Giant meets Giant

Louis Armstrong Meets Oscar Peterson

Look at these two giants, sitting so casual on a couple of bar stools. Satchmo, the old master, and Oscar, the piano giant, could just as well be standing back to back, physically and metaphorically holding each other up with a sturdiness that would be best described as rock solid, or even better yet, “jazz solid”.

The relationship here, though, is peculiar. Mr Peterson serves in an accompanying manner. He gets top billing but he doesn’t play that way. He stays in the background, reflecting any residual spotlight for Ol’ Louis. And yet, Oscar plays brilliantly, as does the rest of his quartet: Ray Brown, Herb Ellis and Louie Bellson. These guys lay down a harmonic and rhythmic foundation completely devoid of chinks and fissures. All Mr. Armstrong had to do was float on top.

I particularly like the rendition of “What’s New” that shows off Mr. Peterson’s solo accompanimental skills. And Louis gives no more delicate performance, vocally or instrumentally, than during “You Go To My Head”.

The casual pose on the cover sets the tone for the whole show on this album. Every tune is relaxed. Each contributor to this project brings a full measure of attentiveness to their craft and every now and then a zap of intensity, and yet, overall, they’re all hanging loose. That’s my kind of album.

Credits: To the artistry of Ray Brown, Herb Ellis and Louis Bellson, who throughout their careers received the acclaim they deserved as master instrumentalists despite the “background” nature of their job.