Review Text
When the jazz world was celebrating Louis Armstrong's 100th birthday, we decided to perform a Louis-Armstrong-tribute. Over the time we became increasingly familiar with and impressed by his type of music. His work and his spirit inspired us to record a CD with his music. The songs bend a bow over Armstrong's life's work, starting wih songs out of the time with his Hot Five and Hot Seven, when he was successful with tunes like Struttin' with Some Barbecue, Big Butter and Egg Man from the West, Ole Miss or St. Louis Blues, followed by a lot of great songs of the Swing-Aera, like Ain't Misbehavin', Black & Blue, Honeysuckle Rose, I Can't Give You Anything But Love or Indiana, which accompanied him through his entire career, including also the top-hits of the Louis Armstrong All Stars, like Mack the Knife, Hello Dolly, Cabaret, High Society Calypso or What a Wonderful World. We dedicate this recording to the immortal Louis Armstrong and his outstanding life's work. Thomas Haderlapp, Concerto It's been two years now that the obstetrician of jazz had his one hundredst jubilee, the wave of revivals faded away a little, and just now the band "Two of a Kind" round female trumpeter Michaela Rabitsch releases an Armstrong tribute. And that's fine. The dedicated trumpeter is already well known from a great number of appearances and sessions in the most popular Austrian clubs. And at that recording, additional pleasant, she also sings. The sound of the quartet with guitarist Robert Pawlik, bassist Wolfgang Wallisch and drummer Oliver Krammer has refreshing little to do with commercial and often fast fermented tributes. Well ballanced Two of a Kind maneuvers through a best-of repertoire, not without adding now and then some original interjections and musical ideas. A dignified obeisance ahead of a jazz giant. HMP-Magazine - Department of Virtuosity - MiKolaj Furmankiewitcz I was wonder if Michaela and Robert would be able to stand face to face with the genius of Louis Armstrong, but only first tones proved that my doubts were unjustified. Their versions of Armostrong's classics are cheerful, lively and vivid. All instrumentalists play with extraordinary lighteness proving they are consummate masters of their instruments. Let's put your ears on a pulsating doublebass and sexy trumpet sound, not to mention gentle and noble vocals by Michaela who sings without inferiority complex facing Louis Armstrong's greatness. Austrians pulled their weight and recorded a masterpiece filled up with a dozen or so hits, e.g. 'Mack the Knife', 'Hello Dolly', 'Big Butter and Egg Man from the West', 'What a Wonderful World' etc.
