One More Time
In college, I took a course in the philosophy of the "Modern." Our first assignment was to define "modern," and I borrowed a friend's tape recorder and copied "Potato Head Blues" from my Columbia LP. To the spool I attached a note that said "Listen to the improvised solo, and then listen again." My professor --a sculptor as well as an academic-- returned the spool with his own note that said I kept him from doing any work for two hours, because all he could do was play it over and over again. In fact, that is precisely what happened to me when I heard that unbelievable track for the first time.

This is the seminal music of the most important musician of the Twentieth Century. He is joined by colleagues who on their own were most-highly- regarded, but especially for younger folk, who only knew Armstrong as the artist-entertainer or amazingly popular singer of songs often with only middling value, here is the humble revolutionary. Armstrong takes what he learned and simply transforms it into a unique, lasting idiom --nothing less than that. He defines the standards of jazz forever, and he does it so completely that you will be thunderstruck.

He invents popular singing, he leads an intensely swinging series of groups, and most of all he plays trumpet. Technically, he may have been the greatest player of his instrument ever --no matter the category of music. But his improvisations soar with a simplicity that goes to the marrow of art.

One critic has called architecture "frozen music," and Armstrong's solos, and forgive me if I just hear "Potato Head" over and over in my mind as I write, are perfectly defined as "liquid architecture."

And now, if you will excuse me, I think I will listen to some music...again...and again....

Music 5 stars of course, packaging 1 star
I luckily read the reviews before purchase and had the cashier (Borders) open before purchase. The first two indeed had glue on the CD's, the third was the charm. Now to the music; how could you not enjoy these tunes? The cornet/trumpet playing of Louis is beyond belief especially when you consider these tracks are all done in one take. Kid Ory, Johnny Dodds, Lil Hardin-Armstrong and Johnny St. Cyr are also excellent musicians and complement Louis' playing. We also are introduced to Louis' vocals, but the real thrill is his cornet/trumpet playing; his solos would never be matched by any artist then or since. There are so many excellent tunes, to name them all would be to simply give the track listing for all CD's. My favorites include 'Heebie Jeebies', 'Cornet Chop Suey', 'Dropping Shucks', 'Potato Head Blues' and 'After You've Gone'. Most will notice I did not mention 'West End Blues', that is because this song needs to be singled out. What can you say about this song that hasn't already been said? This song is arguably the best, most influential sound recording of the 20th century. Each time you hear it you have to say "Wow". I also own the JSP box set and each has their good and bad points. Get both and lose yourself in early Louis which bears little resemblance to the Louis most are familiar with (No I'm not knocking the later Armstrong, I love it as well).

Loads of fun...Worth every penny spent.
I know...I know...it's music from the 1920's, the sort of music that one could not blare on the car stereo while cruising down the strip on a Friday night without getting strange looks from people. But, it's very fun and it literally brings a smile to my face. Louis's vocals on songs like A Monday Date, Hotter Than That, Gully Low Blues, Basin Street Blues, and many more, are a perfect way to bring someone out of a deep depression. In sum, the music is loads of fun. And for the serious jazz collectors and aficionados, there is much to appreciate in great tunes such as West End Blues, Tight Like This, and Wild Man Blues.
Added to all this is the fact that the sound on this Sony/Columbia Legacy reissue is terrific, despite some crackles and pops. Each instrumentalist can be heard much more distinctly than in previous editions such as the Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man compilation. If I have children, I'd raise them on this kind of wonderful music.

Music is cornerstone. Better Sonics than the JSP set.
I'm not going to labor on the fact that this music is fantastic, cornerstone of jazz, indispensible, blah, blah, blah. We all already know that. I want to talk about the sonic quality of these recordings.

I read so much about this John RT Davies guy, who mastered the JSP label box set of these same recordings. I heard so many positive things about his skills, particularly on that set, and how the sound is allegedly far superior to the Columbia version. I had to get BOTH to compare. I bought this newly revised 2006 edition of the Hot sessions released by Columbia/Legacy/Sony/BMG (the official edition), and the imported box set on the British JSP label (NOT affiliated with Columbia/Legacy in any way).

The late John RT Davies, who mastered the JSP set is considered so good, that people on Amazon claimed that that collection (mastered from old 78s), was far better than the engineers at Columbia, using the original masters (owned EXCLUSIVELY by Columbia.) Heck, RCA & Columbia thought he was good, as i've seen his name adorning very LEGAL pressings of all sorts of old jazz under the RCA & Columbia labels, right here in the U.S.A. So, he certainly had some clout, and some talent.

Unlike almost every reviewer on here, i do not consider the JSP box set to sound better than the official Columbia release (2006 version). However, i still think it sounds pretty good. There is something important to consider. While Davies is considered a true master at...well, remastering, his work at JSP comes up flawed, because he did not have access to the original masters, which are safely secured in Sony/Columbia/Legacy's vaults. He had to use old 78's (the kind you bought in the store) to make these new masters. So, while he may have picked 78's that were better preserved, and had seen less action, he was still using the next generation of recordings.

When you master from the originals over and over and over again, you tend to add all kinds of artificial pops, clicks, hisses, and such into the original disc (Bing Crosby had to re-record White Christmas in 1947, because the original 1942 recording was pressed so many times, it sounded horrible). Therefore, if you use a pretty clean 78, you can avoid much of that, and come out with a cleaner master to make into a CD. When you add some digital noise removal systems (essentially computer programs), you make them even cleaner, and if done right, still not sacrifice the integrity of the music (more or less).

Sounds pretty cut and dry right? The 78's should sound better then, right? Why wouldn't Columbia re-master their collection from old 78's as well? A very important reason, actually. When you copy old 78's, instead of the original pressings, you move at least one generation away from the original performance. Everytime you make a copy of a copy, the sound gets muddier, with less distinction and more distortion. Certainly, with skill and technology, it can be minimalized, but the fact remains.

Soooooooo.......my analysis? The JSP set sounds a tad smoother, with less pops. The bass is a little deeper too, however a bit muddier (slightly distorted). The Columbia set from 2006 DOES have a bit more scratchiness, and the bass is not quite as deep. However, the sound is CLEANER, and...my favorite descriptive word in this whole review...more TRANSPARENT. That's right. Every instrument in the Columbia set is more distinct from all the other instruments. The sound feels light, airy, and alive. The JSP set, while more smooth doesn't have that clarity of the original recordings. They sound more like...well, records.

So, which is better? There's no really correct answer. It's a matter of taste. For ME, the Columbia set wins, hands down. I'm 31 years old. For most of my musical life, i grew up listening to CDs. However, many people have fond memories of what their old collection of vintage records sound like. What you hear on records that you don't hear on CDs is distortion. It's slight, but it's certainly there. Technically, CDs are cleaner, and more accurate representations of the actual music than records ever were. But people have aural memories, and THAT'S the sound they want to hear. It's a very natural, and totally unconscious reaction. We like what we know. Everytime i buy better speakers, amps, etc., i always miss the sound of my old, inferior equipment...for a little while. Then as i use it, my ears adjust to the new sound, and i ADORE it. Anytime i've tried going back to the OLD set-up after that, i had a much stronger negative reaction than i did when going UP in quality. My ears became adjusted to what's better.

So, here's my recommendation:

If you don't have those fond memories of old vinyl or shellac discs, and grew up on CDs, then the Columbia set is 150% better. The sound is cleaner, tighter, more distinct instrumentally, and contains less distortion. You get music that's closer to reality. The drawback of course, is you will hear a bit more crackle, and a tad less bass.

If you DO have those fond memories of the big black discs, and you remember the warm, rounded sound that made you feel like cuddling up in a blanket with a cup of cocoa & a wish on a star, then you really need to get the JSP set instead. If you also happen to listen to rap in your Escalade, and you like to hear the bass completely distorting, but you think you wanna try some early Satchmo, then you NEED that set. Don't even think about buying the Columbia version. Just remember, while the JSP is smoother, it is also further away from the original performance, so the sound is muddier and less distinct.

I've compared nearly every track on both sets. They both sound pretty good in their own ways. While i certainly prefer the clarity of this set, i also think the JSP set is worth owning...for some people. You just have to decide what kind of person you are.

Music is cornerstone...better sonics than JSP set.
I'm not going to labor on the fact that this music is fantastic, cornerstone of jazz, indispensible, blah, blah, blah. We all already know that. I want to talk about the sonic quality of these recordings.

I read so much about this John RT Davies guy, who mastered the JSP label box set of these same recordings. I heard so many positive things about his skills, particularly on that set, and how the sound is allegedly far superior to the Columbia version. I had to get BOTH to compare. I bought this newly revised 2006 edition of the Hot sessions released by Columbia/Legacy/Sony/BMG (the official edition), and the imported box set on the British JSP label (NOT affiliated with Columbia/Legacy in any way).

The late John RT Davies, who mastered the JSP set is considered so good, that people on Amazon claimed that that collection (mastered from old 78s), was far better than the engineers at Columbia, using the original masters (owned EXCLUSIVELY by Columbia.) Heck, RCA & Columbia thought he was good, as i've seen his name adorning very LEGAL pressings of all sorts of old jazz under the RCA & Columbia labels, right here in the U.S.A. So, he certainly had some clout, and some talent.

Unlike almost every reviewer on here, i do not consider the JSP box set to sound better than the official Columbia release (2006 version). However, i still think it sounds pretty good. There is something important to consider. While Davies is considered a true master at...well, remastering, his work at JSP comes up flawed, because he did not have access to the original masters, which are safely secured in Sony/Columbia/Legacy's vaults. He had to use old 78's (the kind you bought in the store) to make these new masters. So, while he may have picked 78's that were better preserved, and had seen less action, he was still using the next generation of recordings.

When you master from the originals over and over and over again, you tend to add all kinds of artificial pops, clicks, hisses, and such into the original disc (Bing Crosby had to re-record White Christmas in 1947, because the original 1942 recording was pressed so many times, it sounded horrible). Therefore, if you use a pretty clean 78, you can avoid much of that, and come out with a cleaner master to make into a CD. When you add some digital noise removal systems (essentially computer programs), you make them even cleaner, and if done right, still not sacrifice the integrity of the music (more or less).

Sounds pretty cut and dry right? The 78's should sound better then, right? Why wouldn't Columbia re-master their collection from old 78's as well? A very important reason, actually. When you copy old 78's, instead of the original pressings, you move at least one generation away from the original performance. Everytime you make a copy of a copy, the sound gets muddier, with less distinction and more distortion. Certainly, with skill and technology, it can be minimalized, but the fact remains.

Soooooooo.......my analysis? The JSP set sounds a tad smoother, with less pops. The bass is a little deeper too, however a bit muddier (slightly distorted). The Columbia set from 2006 DOES have a bit more scratchiness, and the bass is not quite as deep. However, the sound is CLEANER, and...my favorite descriptive word in this whole review...more TRANSPARENT. That's right. Every instrument in the Columbia set is more distinct from all the other instruments. The sound feels light, airy, and alive. The JSP set, while more smooth doesn't have that clarity of the original recordings. They sound more like...well, records.

So, which is better? There's no really correct answer. It's a matter of taste. For ME, the Columbia set wins, hands down. I'm 31 years old. For most of my musical life, i grew up listening to CDs. However, many people have fond memories of what their old collection of vintage records sound like. What you hear on records that you don't hear on CDs is distortion. It's slight, but it's certainly there. Technically, CDs are cleaner, and more accurate representations of the actual music than records ever were. But people have aural memories, and THAT'S the sound they want to hear. It's a very natural, and totally unconscious reaction. We like what we know. Everytime i buy better speakers, amps, etc., i always miss the sound of my old, inferior equipment...for a little while. Then as i use it, my ears adjust to the new sound, and i ADORE it. Anytime i've tried going back to the OLD set-up after that, i had a much stronger negative reaction than i did when going UP in quality. My ears became adjusted to what's better.

So, here's my recommendation:

If you don't have those fond memories of old vinyl or shellac discs, and grew up on CDs, then the Columbia set is 150% better. The sound is cleaner, tighter, more distinct instrumentally, and contains less distortion. You get music that's closer to reality. The drawback of course, is you will hear a bit more crackle, and a tad less bass.

If you DO have those fond memories of the big black discs, and you remember the warm, rounded sound that made you feel like cuddling up in a blanket with a cup of cocoa & a wish on a star, then you really need to get the JSP set instead. If you also happen to listen to rap in your Escalade, and you like to hear the bass completely distorting, but you think you wanna try some early Satchmo, then you NEED that set. Don't even think about buying the Columbia version. Just remember, while the JSP is smoother, it is also further away from the original performance, so the sound is muddier and less distinct.

I've compared nearly every track on both sets. They both sound pretty good in their own ways. While i certainly prefer the clarity of this set, i also think the JSP set is worth owning...for some people. You just have to decide what kind of person you are.