SKF NOTE: Now and then someone uncovers music gold: Reels of tapes containing magical music no one knew existed. Or if someone did know, they’ve either died or forgotten the music.

Recent examples, The John Coltrane Quartet’s “Both Directions at Once: The Lost Album” (2018). “The Thelonious Monk Quartet with John Coltrane at Carnegie Hall” (2005). Duke Ellington – The Complete Concert at Newport 1956 (1999).

On his Facebook page this week, Loren Schoenberg reposted a story of newly discovered tapes of Louis Armstrong and his All-Stars in concert (1948) with this headline: “NEW SID CATLETT WITH LOUIS!!!”

In part, here’s Loren’s post:

Ricky Riccardi

A PREVIOUSLY UNKNOWN LOUIS ARMSTRONG ALL STARS CONCERT HAS BEEN DISCOVERED AND IS COMING TO YOUTUBE! A good samaritan named Michael Lynch contacted me over the summer to let me know that he acquired eight (!) tapes of the All Stars performing in Minneapolis at two separate concerts, May 8 and 9, 1948.

Yes, you read that correctly. 1948. Louis Armstrong. Jack Teagarden. Earl “Fatha” Hines. Barney Bigard. Arvell Shaw. Velma Middleton. Big Sid Catlett. THE ALL STARS!

Thank you, Ricky Riccardi and Loren for bringing this to our attention.

Big Sid sounds great here. He’s playing, as always, is inventive, musical, and fun. When he was drumming Catlett always seemed to have fun.

And Catlett’s drums sound so good. Calf heads! Open drums. Often imitated, never equalled.