• Crystal clear transfer from an official, 1929 master pressing • Parlophone R 462 [W 402534 B]
 
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In the summer of 1929, Louis Armstrong and his band mates from the Carroll Dickerson Orchestra found work playing for the floor show and dancing at Connie's Inn, in Harlem, NY, the main competitor of The Cotton Club. Connie Immerman, who ran the club with his brother George, had just opened a new musical revue called "Connie's Hot Chocolates" featuring songs composed by Thomas "Fats" Waller and written by Andy Razaf. The show was immensely popular and the Immermans needed a good orchestra to replace the house band as the show opened simultaneously in new venues. After a brief but successful run at the Windsor Theatre in the Bronx, "Hot Chocolates" was slated to open off Broadway at the Hudson Theater on 44th St. on June 20. Sometime before the Broadway opening, Armstrong got a big break when he was asked to double as part of the Leroy Smith orchestra, the original house band which would now be playing the show at the Hudson (he would still have to run uptown every night to rejoin the Dickerson group to play the show at Connie's Inn). It had been suggested by Andy Razaf that Armstrong sing and play a chorus of the show's theme song "Ain't misbehavin'" from the band pit as a between-act number. As an anonymous member of the orchestra, Armstrong's name did not appear on the opening-night program, but word quickly spread of his great talent. Writing about the show's Broadway debut, a critic from the New York Times stated:

“One song, a synthetic but entirely pleasant jazz ballad called 'Ain’t Misbehavin''' stands out, and its rendition between the acts by an unnamed member of the orchestra was a highlight of the premier."

Armstrong's name was soon added to the bill and his performance, now the highlight of the entire show, was moved from the orchestra pit to the stage. The song was a huge hit and a star was born. Within a matter of weeks he and the Dickerson band were in the Okeh studios making this recording of "Ain't misbehavin'" [it was also released the same year in the U.K. on the Parlophone record label]. ◆
 
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• Louis Armstrong And His Orchestra •
  [New York, NY, July 19, 1929]

Louis Armstrong (Trumpet, Vocal)
Homer Hobson (Trumpet)
Fred Robinson (Trombone)
Jimmy Strong (Tenor Saxophone)
Bert Curry (Alto Saxophone)
Crawford Wethington (Alto Saxophone)
Carroll Dickerson (Conductor, Violin)
Gene Anderson (Piano)
Mancy Carr (Banjo)
Pete Briggs (Tuba)
Unknown (Triangle)
Zutty Singleton (Drums)
 
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Ain't Misbehavin' (Waller, Thomas; Razaf, Andy; Brooks, H.) [master W 402534-B] OKeh 8714

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Digital audio and photograph copyright © 2016 Steven Kozobarich. All Rights Reserved
 
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[Connie's Hot Chocolates, 1920's, twenties, jazz, New Orleans, trumpet, Fox Trot, New Rhythm Style Series No. 5, original 78 rpm record, phonograph, Gramophone, shellac, Satchmo, Pops, Louie, big band, swing, new transfer, 2016]

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