New Transcription Book Covers Arvell Shaw’s Lines With Louis Armstrong

If you’re looking to dig into the New Orleans style, you may want to check out Billy Bileca’s new book, Bass Transcriptions from Louis Armstrong Plays W.C. Handy. The book contains note-for-note bass lines played by the late great Arvell Shaw on the record, Louis Armstrong Plays W.C. Handy.

“Recorded in 1954, the album consists of all songs composed by W.C. Handy- ‘The Father of the Blues,’” Bileca explains. “This recording is widely considered to be Armstrong’s best album of the 1950s. The transcriptions are full song length which provides invaluable insight into how to play the blues authentically in New Orleans jazz style.”

Bileca notes that the book is only in notation, but the bass lines are good for bolstering your reading skills as they have repetitive lines to improve note identification and recall. The album also has two bass solos by Shaw.

Bass Transcriptions from Louis Armstrong Plays W.C. Handy is available now through Amazon in paperback and Kindle versions.

Bass Transcriptions from Louis Armstrong Plays W.C. Handy Song List:

1. St. Louis Blues
2. Yellow Dog Blues
3. Loveless Love
4. Aunt Hagar’s Blues
5. Long Gone (From Bowlin’ Green)
6. The Memphis Blues (or Mister Crump)
7. Beale Street Blues
8. Ole Miss Blues
9. Chantez le bas (Sing ‘em Low)
10. Hesitating Blues
11. Atlanta Blues (Make Me One Pallet On Your Floor)