Released October 1960 Producer Simon Rady Release date October 1960 | Length 38:51 Bing & Satchmo
(1960) 101 Gang Songs
(1960) Label Tip | |
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Recorded Hollywood, Los Angeles, June 28–30, 1960 Bing & Louis
(1960) Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington The Great Summit/Complete Sessions
(1961) Artists Louis Armstrong, Bing Crosby Genres Traditional pop music, Vocal jazz Similar Bing Crosby albums, Traditional pop music albums | ||
Bing & Satchmo is a 1960 studio album by Bing Crosby and Louis Armstrong, arranged and conducted by Billy May. It was recorded for Crosby's own company, Project Records, and released through MGM. Crosby and Satchmo had worked together many times before they recorded this album, appearing in films such as Pennies from Heaven (1936), Here Comes the Groom (1951) and High Society (1956) together, and making several radio broadcasts between 1949 and 1951. The lyrics of the tunes on Bing & Satchmo were specially adapted for them by a number of notable songwriters.
Contents
Only eleven tracks were issued on the original vinyl LP with "(Up A) Lazy River" being held back as it had been previously recorded by Louis Armstrong for another company. Special permission was, however, granted for it to be included in the "All Star Festival" LP issued in 1963 on behalf of the United Nations in aid of the world's refugees. Johnny Mercer sings a few lines with the chorus on this track.
The tracks "Dardanella" and "Muskrat Ramble" from Bing & Satchmo were both released as singles in October 1960. Billboard magazine commented that the tracks would be popular with "jocks".
The entire album, including "(Up A) Lazy River", was issued on CD in 2009 by DRG Records (91515).
Another release of the album was in Australia and New Zealand, by Karussell Records, catalogue K 102 (for Australian release) and M 591 (for New Zealand release). The album was titled 'Bing and Louis', and did not include the two tracks "Bye Bye Blues" or "(Up A) Lazy River".
Reception
The initial Billboard review from 31 October 1960 selected the album for its pop spotlight, and described the album as a "group of nostalgic tunes that provide excellent easy listening programming".
Variety said: “Teamup of Bing Crosby and Louis Armstrong provides a lot of listening pleasure. Both are masters of their craft and know how to pack a vocal punch with seemingly little effort.
John Bush on Allmusic.com gave the album three and half stars out of five. Bush said that "Could anything but warmth and playfulness result when the two most seminal, expressive voices of the 20th century found the room to stretch out on a full LP together?". Bush reserved criticism for the vocal chorus that appears on the album.
Personnel
Reissue CD
Songs
1Preacher
2Dardanella
3Muscrat Ramble