Yesterday we listened to Duke’s elegant Black Beauty, his tribute to the legendary Florence Mills. But the "Queen of Happiness" inspired more than just one masterpiece. One of the most enduring standards in the American Songbook, Memories of You, was written by Eubie Blake and Andy Razaf for the 1930 Blackbirds revue as a direct nod to the vacancy Florence left behind.
Satchmo Gets the Vibe
Let’s start with Louis Armstrong’s definitive 1930 recording. Not only is Louis in top form here, but this track is historically significant for featuring a young Lionel Hampton. It is widely considered the very first time the vibraphone was recorded in a jazz setting!
I love how the shimmering sound of the vibes adds such a dreamy, nostalgic layer to Louis’s vocal.
The Ellingtonian Side-Trip
Lionel Hampton returned to the song in 1939 with a studio pick-up group on Victor:
It sounds great, and a glance at the label explains why: it’s basically a Duke Ellington small unit! We have Harry Carney on sax, Rex Stewart on trumpet, Lawrence Brown on trombone, Billy Taylor on bass, and Sonny Greer on drums. The only "outsider" is Clyde Hart on piano (filling in for Duke), plus Hamp on vibes.
Hamp headed a number of these sessions with top-tier musicians for Victor while working with Benny Goodman, right before forming his own powerhouse band.
Trumpet Pyrotechnics
For a completely different vibe, we sneak back to 1938 to listen to trumpet star Sonny Dunham with Glen Gray and the Casa Loma Orchestra on Decca:
If Louis gave us the soul of the song, Sonny gives us the fireworks. His high-note trumpet work on this arrangement is legendary - a masterclass in brass virtuosity that had other trumpet players of the era shaking their heads in disbelief!
Back in the day when I was beginning my Big Band journey, this was the type of record that really caught my ear. I’ve always been drawn to trumpet stars with somewhat idiosyncratic techniques pushed to the limit!
Which do you prefer: the groundbreaking "vibes" and soul of Louis, the Ellingtonian feel of Hamp, or the high-flying pyrotechnics of Sonny?
Note: Since it’s Black History Month, let us remember the groundbreaking Florence Mills, the Original Blackbird and the true Black Beauty!
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