Louis Armstrong and His All Stars

• Ambassador Satch [Columbia/Legacy, 2009] A-

See Also:

• Louis Armstrong
• Louis Armstrong & Duke Ellington
• Louis Armstrong & Friends
• merge all

Consumer Guide Reviews:

Ambassador Satch [Columbia/Legacy, 2009]
Recorded during Amsterdam and Milan dates of the great one's autumn 1955 European tour, which some claim did more for world peace than the Geneva Summit, this 1956 release stands with its thorough George Avakian notes as the quintessential Satchmo-in-Europe document even though it's carefully edited to augment classics no one could claim he'd worn out. Sidemen include titans like Trummy Young on trombone and Arvell Shaw on bass as well as less renowned pros like the able Ed Hall on clarinet and the ever-hyperactive Barrett Deems on drums. A folk song called "The Faithful Hussar" that Armstrong picked up in Germany proves a surprise highlight, and the three CD-only bonus tracks are by no means de trop. One for the collection. A-