George Gershwin's "They Can't Take That Away from Me" features a half-chorus trumpet solo from Louis Armstrong on the 1956 Verve album Ella and Louis, his playing demonstrating the melodic economy and rhythmic mastery that made him the most influential musician in jazz history. At 107 beats per minute over the 36-bar AABA form in B-flat major, Armstrong's solo statement is compact yet complete, each note chosen with the infallible taste of an artist who had been shaping the language of jazz for over three decades. The Gershwin song, originally written for the 1937 film Shall We Dance, is one of the most perfect compositions in the American songbook, and it draws from both Fitzgerald and Armstrong performances of consummate artistry. Their vocal interplay throughout the track captures the affectionate chemistry that made this album so commercially and artistically successful. The Oscar Peterson Quartet, with Peterson on piano, Herb Ellis on guitar, Ray Brown on bass, and Buddy Rich on drums, provides a swinging yet sensitive accompaniment that supports without overshadowing the two featured artists. Ella and Louis proved that the pairing of these two singular talents was more than a marketing concept; it was a genuine artistic event.
