A Verve Records Release. p c 2021 Verve Label Group, A Division Of UMG Recordings, Inc.

B0034391-02 1755 Broadway, New York, NY 10019. Distributed By UMG Commercial Services. All Rights
Reserved. FBI Anti-Piracy Warning: Unauthorized Copying Is Punishable Under Federal Law.
After listening to “A Gift to Pops” performed by the Wonderful World of Louis Few musicians who matured after the language of Bebop and Charlie Parker
Armstrong All Stars and produced collectively by Wycliffe Gordon, Jackie Harris took over the jazz world were able to go back and carry the melodic and
and Nicholas Payton, I am happy to advise the true Louis Armstrong fan that his excitement of the swing era. It’s interesting to me that Wynton Marsalis born
music is alive and well with this fascinating group of New Orleans musicians. in 1961, and Nicholas Payton born in 1973, both swing in each way. That
they fully understand and appreciate the genius of Louis Armstrong and can
Having been born in 1925, there are not too many left from my era with whom personally evoke it is refreshing to me and I am sure it is to any lovers of Pops.
I can share my youthful musical experiences. I was first immersed with Pops on Wynton appears on one number on this recording, but Nicholas’ strength,
a recording of “When the Saints Go Marching In” in 1938-39. After noticing talent and creativity carry the ball through almost every composition. I’m
in Downbeat when Harry James, (who had just won Best in Trumpet), said that continually amazed at his talent. Two additional trumpeters, Ashlin Parker and
Louis Armstrong should be the winner as he “was the greatest of all trumpeters,” Wendell Brunious, add to the joy of this album.
it further pushed me into the world of Louis Armstrong.
The rhythm section – Herlin Riley on drums, with whom I have had the pleasure of
In his later years, Pops had several hit records. “Mack the Knife” was big working, Reginald Veal on bass, Don Vappie on banjo and Davell Crawford on piano
and “Hello Dolly” was number one, displacing The Beatles. Versions of two are born swingers. I was impressed by the saxophone player, Roderick Paulin, with
other successful songs appear here: “What a Wonderful World” and “Give whom I was not familiar, but who I will be paying attention to in the future.
Me a Kiss to Build a Dream On.” The balance of the tunes on this recording
are all familiar to me from Louis’ repertoire of the late 1920s and 30s. To Louis Armstrong was as famous for his singing as he was as a trumpet player.
hear Wynton Marsalis play “Peanut Vendor” from 1930 was a joy, as I haven’t Since then, just about every musician I have ever known would like to be a singer.
heard that tune in many years. “Struttin’ with Some BBQ” is from the 20s, There is a reason for this, because no matter how well you play an instrument,
“I’ll be Glad When You’re Dead You Rascal You,” (“I’ll be standing on the musicians feel they communicate more directly by singing a song themselves.
corner high when they bring your body by” flips me out) “St. Louis Blues,” This group is no exception. Wycliffe Gordon, who by the way, is a musician who
“Swing that Music,” and “Black and Blue” all bring back memories of all the could have been a part of the contemporary music scene, but has given it up to
wonderful hours of music that became so important to me. become a major figure in exploiting and preserving the joys of traditional jazz,
loves to sing. As does Herlin Riley. Even Reginald Veal sings a chorus on “I’ll Be was having played in jazz clubs on the Boston scene. All my life, I’ve followed
Glad When You’re Dead, You Rascal You”. where motivation took me and have had the joy of success and despair of failure.
The band I opened with at Storyville was Bob Wilbur featuring Big Sid Catlett on
But it is Davell Crawford, a singer and a pianist, who steals the day with his drums. Big Sid had been Louis Armstrong’s drummer for many years.
version of Hoagy Carmichael’s “Rocking Chair.”
Louis Armstrong and the All Stars with Jack Teagarden, Earl “Fatha” Hines,
Fats Waller, with lyrics by Harry Brooks and Andy Razaf, wrote a song called Cozy Cole, Barney Bigard and Arvell Shaw were playing a concert at Symphony
“Black and Blue,” which was extraordinary for its racial consciousness in the Hall. My instincts as a promoter took hold. I gave Big Sid the night off and
time in which it was written. Nicholas Payton plays a beautiful solo and sings told him to get those guys to come to the club as my guests when the concert
the words with deep feeling and meaning. In addition, Common was invited as was over. Not only did they come to Storyville, they brought their instruments
a special guest to speak the words of this vital statement of the prejudice and and one by one they went directly to the bandstand. I had been in business
sickness of society which, in many respects, is still with us. He is joined by Big D for three weeks at that time. With all the musicians on the stage, Pops came
Perkins on guitar. This is an unforgettable musical statement. in and walked right to the microphone and sang “Sleepy Time Down South”
and forever changed my life. The excitement and electricity created by Louis
Back in 1970, I had the good fortune of filming a tribute to Louis Armstrong Armstrong at Storyville in Boston on a September night in 1950 made me
at Newport. Among the guests were Mahalia Jackson (I’ve always said about realize what my career would be ad infinitum. “A life in jazz.”
Mahalia – if we could hear the angels sing, they would sound like Mahalia.) I
asked Mahalia and Louis to sing together and they chose “Just a Closer Walk With this recording, the music of Louis Armstrong demonstrates how he created
with Thee.” It was an historic moment. Here, Reginald Veal, Davell Crawford the language of jazz and influenced all the music that followed – from swing to
and the Wonderful World of Louis Armstrong All Stars pay homage to Louis and bebop and even to rap, as demonstrated by Common. But there’s one thing for
Mahalia in their rendition of this gospel standard. sure: this band and record demonstrate that there was nothing common about
Louis Armstrong. He was one of the most extraordinary men I have ever known.
A long time ago, 1950 to be exact, I took the biggest leap of my life and opened
up a club in Boston called Storyville. The only experience I had as a club owner - George Wein
 4. up a lazy river
1. when it’s sleepy time down south
Arranged by Nicholas Payton Arranged by Nicholas Payton
Recorded by Misha Kachkachishvili, Mack Major and Written by Hoagy Carmichael Recorded by Misha Kachkachishvili at Esplanade
Written by Otis Rene, Clarence Muse, and Leon Rene
Jesse Snider at Esplanade Studios, New Orleans and The Published by Songs of Peer Ltd. (ASCAP) Studios, New Orleans
Published by Rene Leon Publications (ASCAP), Rene
Parlor Recording Studios, New Orleans Wycliffe Gordon - Trombone, Vocals Produced by Wycliffe Gordon, Jackie Harris and
Otis Publications, Peermusic (BMI)
Wynton’s overdub recorded by Rob Macomber at Jazz at Ashlin Parker - Trumpet Nicholas Payton
Lincoln Center Roderick Paulin - Soprano Saxophone
Louis Armstrong - Trumpet, Vocals
Produced by Wycliffe Gordon, Jackie Harris and Davell Crawford - Piano
Russell “Big Chief” Moore - Trombone
Nicholas Payton Reginald Veal - Bass
Eddie Shu - Clarinet
Herlin Riley - Drums, Vocals 6. rockin’ chair
Billy Kyle - Piano
Written by Hoagy Carmichael
Arvell Shaw - Bass
Arranged by Wycliffe Gordon Published by Songs of Peer Ltd. (ASCAP)
Danny Barcelona - Drums
3. struttin’ with some barbeque Recorded by Misha Kachkachishvili at Esplanade
Written by Lillian Hardin Armstrong Studios, New Orleans Davell Crawford - Piano, Vocals
Recorded in Sparks, Nevada 1964
Published by Universal Music Corporation (ASCAP) Produced by Wycliffe Gordon, Jackie Harris and Wendell Brunious - Trumpet
Produced by Wycliffe Gordon, Jackie Harris and
Nicholas Payton
Nicholas Payton
Nicholas Payton - Trumpet Arranged by Davell Crawford
Roderick Paulin - Alto Saxophone Recorded by Misha Kachkachishvili at Esplanade
Wycliffe Gordon - Trombone Studios, New Orleans
5. i’ll be glad when you’re dead
2. the peanut vendor
Courtney Bryan - Piano Produced by Wycliffe Gordon, Jackie Harris and
Herlin Riley - Drums Written by Sam Theard Nicholas Payton
Written by Moisés Simons
Don Vappie - Banjo Published by EMI Mills Music Inc.
Published by Southern Music Publ Co. Inc. (ASCAP)
Reginald Veal - Bass
Herlin Riley - Drums, Vocals
Wynton Marsalis - Trumpet
Arranged by Nicholas Payton Wycliffe Gordon - Trombone, Vocals 7. st. louis blues
Wycliffe Gordon - Trombone
Recorded by Misha Kachkachishvili, Mack Major and Reginald Veal - Bass, Vocals Written by William C. Handy
Roderick Paulin - Tenor Saxophone
Jesse Snider at Esplanade Studios, New Orleans and The Davell Crawford - Piano Published by Handy Bros Music Co. Inc. (ASCAP)
Courtney Bryan - Piano
Parlor Recording Studios, New Orleans Roderick Paulin - Alto Saxophone
Reginald Veal - Bass
Produced by Wycliffe Gordon, Jackie Harris and Nicholas Payton - Trumpet Herlin Riley - Drums, Vocals
Herlin Riley - Drums, Vocals
Nicholas Payton Don Vappie - Banjo Wycliffe Gordon - Soprano Trombone, Vocals
Nicholas Payton - Trumpet
Roderick Paulin - Tenor Saxophone
 9. swing that music
Davell Crawford - Piano, Clavinet Roderick Paulin - Tenor Saxophone Studios, New Orleans
Reginald Veal - Bass Wycliffe Gordon - Trombone Produced by Wycliffe Gordon, Jackie Harris and
Written by Louis Armstrong and Horace Gerlach
Courtney Bryan - Piano Nicholas Payton
Published by Louis Armstrong Music Publishing Co.
Arranged by Herlin Riley Reginald Veal - Bass
Inc. (ASCAP)
Recorded by Misha Kachkachishvili and Jesse Snider at Herlin Riley - Drums 12. what a wonderful world
Esplanade Studios, New Orleans Written by Bob Thiele and George David Weiss
Wycliffe Gordon - Trombone, Vocals
Produced by Wycliffe Gordon, Jackie Harris and Arranged by Nicholas Payton Published by Abilene Music Inc. (ASCAP), Quartet
Nicholas Payton - Trumpet
Nicholas Payton Recorded by Misha Kachkachishvili and Mack Major Music (ASCAP), Range Road Music Inc. (ASCAP)
Roderick Paulin - Soprano Saxophone
at Esplanade Studios, New Orleans and The Parlor
Courtney Bryan - Piano
Recording Studios, New Orleans Niki Haris - Vocals
Reginald Veal - Bass
Common’s vocals recorded by David Stoller at Samurai Davell Crawford - Piano, B-3 Organ
Herlin Riley - Drums
8. a kiss to build a dream on Hotel Recording Studio Herlin Riley - Drums
Written by Bert Kalmar, Harry Ruby, and Produced by Davell Crawford and Nicholas Payton Menia Chester - Background Vocals
Arranged by Nicholas Payton
Oscar Hammerstein II Common appears courtesy of Loma Vista Recordings
Recorded by Misha Kachkachishvili and Mack Major
Published by EMI Miller Catalog Inc. (ASCAP) Arranged by Nicholas Payton
at Esplanade Studios, New Orleans and The Parlor
Recorded by Misha Kachkachishvili, Mack Major and
Recording Studios, New Orleans
Roderick Paulin - Tenor Saxophone Jorge Castillo Jr. at Esplanade Studios, New Orleans and
Produced by Wycliffe Gordon, Jackie Harris and
Nicholas Payton - Trumpet 11. just a closer walk with thee The Parlor Recording Studios, New Orleans
Nicholas Payton
Davell Crawford - Piano, B-3 Organ Written by William Kirkpatrick and Fanny Crosby Produced by Wycliffe Gordon
Herlin Riley - Drums Public Domain

10. black and blue

Arranged by Nicholas Payton Reginald Veal - Vocals, Bass
Recorded by Misha Kachkachishvili and Mack Major Davell Crawford - Piano, B-3 Organ 13. philosophy of life
Written by Thomas ‘Fats’ Waller, Harry Brooks, and
at Esplanade Studios, New Orleans and The Parlor Ashlin Parker - Trumpet *L ouis Armstrong Interview courtesy of the
Andy Razaf
Recording Studios, New Orleans Roderick Paulin - Clarinet Fleischmann
Published by EMI Mills Music Inc. (ASCAP), Razaf Music
Produced by Wycliffe Gordon, Jackie Harris and Wycliffe Gordon - Trombone Yeast Hour Show
(ASCAP), Redwood Music Ltd. (PRS)
Nicholas Payton Don Vappie - Banjo
Herlin Riley - Drums
Nicholas Payton - Trumpet, Vocals
Common - Spoken Word
Arranged by Reginald Veal All tracks mixed and mastered by Misha Kachkachishvili
Derwin “Big D” Perkins - Guitar
Recorded by Misha Kachkachishvili at Esplanade at Esplanade Studios, New Orleans
Featuring: A&R: Ken Druker
Wycliffe Gordon – Trombone, Vocals A&R Management: Emerson Sudbury
Nicholas Payton – Trumpet, Vocals A&R Administration: Melody Ewing &
Roderick Paulin - Tenor Saxophone Femi Onafowokan
Ashlin Parker - Trumpet Marketing: Oliver Schrage
Courtney Bryan - Piano Production / Release Coordination: Rafaela Hernandez
Davell Crawford – Piano Creative Direction & Design: Kyledidthis
Don Vappie - Banjo Photos: Front Cover & Inlay: Courtesy of the Louis
Reginald Veal - Bass Armstrong House Museum. Outside Back & Inside Back
Herlin Riley – Drums, Vocals Covers: Photo by Jack Bradley, courtesy of the Louis
Niki Haris - Vocals Armstrong House Museum
Menia Chester - Background Vocals
The Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation Inc.
With Special Guests: was founded and funded by Louis and Lucille
Wynton Marsalis - Trumpet Armstrong in 1969 to “give back to the world some
Common - Spoken Word of the goodness he received.”
Derwin “Big D” Perkins - Guitar

Produced by Wycliffe Gordon, Jackie Harris and

Nicholas Payton

Executive Producer: Jackie Harris, The Louis Armstrong

Educational Foundation

Special thanks to: George Wein, Khalid Hafiz,

Jason Doyle, New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation,
George and Joyce Wein Jazz & Heritage Center,
Shelia Anderson, Jon Batiste, April Brumfield

ververecords.com
 1. when it’s sleepy time down south 2:59 2. the peanut vendor 4:39 3. struttin’ with some barbeque
4:04 4. up a lazy river 5:59 5. i’ll be glad when you’re dead 2:47 6. rockin’ chair 4:11 7. st. louis
blues 5:59 8. a kiss to build a dream on 5:06 9. swing that music 3:25 10. black and blue 5:34
11. just a closer walk with thee 4:07 12. what a wonderful world 4:04 13. philosophy of life 0:36
a gift to pops the wonderful world of louis armstrong all stars

a gift to pops the wonderful world of louis armstrong all stars

Produced by Wycliffe Gordon, Jackie Harris and Nicholas Payton // Executive
Producer: Jackie Harris, The Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation
A Verve Records Release. p c 2021 Verve Label Group,
B0034391-02

B0034391-02
A Division Of UMG Recordings, Inc. 1755 Broadway, New
York, NY 10019. Distributed By UMG Commercial Services.
All Rights Reserved. FBI Anti-Piracy Warning: Unauthorized
Copying Is Punishable Under Federal Law. B0034391-02
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