Amazing CD; the definitive greatest hits

Armstrong ("Satchmo") is always great but this collection catches him somewhat older, wiser, and with a merry twinkle in his eyes. The recording quality is decent (being from the 1950s). Armstrong recorded a million interpretations of each jazz standard but this CD does capture some of the best ever. Warning: after you've heard this CD a few times, you fall in love with these versions so much that every other version out there ---by whichever artist---will always seem to fall short.



My personal favorite is the stunning La Vi en Rose. If heaven has any background music playing, this must be it.

Da good stuff ---

I am often amused by how seriously some folks write these reviews. Considering Mr. Armstrong's long career, isn't it a bit foolish to think any one album could have ALL his best -- just marketing hype. DUDE! take things in stride (more like ... all the best tracks MCA had that didn't cost that much to include ... huh?).



What can be said for sure is that there are many tasty numbers on this CD. I GET IDEAS is a really cute tune - paying great homage to how much a talented songwriter AND performer can "SAY" about human "relations" (if you will) without actually saying anything. Another less known treasure on this disk is THE DUMMY SONG. Really shows LA's playful side as does his take on that early 1900's hit CHLOE which has oft been lampooned for its overt sentimentality (think of it as the "Feelings" of the WWI era). Louie does a great job walking the fine line that makes for a great performance -- at one point he actually answers the chorus' baleful cries of "Chloe? Chloe?" <chuckle>. Check out Spike Jones for another classic "interpretation" of this old, old standard.



Seems to me the criteria that might have been used to pick these recordings were:

1. Lush orchestrations - most all these have those 50's string orchestral sounds you might hear behind Steve Lawrence, Judy Garland, Tony Bennet etc. IMHO very classic and tasteful stuff.

2. Good recordings - All the recordings are of "modern" quality.

3. Middle-of-the-Road - Everything here is G-rated and not even mildly controversial.



These criteria result in a "packaged" sound perhaps, but nice-to-da-ears. To round things out you will need earlier recordings with more bluesy material that have more of a anxious and raw edge. Look for one with BLACK AND BLUE (one of my all-time LA fabes) It will serve as a good marker for a "different" set of tunes.

Not the best Armstrong

I didn't find anything remarkable about this album. It seems that I have heard lots better Armstrong arrangements than what is represented here. I recommend Louis Armstrong Greatest Hits (RCA Victor) instead, even though it has fewer selections and totally different selections, except for What a Wonderful World. Even that song is slightly different on the other album. This is not a bad album and it may claim to have Armstrong's All Time Greatest Hits, but there are better Armstrong albums out there. Gone Fishin' is a pleasant enough ditty but I don't know that it belongs on this album. This album is a little disappointing because it could have been so much better. As one reviewer pointed out a 2-CD album would have been nice and more inclusive of some of the great Armstrong songs. Where is Basin Street Blues, St. Louis Blues, Mood Indigo and Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans?