRAMMY.org. 1974-03-02. Retrieved 2016-10-30.
- ISBN 978-0-393-06582-4.
- ^ Riccardi, Ricky (28 June 2013). ""85 Years of "West End Blues""". Retrieved 28 December 2016.