Search - Howard Armstrong :: Louie Bluie: Film Soundtrack Featuring Howard Armstrong

Howard Armstrong
Louie Bluie: Film Soundtrack Featuring Howard Armstrong
Genres: Blues, Pop, Soundtracks

Track Listings (20) - Disc #1
1. New State Street Rag - Howard Armstrong/Ted Bogan
2. Nothing in This Wide World For Me - Howard Armstrong/Ted Bogan
3. That'll Never Happen No More - Howard Armstrong/Ted Bogan
4. Ted's Stomp - Howard Armstrong/Ted Bogan
5. My Four Reasons - Howard Armstrong/Tom Armstrong/Ted Bogan/Ikey Robinson
6. Barushka - Howard Armstrong/Ted Bogan
7. 38 Pistol Blues - Howard Armstrong/Tom Armstrong/Ted Bogan/Ikey Robinson/James 'Yahk' Rachell
8. Darktown Strutter's Ball - Howard Armstrong/Ikey Robinson
9. When He Calls Me I Will Answer - Howard Armstrong/Mary Sheppard/Elsie Loweroy
10. Vine Street Drag - Howard Armstrong/Tom Armstrong/Ted Bogan/Ikey Robinson
11. My Gal Sal Medley - Howard Armstrong/Tom Armstrong/Ted Bogan/Ikey Robinson
12. State Street Rag - Howard Armstrong/Ted Bogan
13. Du, Du Liechst Mir Im Herzen - Howard Armstrong/Tom Armstrong
14. Railroad Blues - Howard Armstrong/Tom Armstrong/Ted Bogan/Ikey Robinson
15. Cacklin' Hen - Howard Armstrong/Willie Sievers/Bob Coxe
16. Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams - Howard Armstrong/Tom Armstrong/Ted Bogan/Ikey Robinson
17. Vine Street Drag - Tennessee Chocolate Drops
18. The Girl I Love - Sleepy John Estes
19. Milk Cow Blues - Sleepy John Estes
20. When You Feel Down And Out - Yank Rachell

CD Details

All Artists: Howard Armstrong
Title: Louie Bluie: Film Soundtrack Featuring Howard Armstrong
Members Wishing: 3
Total Copies: 0
Label: Arhoolie Records
Original Release Date: 8/18/1998
Release Date: 8/18/1998
Album Type: Soundtrack
Genres: Blues, Pop, Soundtracks
Styles: Delta Blues, Traditional Blues, Acoustic Blues
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaCD Credits: 1
UPCs: 096297047026, 096297047026

Synopsis

Amazon.com

Eight years before he received critical acclaim with the release of his second movie, Crumb, director Terry Zwigoff created the endearing documentary Louie Bluie. The hourlong movie chronicled the life and art of Howard "Louie Bluie" Armstrong, one of the last surviving (and performing) musicians from the heyday of black string bands--the '20s and '30s. The soundtrack to Louie Bluie is a diverse mix of Armstrong's repertoire, most of which spans country music, blues, folk, ragtime, and even German songs. Armstrong is backed by his band and guitarist Ted Bogan (Armstrong's friend and bandmate since the '30s), and the music here--a combination of live tunes that Zwigoff captured in the mid '80s and vintage 78 cuts from the '30s--showcases Armstrong's impeccable style on mandolin, fiddle, and vocals. Armstrong's syncopation--he traverses these tunes with the deftness of a jazz improviser--and his banter with Bogan make this a timeless, must-have album for fans of old-time music. --Jason Verlinde

CD Reviews

Real, raw backwoods blues

Joe Sixpack -- Slipcue.com | ...in Middle America | 01/04/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Documentary filmmaker Terry Zwigoff (director of "Crumb" and "Ghost World") has a major sweet-tooth for the blues, and this awesome little album sure fills the bill. These are wonderfully informal, scraggly performances, quite compelling due to the absolute lack of layered, alienating studio production: this is back-porch picking and singing at its finest. Also, there's some super-raunchy material on here, complete with plenty of coarse swearing and low-down, dirty language... A refreshingly real album."

Howard and "the boys"

S. matz | city of angels | 02/08/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"being one of my favorite films of all times, i do not tire watching the film again and again or listening to the soundtrack over and over. "louie bluie" gives us a glimpse into the life of howard armstrong. however, this is not a selfish portrait. howard shares his rich life (circa 1984) with members of his extended musical family. we get to hear the music of ted bogan, ikey "banjo" robinson, james "yank" rachel,tom armstrong, sister in law elsie loweroy (w/mary shepard), and pick up musicians willie sievers and bob coxe.

what is perhaps my greatest attraction towards this glimpse are the lusty stories and anecdotes from "the boys". on the soundtrack, we get to hear dialogue from the film (as introductions before a tune). you feel like you are in their presence. A FAIR FORWARNING: when the music gets cooking, watch out... you never know what will be around the corner... but by the time the last chords of "darktown strutters ball" drop on you, your jaw will drop to the floor. added bonus tracks include a rare recording of the tennessee chocolate drops (featuring carl martin, bogan, and armstrong), plus some rare recordings from james "yank" rachel that feature sleepy john estes.. a generous few songs recorded in the twenties and thirties (nineteen-hundreds that is).

your life will be enriched by the experience of both the film and soundtrack. (see my review of martin, bogan, and armstrong's "that old gang of mine")"