The Night Beat—Film Songs of Louis Armstrong

Join Doug Crane this Wednesday, August 4, at 8 pm for a Jazz Goes to the Movies featurette: The Film Songs of Louis Armstrong. To note the 120th anniversary of Armstrong’s birth, we’ll hear songs from “Going Places” starring Dick Powell, “Paris Blues” starring Paul Newman and Sidney Poitier, “Pennies from Heaven” starring Bing Crosby, “Rhapsody in Black and Blue” starring Armstrong as the president of Jazzmania, “A Man Called Adam” starring Sammy Davis, Jr. and more.

Doug will also feature a trio of tunes by the British jazz/rock band “If.” Their third (and best) album was released in 1971. Unlike American jazz/rock bands which typically included trumpets and trombones, If’s frontline was nothing but saxophones.

Lew Futterman served as producer of If’s early albums. Earlier in his career he produced jazz records by Benny Golson, George Benson and others. After If, he produced records by rock and roll bands including Curved Air and Ted Nugent. In the 1990s he owned a restaurant in Vail, CO.

Drummer Dennis Elliott joined If at the age of 19. He was a member of the rock band Foreigner from 1977 to 1993. He is perhaps best known today as a wood sculptor.

Other members of If are among some of the better known jazz musicians in Great Britain, all with impressive resumes.

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