Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #53805 in DVD
• Released on: 2000-08-22
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Best of, Black & White, Color, DVD, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 86 minutes

Customer Reviews

Outstanding classroom intructional tool
It's my first semester teaching a general-student Jazz History course, and I wanted something beyond the textbook to get the students involved. I bought this video as a "best-of-all-options" choice, and was bowled over by it's thoroughness and attention to detail. Everything we'd discussed about Armstrong during class was there on the tape, reinforcing my lectures and giving the kids a nice opportunity to both hear AND see the legendary Louis. For pure entertainment alone it was worthwhile, but for instructional purposes I'd consider it a necessity for any future jazz classes I'd teach. I paid $16 bucks for it, but having seen it I think I'd've paid fifty! (Shh! Don't tell Amazon!)

Pops at his best
This biography is very well produced and is worth the money just for the performance scenes. I find myself watching certain segments over and over. Watching Louis and Jack Teagagarden performing Rockin' Chair or the older clips of a young Louis performing in Denmark are just pure joy. A clip from the movie New Orleans with Louis and Billie Holiday is a show-stopper. I absolutely love this DVD and highly recommend it to anyone who is a Louis Armstrong fan.

SATCHMO - Louis Armstrong; Masters of American Music
Satchmo is a the second DVD in a series of 9 documentaries dealing with classic jazz artists that had a strong influence on the evolution of jazz. This DVD traces Armstrong's life from his upbringing in New Orleans through his travels on the road as a singer, songwriter, and actor, as well as discussing his impact on the civil rights movement. The documentary very capably showed the breadth of Armstrong's talents with footage of Armstrong's appearances in both early and later movies, footage of concert performances spanning 4 decades and even his cameo appearance in a Betty Boop cartoon!!

I found it especially interesting how Armstrong influenced other artists; commentary was given by jazz critics, contemporary peers such as Dexter Gordon and Tony Bennett, and artists he influenced such as Wynton Marsallis. This articulate documentary brought Louis to life, both as an artist as well as a person. I can't wait to get the documentaries on Monk and 'Trane.