Louis Armstrong

Jazz on a Summer's Day/A Summer's Day With Bert Stern

Part concert documentary, part pop-cultural time capsule, Bert Stern's Jazz on a Summer's Day chronicles the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival with an approach as deceptively relaxed, even impulsive, as the music itself. Still photographer Stern sidesteps more formal documentary conventions such as narrative voiceovers to wander purposefully from festival stage to boarding-house jam sessions, taking in the parallel color and motion of the America's Cup preparations when he isn't capturing rich color footage of the performances and the celebratory mood of the concertgoers. In the process, he documents American jazz at a notably golden moment in its development--diverse, adventurous, and still broadly popular, this was jazz not yet under the shadow of rock and youth culture, played by an integrated artistic community a few short years away from social and political turmoil that would boil divisively to the surface during the '60s. To say Stern was rolling film in a jazz Camelot is overstatement, but only slightly so.

Stern's circular approach and wonderful eye achieve a breezy languor at the expense of more comprehensive coverage of the festival's bumper crop of strong jazz, blues, and gospel musicians. Perhaps inevitably, the camera lingers on Louis Armstrong, Anita O'Day, Mahalia Jackson, Dinah Washington, Thelonious Monk, Gerry Mulligan, and George Shearing. Avid fans of later styles may be frustrated by the fleeting glimpses of other musicians such as Eric Dolphy and Art Farmer, or the honor roll of classic jazz stylists whose Newport sets weren't included in the film, but such omissions seem forgivable, if not necessary, to Stern's serendipitous design. --Sam Sutherland

Louis Armstrong: Greatest Performances of the 30's, 40's, 50's and 60's

There is no doubt that this amazingly talented man is the most influential singer and musician in American history. He is widely recognized as a founding father of jazz but Armstrong s artistic influence is universal unmatched and still alive. It s impossible to imagine American music without him.Louis Armstrong Greatest Performances features 17 ultra-rare filmed appearances captured between 1933 and 1963 featuring Armstrong at his very best. He always gave 100% his energy passion and commitment were undimmed by the years. On these incendiary performances he is joined by other greats: Bing Crosby Jackie Gleason Gene Krupa and George Shearing.System Requirements:Running Time: 70 minutesFormat: DVD AUDIO Genre: MUSIC DVD/LIVE PERFORMANCES Artist: ARMSTRONG LOUIS UPC: 610583336399 Manufacturer No: M19273

Louis Armstrong - Live in '59 (Jazz Icons)

The very existence of this hour-long concert, billed as perhaps the only complete Louis Armstrong show ever recorded on film, is a treat; the fact that Live in '59 is excellent both musically and technically makes it truly special. By the time of this Belgian gig, Armstrong was decades past the groundbreaking work that established him as the greatest and most influential instrumentalist and vocalist in jazz history. Yet he was still in fine form; then in his late fifties, he was playing a bit less and singing a little more, but his chops were in good shape, and his trumpet sound (described by Wynton Marsalis in the DVD liner notes as "big and open with a deep spiritual essence--a sound closest to the Angel Gabriel") remained inimitable. The band, with trombonist Trummy Young, clarinetist Michael "Peanuts" Hucko, pianist Billy Kyle, bass player Mort Herbert, and drummer Danny Barcelona, is at once tight and loose, enough at ease with the music to let it breathe on its own. As for the repertoire, it's a virtual primer on Dixieland and early jazz, including "When It's Sleepy Time Down South," the riotous "Hold That Tiger," "Now You Has Jazz" (with Young helping Satchmo recreate his duet with Bing Crosby in the film High Society), a tour de force rendition of "Stompin' at the Savoy," and two Armstrong standards, "Mack the Knife" and "When the Saints Go Marching In" (saucy, plus-sized vocalist Velma Middleton appears for a couple of numbers at the end, including an innuendo-laden "St. Louis Blues"). Typical of the Jazz Icons series, both audio and video are amazingly clean and clear. But perhaps best of all is the opportunity to witness Louis, his musicians, and the audience simply having a ball. In retrospect, Armstrong's mugging--the wide eyes, the parading around the stage, the constant shucking and jiving--led to accusations that he was pandering to his white audiences like some latter day minstrel, and many musicians subsequently adopted a too-cool-for-the-room stance in response. But "Pops" wasn't just a musician; he was an entertainer. "What you're there for," he once said, "is to please the people," and there's no doubt that Live in '59 will do exactly that. --Sam Graham

Jazz Icons: Louis Armstrong is one of the only known complete Armstrong concerts from the 1950s to be captured on fi lm. This 55-minute set, fi lmed in Belgium in 1959, features many of SatchmoÂ's greatest songs including Â"Mack The KnifeÂ", Â"When ItÂ's Sleepy Time Down SouthÂ" and Â"StompinÂ' At The Savoy,Â" backed by his stellar band the All-Stars, featuring Trummy Young, Peanuts Hucko, Billy Kyle, Danny Barcelona and Mort Herbert.

The Story of Jazz (Masters of American Music)

Produced as the title segment to a six-part series, this 90-minute documentary traces the evolution of jazz from its 19th-century origins in New Orleans's Congo Square, where slaves first introduced American listeners to the complex rhythms and earthy textures of African music. How that cultural diaspora combined with European and American folk, classical, and popular styles to become jazz, "America's classical music," is an oft-told tale, but it's handsomely served here by an intelligent script shaped by veteran jazz journalist Chris Albertson, and a well-chosen array of performances: Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Willie "the Lion" Smith, Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie, Louis Armstrong, Jimmie Lunceford, Charles Mingus, Count Basie, Billie Holiday, Thelonious Monk, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Sarah Vaughan, and Gil Evans all appear, representing as complete a pantheon of major innovators and influences as could be hoped for. Period footage, including both stills and rare film clips, and interviews with musicians and scholars round out a portrait equally appropriate for hard-core jazz fans and novice listeners looking for a point of entry. --Sam Sutherland

New Orleans

This little-seen, 1947 drama is a treat for jazz fans, thanks to an otherwise creaky, if nobly intentioned story built around the music's Crescent City genesis that provides an ample excuse to turn the camera on authentic jazz greats. Nick Duquesne (Arturo De Cordova) is a Bourbon Street charmer whose gambling club provides the mythic stomping grounds for none other than Louis Armstrong, whose vocalizing sweetheart Endie, played by none other than Billie Holiday, proves no slouch herself. A newly arrived debutante, Miralee (Dorothy Patrick), arrives in New Orleans and falls first for the music and then for the roguish but ultimately gallant Nick. The movie follows knee-jerk plot machinations revolving around her family's efforts to excise Nick from her life, her own dream of mingling jazz and classical music, and the gambler's transformation into a jazz promoter.

The script works in the squalor and much of the geography of Storyville and the French Quarter, even providing a contrasting look at the genteel parlor music being played in "respectable" casinos, and the casting telegraphs the production's reverence for jazz. Satchmo's other musical partners are equally serendipitous, including Kid Ory, Barney Bigard, Bud Scott, Zutty Singleton, Meade "Lux" Lewis, and Red Callender. A brief arc late in the film adds Woody Herman and his orchestra.

When the musicians are featured, New Orleans is a frequent delight, with Armstrong as magnetic as always, and Holiday endearing. As an actress, she's a terrific singer, and luckily Lady Day's dialogue is far briefer than her featured vocals. The DVD version boasts additional period shorts showcasing Armstrong (1932's "A Rhapsody in Black and Blue") and Holiday's "Symphony in Black" from 1935). --Sam Sutherland

Sinatra - The Classic Duets

Frank Sinatra "Classic Duets" features an incredible roster of many of the greatest and most influential jazz and pop singers of all time. Compiled from Sinatra TV specials that originally aired between 1957-1960, this highly collectable program includes complete musical performances and special interviews and commentary from the Sinatra family, Tina, Nancy and Frank Sinatra Jr. Highlights include Frank Sinatra performing with Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee, Louis Armstrong, Dean Martin, Bing Crosby, Lena Horne, Nancy Sinatra, Elvis Presley and more.

The Ultimate Collection

Louis Armstrong The Portrait Collection is a DVD collection of some of Armstrong s best-known performances including his amazing Danish filmappearance in 1933 TV performances on Frank Sinatra s 1952 TV show with Jackie Gleason on the Timex All Star Show in 1959.Also included are over fortyminutes of Armstrong speaking at length about his remarkable life and career; an interactive timeline and nine photo galleries (mini-movies each with music soundtrack).FILMAND TV PERFORMANCESLouis Armstrong & The All Stars with intros by Frank Sinatra and Jackie Gleason.Complete performances with Dizzy Gillespie Jack Teagarden Velma Middleton Big Sid Catlett Barney Bigard andmany others.Track List:I COVER THEWATERFRONTWHEN IT S SLEEPY TIME DOWN SOUTHDINAHCONFESSIN I LL BE GLADWHEN YOU RE DEAD YOU RASCAL YOUBASIN STREET BLUESSHINEMACK THE KNIFESWINGIN ON NOTHIN THAT S MY DESIREROCKIN CHAIRUMBRELLA MANNOW YOU HAS JAZZ/TIGER RAGSOME DAYLOUIS ARMSTRONG TALKS ON TVTIMELINEInteractive features: Hundreds of rare and classic imagesfilm and interview clips audio tracks ephemera includingQuicktime movie links and much morePHOTO GALLERIESNine visual tours through Armstrong s life each with soundtrack:ForerunnersEurope1932 1934On the road in the 1930sOn screen Ambassador Satch 1949 1960sA Star Among StarsAfrica 1956At homeEphemeraFormat: DVD AUDIO Genre: MUSIC DVD/LIVE PERFORMANCES Artist: ARMSTRONG LOUIS UPC: 602517531390 Manufacturer No: B0010365-09

The Legendary Crooners - Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Bing Crosby, Nat King Cole, Perry Como

The Legendary Crooners features classic performances by Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Bing Crosby, Nat "King" Cole and Perry Como.

Bing Crosby is featured along with another influential performer, Louis Armstrong, on Now You Has Jazz. "Der Bingle" also takes a musical trip with Frank Sinatra as they perform Mexicali Rose, South of the Border, I Love Paris and more, and are joined by surprise guest Bob Hope for The Road to Morocco.

The warm, easy-going style of Perry Como is on display as he performs Hello Young Lovers and sings an engaging duet with Ann-Margret on It Might as Well Be Spring. Then it's the "King of Cool" himself, Dean Martin, singing some of his biggest hits including Oh, Marie and That's Amore and clowning with his former partner Jerry Lewis and guest Jack Benny.

The lighter side of Nat "King" Cole comes across through his performances of That's My Girl and Frim Fram Sauce. And for a finale, Frank Sinatra sings Witchcraft and gives us a musical history lesson along with Louis Armstrong in Birth of the Blues.

The performances in this entertaining DVD prove why Frank, Dean, Bing, Nat and Perry (last names are really not necessary) ruled the world of popular music for many decades, and are still loved today.

Louis Armstrong - Satchmo

Louis Armstrong and Friends