Track Listing

1. What a Wonderful World - Louis Armstrong & His Orchestra,
2. Cabaret - The All Stars, Louis Armstrong,
3. Dream a Little Dream of Me - The All Stars, Louis Armstrong,
4. Hello, Dolly! - The All Stars, Louis Armstrong,
5. Our Love Is Here to Stay - Louis Armstrong, , Ella Fitzgerald
6. I Gotta Right to Sing the Blues - Louis Armstrong, , Russell Garcia
7. Georgia on My Mind - Louis Armstrong, , Sy Oliver's Orchestra
8. When You're Smiling (The Whole World Smiles with You) - Louis Armstrong, , Sy Oliver's Orchestra
9. On the Sunny Side of the Street - Louis Armstrong, , Sy Oliver's Orchestra
10. Mack the Knife - The All Stars, Louis Armstrong,
11. Basin Street Blues - The All Stars, Louis Armstrong,
12. Someday (You'll Be Sorry) - Louis Armstrong, , Commanders
13. It Takes Two to Tango - Louis Armstrong, , Sy Oliver's Orchestra
14. Gone Fishin' - Louis Armstrong, , Bing Crosby, , John Scott Trotter & His Orchestra
15. Kiss to Build a Dream On - Louis Armstrong, , Sy Oliver's Orchestra
16. That Lucky Old Sun (Just Rolls Around Heaven All Day) - Louis Armstrong, , Gordon Jenkins & His Orchestra,
17. Blueberry Hill - Louis Armstrong, , Gordon Jenkins & His Orchestra,
18. Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans? - Louis Armstrong
19. I Want a Little Girl - Louis Armstrong & His Hot Seven,
20. Ain't Misbehavin' - Louis Armstrong & His Orchestra,
21. Struttin' with Some Barbecue - Louis Armstrong & His Orchestra,
22. When the Saints Go Marching In - Louis Armstrong & His Orchestra,
23. When It's Sleepy Time Down South [Live] - The All Stars, Louis Armstrong,

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3103 in Music
• Brand: Armstrong
• Released on: 2006-01-24
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Dimensions: .23 pounds

Album Description
Louis Armstrong, The Definitive Collection

Customer Reviews

Good intro to jazz
I think this is an excellent album for someone who wants an easy-to-get-into introduction to jazz. It contains Louis' later hits, like Hello Dolly! which knocked the Beatles off the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Top 100 list in 1964 and made Louis the oldest man ever to have a number one hit single.

This album also contains some superb earlier work including a taste of Louis duetting with Ella Fitzgerald accompanied by Oscar Peterson, and some terrific numbers like I Want a Little Girl from 1946.

All in all it is an extremely enjoyable listen. If it inspires some people to take an interest in jazz, when they didn't before, then so much the better, and if it doesn't, well it is still enjoyable in its own right.

Considering that Louis was one of the seminal players who practically invented jazz in the 1920s, and a key figure in the history of twentieth century popular culture whom every one ought to know about, this album is a pretty fun place to start.

From here I would perhaps move on to listen to the Best of the Verve Years with the duets with Ella Fitzgerald, and then to some of the earlier stuff.

[Oh, yes, one more thing. You can hear in Hello Dolly! that he pronounced his own name Loo-iss and not Loo-ee!]

Satchmo's second career
The songs on LOUIS ARMSTRONG * THE DEFINITIVE COLLECTION generally follow a regression from 1968 to 1938. The album's liner notes conversely provide details of Armstrong's most influential years: the mid-Twenties until his lip broke, while touring Europe in the early 1930s. The writer glows about Satchmo's influence on ALL subsequent musicians and vocalists, from Benny Goodman to the Rolling Stones! Truly a hyperbolic overview.

But the music is what matters most. Armstrong adapted to the realities of losing his superhuman playing abilities by developing a more expressive style, and by concentrating on vocalization. This album documents well that second phase of his performing career. Source material is drawn from all major labels: DECCA, COLUMBIA, VICTOR, ABC-PARAMOUNT, KAPP and VERVE. Transfer quality is excellent. This collection is particularly recommended for newcomers to the music of Louis Armstrong.

TOTAL RUNNING TIME -- 75:39

Pop star Satchmo
Naturally, if you are one of the vast numbers of Satchmo's pop followers, you'll find everything you need on this volume ("What a Wonderful World", "Cabaret", "Hello Dolly", "Blueberry Hill"...), but if you're more of a jazz fan and you buy this album, well...
As old Pops would put it - someday you'll be sorry...

Strictly for jazz beginners and pop fans; there's nothing definitive or essential abotu this album, although this is far from being bad music...