Jazz Ambassador: Scott Robinson Plays the Compositions of Louis Armstrong

Scott Robinson, tenor sax, baritone sax, bass sax, echo coronet, trombonium, C-Melody sax, double bell euphonium, F mezze-soprano, ophicleide
Larry Ham, piano, organ
Mark Shane, piano
Mike LeDonne, organ
Klaus Suonsaari, drums
Pat O'Leary, bass/Indigenafrica, African drums

In the early 1990s and during his State Department Jazz Ambassador's tour of eleven West African countries in 2001, Scott began to reflect on the fact that Louis Armstrong had either written or co-written a lot of great music, much of which is seldom performed. The sublime pleasure of this album, and what provides it such artistic distinction, is the creative imagination that Scott Robinson applies in uniquely arranging Armstrong's great tunes and performing them on an impressive variety of instruments in ways never before heard. If Armstrong's instrumental gifts as a virtuoso trumpeter are sometimes overlooked, his compositional talents are even more so. Many of his nearly five decades of recordings are as startling, even avant-garde, today as when they were made. Armstrong was and is king of American music. Yet few of us realize the immensity of his accomplishment. Scott's genius may help to rectify this omission.

Selections:
Potato Head Blues, Lazy Sippi Steamer Going Home, Irish Black Bottom, Gutbucket Blues, Cornet Chop Suey, Gully Low Blues, When You Leave Me Alone To Pine, Hear Me Talkin' To Ya, Someday You'll Be Sorry, Wild Man Blues, Red Cap Yes! I'm In The Barrel, Swing That Music, Tears