You might know him as “Satchmo,” a great many fans did. Many of those not familiar with his music might know him by the pictures; a classy man with dark brown skin, with muscular cheeks fully inflated like party balloons as he blows his brass. Much like the images of other trumpeters such as Dizzy Gilespie, this was the image of Louis Armstrong that stuck with me as a child. I saw the pictures, and then I made it a mission to hear them. The sound that I was able to put to those pictures is something that has lived with me continuously throughout my musical journey through life.

   Canadian Brass has put forth a stunning tribute to Armstrong that covers every facet of the man’s legendary career. If you want to learn who Louis Armstrong really was, this is the CD you need to hear. When I first got my hands on Armstrong’s stuff, I was immediately attracted to the “New Orleans Jazz” sound; the toe-tapping bebop of the trumpets and trombones skipping along with eyes bugged out. This CD shows so many more angles of Armstrong’s influence. With arrangements by Luther Henderson, Canadian Brass offers up three excellent tracks based on Johann Sebastian Bach’s Well Tempered Clavier, and plays them with a smooth and sensuous classical brilliance. These tracks, “Bebop Bach,” “Cool Bach,” and “Dixie Bach” are a departure from the New Orleans sound that Armstrong is so widely known, but they define direction. This is a side of Satchmo that not many really explore, but the addition of these tracks is essential when telling the full story of the man.

   This collection also delves into the inimitable style of George Gershwin, who was instrumental in bringing jazz and pop to the stage. The four Gershwin tracks, also arranged by the aforementioned Henderson, have overwhelming theatrical Broadway flair. “Sleepless Night” and “Three-Quarter Blues” are smooth movers that speak out so dramatically they almost come with scripts, whereas “Strike Up The Band” is a more typical foot tapper. Then the high strutting hop of “Promenade,” sometimes known as “Walking The Dog” because of a scene with Fred Astaire and his pooch from the film Shall We Dance, is a whole other animal. “Promenade” may be my favorite piece on the disc just because of its genuine personality.

   And, of course, this well-rounded collection is stuffed full of the stylish Dixieland jazz that made Armstrong so famous. Songs like “Sweet Georgia Brown” and “St. Louis Blues” are staples in society. It’s hard to exist on Earth and not be familiar with these timeless pieces of instrumental brilliance. “Carolina Shout,” “Struttin’ With Some Barbecue,” and “Black Bottom Stomp” are sure to stretch your smile to both ears, while the sly blues drawl of “Black and Blue” will make your head sway and your eyes close. And yes, the song Satch is best known for, “Blueberry Hill” closes out this most excellent tribute.

   It’s always a risk to remake the classics or pay tribute to the artists that shaped a generation or genre. So much needs to take place for a recording to be successful. Perhaps first and foremost, you must have the best players on the job; secondly, the production must be done in a way that makes the music still feel organic; the arrangements must be accurate and/or noteworthy; and lastly, the song selection must give a complete and rounded view of the artist. Canadian Brass has hit dead on with all of these important measures. This will convince even the most skeptical listener that Canadian Brass has the finest players in the world on the roster. Luther Henderson’s arrangements are perfect, and the production and song selection give this tribute a street level naturalist feel. If you don’t know Louis Armstrong before you hear this CD, you’re sure to be good friends with him afterward.

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