Terry Gibbs and I were talking yesterday day about “Stardust”. He mentioned Artie Shaw’s classic version and I mentioned Lionel Hampton. Of course Louis Armstrong’s definitive version pre-dates them all. I have recorded Stardust several times through the years on record and television but in 1981 I walked in the studio to record an album. I had just signed with Selmer Instrument company and they delivered a Bach trumpet I never played before to the studio for the session. I hired Norris Turney on alto who was playing lead in Duke Ellington’s band at the time. An idea came to me in the studio of paying tribute to Louis Armstrong and asked the rhythm section to give me a certain rhythmic thing on my solo reminiscent of Louie’s version. I wanted to do a second take but Norris and the producer wouldn’t let me I guess that was a compliment. Leonard Feather gave the album 5 stars noting Louie’s influence on the Stardust solo. I put the whole track on my “life in jazz” anthology.