This is a superb CD that anybody who is curious about jazz or Louis Armstrong should buy (lets face it, if you already are a Pops fan you probably have all these tunes). It serves as an almost perfect introduction to Satchmo and successfully highlights each stage of his career. Please note that each one of the tunes on this cd are masterpieces and may take time to absorb. If you are unfamiliar with jazz and bought this CD for Louis's ballads, it may take a few listenings to absorb some of the more unorthodox tunes. But if keep an open mind and listen carefully, you will have a divine experience. You can get high off of this music. The tunes on the cd are as follows:

Chimes Blues - delightfully simple tune that shows how Satchmo was a master at phrasing (he transforms a simple solo into a work of genius just by the way he expresses each note). Ken Burns appropriately introduced Louis by putting this very old tune from King Oliver's Band first.

Cake Walkin' Babies (from home) - Louis transforms another simple tune into a masterpiece with his brilliant expressional ability. It is simply a stunning experience to listen the fiery solos of Louis's trumpet and Sidney Bechet's soprano saxophone.

Heebie Jeebies - Strictly New Orleans tune that is historically significant containing the first recorded improvised vocal solo of Louis. The solos are entertaining, but in my opinion this is not one of the best Hot Fives and Sevens recordings. However, its historical significance and element of brilliance more than justify Ken Burns's placement of this tune in the compilation.

Potato Head Blues - My favorite jazz tune of all time

West End Blues - A great tribute to Satchmo's talent. The introduction to this tune is very difficult and was not successfully copied for a long time after Louis made this recording. The rest of the tune follows suit as Louis builds impressive statements that logically follow eachother with his instrument.

Tight Like This - If i had any quarrels with Ken Burns for his compilation, it would have to be with this tune. It is pretty good and I do enjoy it, but there are better recordings that could have taken its place.

Mahogany Hall Stomp - Another nice tune that shows how Louis could flawlessly weave around a melody chorus after chorus.

Ain't Misbehavin - A rather startling introduction to Louis's unrivaled ability to sing expressively. Satchmo gives new meaning to yet another tune.

Black and Blue - Again, Louis shows his musical fervor in this beautiful tune.

St. Louis Blues - Louis displays how he is the epitome of conservative playing on this piece where his relatively simple solos reach a state of divinity through perfect phrasing.

When It's Sleepy Time Down South - Another pleasant tune imbued with Louis's singing.

Blue Again - This tune was recorded right before Louis's trumpet ability began its unfortunate atrophy that would give way to his singing. However, "Blue Again" almost justifies this transition from trumpet to voice by showing how Louis had as much control over words as he did over trumpet notes.

Lazy River - I think you are starting to get the point by now... Louis by this time could effortlessly imbue a sung chorus with unrivaled zeal, phrasing, and expression. His mastery of time is especially evident in "Lazy River".

Star Dust - An unbelievable performance, my second favorite tune on this cd after Potato Head Blues.

Shadrack - Louis sings with a what sounds like a church choir. Interesting and pleasant, even though it isn't really jazz.

I Double Dare You - Nice tune.

When The Saints go Marching in - The best version of When the Saints go Marching In i have ever heard. It is mind boggling how Louis can turn an old and (lets face it) boring tune into a new and invigorating masterpiece.

Marie - Nice blend of Louis and two other great singers.

Rockin' Chair, Blueberry Hill, Mack the Knife, A Fine Romance, Hello Dolly, What a Wonderful World - I know it may seem ignorant for me to put all these tunes in the same category, but they really are ... all in the same category. They are all ballad-like songs in which Louis expresses his musical ability with his voice. What a Wonderful World steels the prize here, but they are all fine performances. If you bought these CDs just for Louis's later singing, then these will satisfy you. If you bought it for Louis's jazz trumpet, these will still be enjoyable. To this day i still believe that the unbridled genius of Louis Armstrong is shown in Potato Head Blues rather than What a Wonderful World. Either way, Ken Burn's Louis Armstrong CD is a perfect introduction to Satchmo. If you wonder why he hasn't included your favorite Armstrong tune, keep in mind that Armstrong made hundreds of exceptional recordings (and more unexceptional ones). It must have been torturous to throw out classics like "Struttin' With Some Barbecue Sauce", but such things are inevitable when trying to make a one CD compilation of Louis's work. You can not explain history in a page.

I was lucky enough to see the great Mr Armstrong perform in New York in the early 60's. ALthough I was just a teenager his music touched me and I started to collect his albums. This CD is way too short and although it does have some great material I would highly recommend the Best of Collection here on Amazon. It's about the same price and has a lot more to offer of Louie ! Although I still collect Jazz today the past masters of the 30's, 40's and 60's continue to amaze me.

Iam new to jazz and I love this cd!It has all his big hits.It's like listening to the history of Louie Armstrong through his trumpet and words.You can tell he had a vision of jazz music and that is through his trumpet.He lived to play even when he took ill,What an amazing performer!He seen that vision when he sang WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD,That song can still move me to tears.A song he sang of a beautiful world which it fits perfectly in a not so perfect world.Listen to the best he has to offer and you'll be saying LONG LIVE POPS.

It doesn't take much to convince someone why Louis Armstrong is probably the greatest American musician of all time, but this CD would be a great place to start the process.

This CD encompasses much of Armstrong's long career. There are songs from his Hot 5 sessions (considered his best period by some critics), and most of his big hits are here: "Hello, Dolly" and the posthumous hit "What A Wonderful World" (which surprisingly doesn't include his trademark trumpet). "Cake Walking Babies", despite the lyrics that need translation, swings to an intense degree; "Black and Blue" talks about racial issues; "When it's Sleepy Time Down South" encompasses some of the stereotypes of the entertainment of Armstrong's time; "When the Saints Go Marching In" will have even the most concrete of curmudgeons singing and flailing. All of the music here is of an exceptional quality.

Some obvious ommissions are songs from what many consider his best work: "Louis Armstrong Plays W.C. Handy" from 1954. Understandably, a career with such breadth as Armstrong's cannot be summed up on a single CD; there's simply too much great work.

This CD is a great place to start learning about one of America's greatest musicians and entertainers ever.

No single CD can adequately summarize the artistry of the great Louis Armstrong but this one comes the closest. It contains some of his most significant recordings from 1923 through 1967 and covers almost every phase of his career.

The collection begins with Satchmo's groundbreaking jazz recordings from the 1920s and progresses through his long career as one of the world's most beloved entertainers.

For those who wish to have only one Louis Armstrong CD this is the one to get. For those who already have an Armstrong collection, a more essential and diverse complilation of Armstrong recordings on one disc will be hard to find.