As innovative for his horn-like vocal phrasing as he was for his trumpet lines,
Louis Armstrong may well be the most important single figure in the history of western pop music, and with a sprawling discography that spans some five decades, no single album could ever hope to tell the whole story. This set of mostly '30s sides shows
Satchmo (his most enduring nickname was a truncation from "Satchel Mouth Swings," the title tune here) at his joyful, confident best, both as a singer and as a horn man. Of particular note are a pair of
Hoagy Carmichael compositions, "Rockin' Chair" and "Lazy Bones," recorded with
the Casa Loma Orchestra in 1939, that have an easy, joyful and laid-back feel to them that perfectly showcases
Armstrong's unique genius when he got his hands on a good tune.