Jazz Pick Of The Week: Lillie Delk Christian & Louis Armstrong

 Louis spent the years 1923 to 1929 recording race records, low budget sides of major companies' black artists marketed solely to the black community. His crossover hit "I can't give you anything but love" in March, 1929, made Pops a mainstream star and he never looked back. This June 26, 1928 side features his Hot Four including Earl "Fatha" Hines, piano; Jimmy Noone, clarinet and Mancy Cara, Banjo, backing Lillie Delk Christian singing "Too Busy". Delk is a fine singer but isn't singing jazz as demonstrated when Pops takes over the song at 2:14 with a riveting scat vocal underneath Christian's final chorus. It's almost as if Louis is saying "time for some real jazz singing". Good example of jazz and non jazz singing on the same record.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsIkZydHGrI