Album review: Caili O'Doherty - Bluer Than Blue, Celebrating Lil Hardin Armstrong (Outside in Music)

Caili O'Doherty (piano, arranger); Tamir Shmerling (bass); Cory Cox (drums); Nicole Glover (tenor sax); Tahira Clayton, Michael Mayo (vocals). 

Bluer Than Blue, Celebrating Lil Hardin Armstrong is a long overdue appreciation of Louis Armstrong's second wife. It could be argued that pianist and composer Lil Hardin Armstrong's contribution to Oliver's Creole Jazz Band and Armstrong's Hot Five were much greater than the historians would have us believe.

Pianist O'Doherty came to a similar conclusion whilst studying at the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College. The journey of discovery that followed ultimately led to this excellent album, updating Lil Armstrong's compositions and installing them with new vigor without losing the spirit of the originals.

Let's Call it Love, recorded by Lil Armstrong in 1937, features a vocal by Mayo, a drum solo and swinging piano by the leader. Ms Armstrong, I'm sure, would have approved.

Clip Joint, from 1961, was originally a big band recording with a rare vocal by  Lil. Here it has a booting tenor solo by Glover and some scatting by Clayton. 

Let's Get Happy Together, written in 1938, opens with a piano intro followed by Clayton's vocal and an extended tenor solo from Glover who brings it well into the present century. One of those songs that should be heard as often as Happy Birthday!

Struttin' With Some Barbecue, originally recorded by the Hot Five in 1927, is a two-fisted solo stride piano romp by O'Doherty who has done her homework well and graduates with honours.

Happy Today, Sad Tomorrow, from the same 1938 session as Let's Get Happy Together once again features Clayton as well as more fine piano from the leader. Glover explores the tenor from top to bottom - what a player!

Bluer Than Blue, from 1937, Clayton updates and captures the pathos of lost love underlined sympathetically by O'Doherty's piano accompaniment and Shmerling's bass solo.

Two Deuces, recorded by the Hot Five in 1928, is updated into a boppy arrangement with, I think, Clayton and Mayo duetting in unison. Solos by tenor and drums. Two aces!

Riffin' the Blues, recorded in 1940 as by Lil Armstrong's Dixielanders, Shmerling does what Wellman Braud did on the original - plays some mighty fine bass. O'Doherty moves up a gear or three with some juicy chords and dextrous right hand explorations. Glover's tenor solo has a distinct eastern, and I don't mean New York, flavour. 

Just For a Thrill, perhaps Lil Armstrong's most remembered tune, dates back to 1936. Clayton's vocal is simply beautiful. Singing as though she means it and maybe she does.

I'll be hard-pushed to find another album that combines the past with the present without any loss of respect for either era than this one. Lance

Release date: March 7.