The Complete Louis Armstrong

[brownie]

The French reissue label Frémeaux has just released the first of a series of volumes that should provide a complete overview of the available music of Louis Armstrong.

Volume 1- Chimes Blues

Should bring joy to the Satchmo completists!

Just hoping it will be as good - and as thorough - as the Frémeaux Django Reinhardt series.

Edited October 6, 2006 by brownie

[medjuck]

Somehow I doubt that they'll finish this in my lifetime. How many volumes do they expect to issue? 1000?

[tatifan]

Well, at least by the time they finish it, they won't need to break any copyright laws for his later recordings....unless they change the laws.

[felser]

Well, at least by the time they finish it, they won't need to break any copyright laws for his later recordings....unless they change the laws.

Sort of reminds me of the old National Lampoon gag, where for a limited time you could order a set of "every record ever made".

[EKE BBB]

Just picked the first volume (3CD) of this Intégrale Louis Armstrong, and for a bargain price (obviously mispriced, 18 €!!!)

I think this is going to be as great as the Django Reinhardt Complete series.

Yes, I know, many of us have most of this early Armstrong material over and over but I think it's great to have it all in one collection, and what a great collection! (Disclaimer: I missed the Louis Armstrong Masters Of Jazz series)

Liner notes by Daniel Nevers and photographs enclosed are very good (and Laurie Wright's involving is a guarantee of quality, though his only contribution is the English translation of these liner notes). Packaging is great as usual.

And as for sound quality, I haven't A/B checked with other releases (mostly Classics and King Jazz CDs in my case), but the overall impression is good.

BTW: Volume 2 has just been released:

[jazzbo]

Well, if I live long enough, I'll grab some of their Decca years material.

[gslade]

Well, if I live long enough, I'll grab some of their Decca years material.

Just what I was thinking

If gnome project unlocks the secrets of aging

and medical technology grows exponentially

I could complete my Satchmo fetish

[Chuck Nessa]

I could complete my Satchmo fetish

Just stroke it as fast as you can.

[gslade]

All right I'll put my drink down

and

put sum Satch on

[Chuck Nessa]

All right I'll put my drink down

and

put sum Satch on

You the MAN!

[bluesbro]

I just got Vol1 yesterday and I am very happy with it. Sound and all. I have already pre ordered Vol2, which should be released in a week here in the U.S.

[EKE BBB]

Just ordered Volume 3:

INTEGRALE LOUIS ARMSTRONG VOL 3

CORNET SHOP SUEY 1925-1926

[paul secor]

How often am I going to be tempted into rebuying this music?

And if I buy it again, how many more times will I listen to it in my lifetime?

[bluesbro]

Just ordered Volume 3:

INTEGRALE LOUIS ARMSTRONG VOL 3

CORNET SHOP SUEY 1925-1926

I've had it for a week or so, and I am very happy with it as well. All 3 volumes are great. I plan on keep buying them all!

Edited April 20, 2007 by bluesbro

[Guest Bixieland]

This is interesting nevertheless. But still, the main concern -- how's the sound quality?

[bluesbro]

This is interesting nevertheless. But still, the main concern -- how's the sound quality?

Top notch.

[EKE BBB]

I sent an email to Fremeaux yesterday, asking if they already know how many volumes will this series include and if there's an estimated release schedule. Will report back when they reply.

Edited May 8, 2007 by EKE BBB

[EKE BBB]

Just received the reply from Fremeaux:

(...) We have planed to issue between 2 and 4 volume of the Complete Louis

Armstrong every year. This serie will include between 70 and 100 volumes,

which means 210 or 300 CDs.

Best regards,

Benjamin Goldenstein, for the Client service.

[BruceH]

Just received the reply from Fremeaux:

(...) We have planed to issue between 2 and 4 volume of the Complete Louis

Armstrong every year. This serie will include between 70 and 100 volumes,

which means 210 or 300 CDs.

Best regards,

Benjamin Goldenstein, for the Client service.

Wow.

[paul secor]

Just received the reply from Fremeaux:

(...) We have planed to issue between 2 and 4 volume of the Complete Louis

Armstrong every year. This serie will include between 70 and 100 volumes,

which means 210 or 300 CDs.

Best regards,

Benjamin Goldenstein, for the Client service.

Wow.

Well, at least some of the younger members will be around when the series concludes.

[brownie]

Volume 4 is out!

It goes up to the May 1928 Savoy Ballroom Five session.

[BruceH]

Also, since they put these in the old, ugly, big CD cases if you're in for the whole series you're gonna have to build a new room on your house to hold them.

[Hoppy T. Frog]

That Fremeaux website is something else. To this American, it looks like the cultural history of an alternate universe: Never mind the fact that I have never heard of the philosophers featured on the front page--what kind of market is there for 4-CD sets of philosophers discussing their work, even in France? 9 CD books? Chanson? The Complete Works of Django and Louis Armstrong? This is all just baffling to me. I assume it's an independent label--where do they get the dough to do all this?

I guess you guys really are different from us!

Edited September 30, 2007 by Hoppy T. Frog

[brownie]

I guess you guys really are different from us!

... and very glad about it!

The Frémeaux people are doing a great job with their releases. Their 2005 catalogue (98 pages, all small type) is a visual and mingboggling delight.

It includes a 12-CD box of philosopher Michel Onfray discussing a counter-history of philosophy, a 3CD set of Albert Camus reading 'The Stranger', plus various sets on Henri Bergson, Claude Levi-Strauss, also sets on André Malraux, Charles de Gaulle, etc...

Their jazz section is pretty impressive too. Besides all the great ones, it lists CDs by Mal Waldron, Archie Shepp, Anthony Ortega and others.

[Hoppy T. Frog]

3CD set of Albert Camus reading 'The Stranger'

I'd be all over that, but it's probably in French