A Good Cover Of Mr. Armstrong's Recording Highlights
Covering a wide range of Mr. Armstrong's career, showcasing his diverse taste in songs from blues to Broadway. A good way to familiarize one's self with one of America's greatest ambassadors to the rest of the world. One of the original innovators of the art form known as Jazz.

Good basic intro to Satch
This is a good basic overall view of the great legend Louis Daniel Armstrong. It begins with his very first record "Chimes Blues" (1923) with the King Oliver Band. He doesn't sing yet, but you can easily tell its him on the Cornet. Among other delights are "Heebie Jeebies" (1926), which is as joyful today as it was when it was released (Contrary to popular belief, this wasn't the first scat record-Bert Williams used crazy nonsense syllables 20 years earlier with George Walker in "My Little Zulu Babe" and "Pretty Desdamone," but I digress), West End Blues," which can be considered a soundtrack to its era, some Hoagy Carmicheal chestnuts such as "Rockin Chair" and "Lazy River," and his best known later tunes "Hello Dolly" (which knocked out the Beatles from #1 on the Billboard charts in 1964) and the tune most younger people know him for today, "What a Wonderful World."

Anyone who hates this Cd probably also hates Santa Claus, sunsets, and the 4th of July.

You gotta love Satch
This CD is for true Louis Armstrong lovers. There are A LOT of songs on here, and most of the ones in the beginning are OLD, scratchy recordings. That didn't bother me, but if you're looking for a simple "Best of" CD, this may not be the right one for you. I like jazz and and I like the CD, but check it out before you buy it to make sure it's really what you want.

Essential! For beginners and old pros alike!
No CD will effectively cover a career of Louis Armstrong in only 25 cuts, but this one is as good as it gets. This is the essence of Armstrong. Every cut is outstanding. If you are new to collecting Armstrong, I recommend this highly. I own about a dozen Armstrong CD's including a couple box sets, and this one is my favorite because it spans his entire life with the best 25 cuts. It features some of his finest and creative trumpet playing especially in Potato Head Blues, Chinatown my Chinatown, When it's sleepy time down south, and the beautiful Black and Blue. There really isn't a bad cut here. Actually, the sound of his horn and his singing makes it impossible for Louis to ever have made a bad cut, but this one is a must for any library. Armstrong was an American folk hero and an icon. Once again, Ken Burns has done a suberb compilation. This CD is one of my top 10 favorites of all time! Louis was a creative genius, and his horn playing was one of the most beautiful and joyous things ever recorded.

The Best best-of You will ever Find
The Ken Burns Jazz set is my introductionto jazz and I must say the single cd compilations are the best compilations I've ever seen. This one is no exception. It has the first recorded solo of Satch, the Bechet duet, the hot 5's and hot 7 recording, and some of the orchestra recordings from the 30's.

There is a little bit of a flaw in this though. There is nothing from the two cd's Louis Armstrong plays W.C. Handy or Satch plays Fats. That is Satchmo's later peak with the superb All-Stars. Yet this great cd makes up for it with one of my favorite tracks by the all-stars, the live recording of "Rockin' Chair" from 1947. Satchmo and Jack Teagarden's duet is priceless and the band just smokes it. The audience seemed to think so too, since there is an amazing ovation right when Satch's solo begins. That part never fails to give me goosbumps.

Another favorite is the superb Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra recording of "Black and Blue" from 1931. Fats Waller's immortal cry against segregation and discrimination is one of best in Satchmo's great repertoire. Satchmo's hilarious intoduction to "Chinatown, my Chinatown" never fails to get a laugh either.

This is the perfect intro to the perfect musician.