Search - Louis Armstrong and Pete Fountain :: Christmas in New Orleans

A blast from the past.

Ward Cates | Pennsylvania USA | 07/01/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a classic. Armstrong's voice is its own blend of sandpaper and silk and it is satisfying to listen to him. There are tunes in here like "Zat you Santa Claus" that are a hoot: "What's that I spy there, is that an eye there? Zat you Santa Claus?" Now, once you hear it, you'll have a hard time getting it out of your head. The playing is solid and the tunes are all well executed. This is jazz played the way "it used to be," and it is a throroughly satisfying experience. I bought this on vinyl originally and am glad it has made the trip to CD.So few people today have heard Satchmo (Armstrong) that when you put this one on and people start to hum along and pick up the words, they get quiet and listen. It's a blast from the past!"

A good collection that could have been a little better

John Sloan | right there | 12/30/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"These are just some of the reasons to get this disc:
* Duke Ellington & His Orchestra doing "Jingle Bells is just about the best of the hundreds of versions of that song.
* Louis Prima's "What Will Santa Claus Say (When He Finds Everybody Swingin'?)" is sone vintage Christmas swing.
* Big Tiny Little's (I just love that name) ragtime piano intrumental "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" will make you want to sing along.
* Charles Brown does the original "Merry Christmas, Baby". If you don't already own it on another compilation, you can get it here.Most of the songs here are good representations of Christmas in New Orleans. Still, I have to wonder why the producers of this disc chose to include Fats Domino's "When The Saints Go Marching In", since he has recorded some great Christmas songs. And how did the Boston Pops end up on a New Orleans compilation? Also, Victoria Spivey's "Christmas Morning Blues" has kind of grating 1920's blues sound that would appeal mostly to music historians.
This is probably about a 3 1/2 star set, but the generous Christmas spirit bumps it up to 4."

Terrif!

John Sloan | 04/27/2003

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I usually hate xmas compilations, but this one has a coupla gems. Louis Prima's "What Will Santa Claus Say (when he finds everybody swingin')" is so jivin'. AND he wrote it! Also, Duke Ellington's take on that hardened chestnust, "Jingle Bells" is impressive. And the jovial call-and-response vocals of "I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm" is worth the price of admission alone."