Celebrating the centennial of Louis Armstrong

John Corbett's 4 star review in the August 2003
edition of DownBeat Magazine:

Tribute records are tricky things. In the worst-case scenario, lesser artists try to elevate themselves by simple association: Joe Schmo plays the music of John Coltrane. Or the tributer attempts an aural Xerox, the insincerest form of flattery. Such a plan is destined to backfire, since the missing ingredient –originality– is immediately apparent. Good tributes always legitimize themselves with some sense of defiant individuality, rather than slavish imitation or name-gaming, which inevitably fall short of paying real homage.

German trumpeter Thomas Heberer and his compatriot bassist Dieter Manderscheid have precisely that sense of playful and loving defiance. They've already tributed another hero on "Chicago Breakdown – The Music of Jelly Roll Morton" (JazzHausMusik, 1989), and here they turn their attention to Louis Armstrong, circling around the great man's music, voice and persona, and most importantly, his inspiration. Armstrong is here in his ability to imbue devilish spirit and sense of humor, his lifelong penchant for playing multiple entendre and understanding how layered signification can be; a few notes or words or a hairdo never mean just one thing, but carry many different meanings.

So, too, Heberer – best known for his membership in Misha Mengelberg's ICP Orchestra, where his open-mindedness and impeccable musicianship are put to good use – and Manderscheid have made a multi-dimensional work in "What A Wonderful World," incorporating pastiched snippets of Satchmo's voice (together with a hopelessly square-sounding Edward R. Murrow), tunes associated with him, and a healthy dollop of Heberer's compositions. The disc even starts with a wild sample of Armstrong, imitating a record skipping on "I'm Not Rough," suggesting how far ahead of his time he was.

As a trumpeter, Heberer has taken quite a risk by honoring the fountain of jazz trumpet, but he's such a lithe and adept player, capable of growling, slurring and playing all hand-plunged effects (listen to him flatulate on "Gully Low Blues – West End Blues) as well as singing radiantly (observe his sweet blue sound on "Cornet Chop Suey), that any comparison will necessarily emphasize his original approach more than any direct Pops lineage. Manderscheid's bass is the perfect foil and much more – a refreshingly earthy sound, a total ear for open improvising based in years of free play, and when he needs a two-beat lope or hard swing, he's got the goods. Listen to him bowing and walking the heck out of Heberer's bright "The Boon Companions."

Heberer nods at Lester Bowie's nod at Armstrong on "Hello Dolly," expounding on the long-standing historical connection and showing how the supposed barrier between early-jazz and the vanguard is in fact a lot of polemical hooey. More than just a tribute, this great CD is an important essay on how to progressively read Satch.