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Originally posted by underthecountertenorView Post
Did my ears deceive me, or did Louis sing 'terrif-lically' in that version of 'I get a kick out of you' that was played this morning?
To my ears, he did.
It isn't given us to know those rare moments when people are wide open and the lightest touch can wither or heal. A moment too late and we can never reach them any more in this world.
Congratulations on making the most controversial comment ever on the "Jazz Bored !!"
I can't agree that Louis Armstrong played clichés (certainly during his prime) and, as far as I was aware, I don't think the idea of "hot licks" ever equated to playing clichés. I believe that the phrase is more of an 1920's / early 30's comment and seem to recall that Armstrong himself published a book of "Hot breaks for cornet" at the height of his powers.
For me, Armstrong at his peak seemed to be able to construct solos within the confines of a couple of choruses that have an almost architectural grandeur about them so that there is a creative peak during the performance. Given that Armstrong practically wrote the book on improvised solos on horn / wind instruments (maybe someone like Bechet might have got in slightly beforehand) it's no surprise that a phrase like "hot lips" would have appended itself to his solos.
As far as clichés are concerned, even Charlie Christian quoted other tunes in the Minton sessions that have been linked to on the other thread. As far as stock phrases are concerned, there is a really good chapter in the book by Andy Hamilton that stemmed from interviews with one of the greatest jazz improvisers of all time, Lee Konitz. This is a brilliant book and very insightful. Konitz mentions players who play licks and I think the late James Moody was cited as an example. Konitz regarded it as almost impure and it is interesting that some musicians are seen as "lick" players to their detriment. You are the first person I've come across as suggesting Armstrong played licks - even in his later work where I think there is a strong argument for lack of pursuing a "purist, improvising agenda" it is not correct that Louis played licks. The sound and timbre was always in tact and the feel is of one similar to a great Shakespearean character where not a lot needs to be said to the music to hit the mark. Oddly, I think that the most clichéd players tend to be disciples of John Coltrane and even the likes of Brotzmann has been accused of playing stock phrases. Playing "licks" seems symptomatic of the kind of JATP / jam session recordings made in the late 1940s's - mid 1950's. Worth arguing that the likes of Armstrong could probably say more within 12 or 32 bars than a lot of the solos recorded under the JATP banner - even though I am a fan of some of this stuff!
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