Lil Hardin Armstrong's legendary last studio session...
roarin20sGuy | 09/20/2000
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Lil Harden, will go down in history as being the 1st important female musician in jazz history, she palyed piano on most of King Oliver's Creole Jazz Band sides in the early 20's, and she also played piano on the majority of Louis Armstrong's Hot Fives & Sevens in the 20's, eventually she would marry Armstrong, she also composed many jazz standards which Louis Armstrong got credit for composing, she composed "Struutin' With Some Barbecue Sauce" and "Just For A Thrill." She even led some of Louis Armstrong's small groups in the 20's under the name of "Lil's Hot Shots" which were the same group as his Hot Five & Sevens. This "Chicago: The Living Legends Series" which was documenting great jazz artists from the 20's, in the early 1960's, has Lil Hardin Armstrong in a dixieland setting, all insrumental but one self composed "Clip Joint" (she sings so great on this title, that you'll wish she had recorded more vocals) Lil on piano sounds as hot as ever, and the band is consistantly hot on all of these New Orleans/Dixieland standards. "Royal Garden Blues" "Muskrat Ramble" and "Clip Joint" are just a few of the highlights of this terrific CD. Essential for Dixieland and New Orleans collectors, this is the best music that ever came out of the 60's."