New York--Urged for several years by Down Beat reporters to "come on and tell us which trumpet players you like best," Louis Armstrong last week patiently and carefully typed out an answer between jumps on the road. From Huntington, W. Va., came the answer directly from Louie, who typed his words out on yellow stationery bearing the single word "Satchmo" in the upper left-hand corner:"Now this question about my opinion about the trumpet players that I admire--that is actually asking an awful lot of me....Because there's so many trumpet players that I admire until there would not be room to mention them on this paper. And to name only six...well that is leaving me on the spot.
Berigan is "His Boy"
But--as you wished--my friend, I'll do my damnedest so here goes. First, I'll name my boy Bunny Berigan. Now there's a boy whom I've always admired for his tone, soul, technique, his sense of 'phrasing' and all. To me Bunny can't do no wrong in music. Harry James is another youngster who won Ol' Satch' right along side a million other fans....His concertos, etc., make him in my estimation a grand trumpet man. And he can swing, too.
"Roy Eldridge is another youngster after my own heart. He has power and a pair of chops that's out of this man's world. And there's no use wondering how high Roy can go on his trumpet because he can go higher than that!
Hemphill Gets Praise
Now for a number one first chair man, and I have him right here in my own orchestra. And that man is none other than Shelton (Scad) Hemphill. Any time Scad holds down that first chair in your orchestra, just don't worry about a thing. Because any time, any phrasing, attacking, giving each note its full value, tone or hell, anything that a first chair man should have (which most of them don't have) Scad's got it. And believe me, Scad can see. What I mean by that is...he can read his what's his name off. Ha...Ha.
"And for real get-off men I have two youngsters right here in my orchestra and I personally think they will swing with the best of them. And they are Frank Galbreath and Jean Prince. Jean Prince played with me years ago and even in those days everybody said the same thing...meaning, I sure know how to pick 'em....And that Frank Galbreath. I defy anyone to say that he can't phrase or improvise and he has a sense of changes....My Gawd....And that tone is in there in person. Dig him some time.
"Well, I guess I've run my big mouth too much, eh? Of course I am expectin' a lot of this, that and the other about this article but as I told you once that I never let my mouth say nothing that my head can't stand. Ha, Ha....You dig?
"So I'll be like the little boy who sat on a block of ice and said MY TALE IS TOLD....Goodnight and God bless you, Mr. Joe Glaser and all my fans and my public.
"Am Redbeans and Ricely Yours,
"LOUIS ARMSTRONG"
