"Love Is Here to Stay" from the 1957 album Ella and Louis Again features a half-chorus trumpet solo from Louis Armstrong on George Gershwin's final composition. Performed in C major with a 32-bar ABAC form at 105 BPM, Armstrong's solo is a model of melodic elegance, his phrases crafted with the economy and emotional directness that defined his late-period playing. Gershwin wrote this song shortly before his death in 1937, and it was completed by his brother Ira, lending the lyric an added poignancy that both Fitzgerald and Armstrong honor in their vocal performances. The album was produced by Norman Granz for Verve Records, continuing the successful partnership between Fitzgerald and Armstrong that had begun with their first collaborative album in 1956. The rhythm section provides tasteful accompaniment that never intrudes on the intimate dialogue between the two headliners. Armstrong's half-chorus solo appears in the song's middle section, bridging the vocal passages with instrumental warmth. Ella and Louis Again remains a touchstone of the vocal jazz genre, and tracks like this one demonstrate why: the combination of supreme musicianship, emotional authenticity, and an instinctive understanding of the American popular song tradition creates performances that continue to resonate with listeners decades after they were recorded.
