Written in 1931 by Gerald Marks and Seymore Simons, author Ted Gioia suggests that Armstrong’s up-beat presentation of “All Of Me” contradicts the sentiment of the lyrics, that the song is essentially a blues of resignation and heartbreak, and he points to the 1941 Billie Holiday and Lester Young recording as the definitive interpretation.
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Written by Harry Warren and Johnny Mercer, “Jeepers Creepers” was nominated for an Academy Award for its featured performance in the 1938 film Going Places, in which Louis Armstrong portrayed an “Uncle Tom” character who sings the adoring song to a racehorse.
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“Chinatown, My Chinatown” fails to acknowledge the suffering and oppression of people of color for the sake of cultural appropriation.
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There are teases of bebop throughout this 1960 album as Bennie Green ushered in the era of hard bop with a heavy swing and the blues, but “Change Up Blues” signals the turn away from the complex melodies and harmonies in pursuit of an endless riff.
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Not to be confused with Sonny Rollins’ “Pent Up House” or the Burton / Jason song “Penthouse Serenade,” Bennie Green’s composition lacks any identifying features to set itself apart from the crowd; there’s no significant melody, it’s a straight-ahead Bb blues, and no virtuosic performance by any individual. Yet, this recording of “Penthouse Blues” captures a small group dynamic that one would expect to hear from a big band.
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