Satchmo Serenades

AMG Review of Satchmo Serenades

Stephen Thomas Erlewine
All Music Guide

Satchmo Serenades was originally comprised of sessions recorded between 1949 and 1951; the Verve By Request CD reissue in 2000 expands the album by ten tracks, all recorded between 1952 and 1953. These sessions were in the same spirit as the original album, featuring many of the same players and arrangers (particularly Sy Oliver), so it's easy to see why these were added to the program, and the transition from the original album to the bonus tracks is seamless. This incarnation of Satchmo Serenades actually feel no different than the original album -- just a bit longer. It remains a pleasant collection of ballads and mid-tempo romantic tunes, highlighted by the instrumental sections where Armstrong glides with the lush arrangements. When Satchmo serenades, his voice is a little too rough and sly to be truly seductive, but it's nevertheless charming, and while this album is hardly a significant work in his catalog, it's still enjoyable for the Armstrong fan looking for mid-period ballads.