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“Chimes Blues” was the first issued recording of a Louis Armstrong solo. Armstrong had just moved to Chicago to join fellow New Orleans cornet player Joe Oliver and his band that played at Lincoln Gardens.
0:00 Intro (Blues in Bb, Ensemble)
1:13 Hear the chimes! (Lil Armstrong on piano)
1:48 Louis Armstrong cornet solo
2:22 Outro and ending
Oliver’s Creole Jazz Band was made up of true jazz giants – Joe Oliver himself, who had been blowing since as early as 1899 in New Orleans during a time when Buddy Bolden, Freddy Keppard, and other legends played.
The great clarinetist Johnny Dodds – who Armstrong humorously remembers was a massive White Sox fan who was obsessed with baseball scores.
Lil Hardin – a valedictorian from Fisk University and classically-trained pianist – who learned to play jazz piano with Joe Oliver, Freddy Keppard, Sugar Johnny, Lawrence Dewey, and other pioneering New Orleans legends.
Drummer Baby Dodds (Johnny’s brother), who Armstrong greatly admired and said “He was a wizard on the drums, and he certainly made me blow my horn… when I heard him beat those sticks behind one of my hot choruses.”
The humble Armstrong noted in his autobiography that when he started playing with Oliver’s band, “I did not take a solo… ahead of Papa Joe because I felt that any glory that came to me must go to him. I was playing second to his lead, and I never dreamed of trying to steal the show or any of that silly rot.”
Despite his humility, he did take a solo – and here we have his first recorded solo. His relaxed, flowing notes perfectly complement the rhythmic momentum and ensemble playing of the band – and also take it a step further – suggesting all the things that jazz was to become.
The Gennett studios in Richmond Indiana used acoustic recording technologies before the advent of electric recording and microphones. The studio location was said to be near a railroad track that frequently interrupted sessions when trains would pass by. Despite this – it is truly a gift that this session happened at all and was captured with such clarity.
A true hallmark achievement of American music!
Ever since I began collecting jazz on 78 rpm records, I dreamed of owning this record. It was only in the past year that I acquired this excellent copy from another collector. Please enjoy my digital transfer and thanks for supporting my channel!
Recorded in Richmond, Indiana on April 5, 1923.
Released as Gennett 5135.
Credits:
King Oliver, Louis Armstrong – cornet
Honore Dutrey – trombone
Johnny Dodds – clarinet
Lil Hardin – piano
Bill Johnson – banjo
Baby Dodds – drums
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