Original Hot Five Recordings of Louis Armstrong

Offers an account of the 55 performances recorded by the Hot Five - Louis Armstrong and four other seasoned practitioners of the burgeoning jazz style - recorded between 1925 and 1928 in Chicago.

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Between 1925 and 1928 the Hot Five, the incomparable Louis Armstrong and four seasoned practitioners of the burgeoning jazz style, recorded fifty-five performances in Chicago for the OKeh label. Oddly enough, the quintet immortalized on vinyl with recent technology rarely performed as a unit in local nightspots. And yet, like other music now regarded as especially historic, their work in the studio summarized approaches of the past and set standards for the future.

Remarkable both for popularity among the members of the public and for influence on contemporary musicians, these recordings helped make ?Satchmo? a familiar household name and ultimately its bearer an adored public figure. They showcased Armstrong's genius, notably his leadership in transforming the practice of jazz as an ensemble improvisation into jazz as the art of the improvising soloist.

In his study Professor Anderson, ?forthe first time, ?provides a detailed account of the origins of this pioneering enterprise, relates individual pieces to existing copyright deposits, and contextualizes the music by offering a reliable timeline of Armstrong's professional activities during these years. All fifty-five pieces, moreover, are described in informed commentary.
Winner in the category Best Research in Recorded Jazz Music of the 2007 Association for Recorded Sound Collections Awards for Excellence.