Ambassador of Jazz [Box set, Import]

Louis Armstrong | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 2, 2011)
• Number of Discs: 10
• Format: Box set, Import
• Note on Boxed Sets: During shipping, discs in boxed sets occasionally become dislodged without damage. Please examine and play these discs. If you are not completely satisfied, we'll refund or replace your purchase.
• Label: Universal I.S.
• ASIN: B0057D87DC
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #157,801 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

10CD .. The Ambassador Of Jazz

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 20 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Satchmo, the greatest Ambassador of Jazz, forever! August 24, 2011

By Van Oostrom Jacob

Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase

Wow, what a great box set this is.

Just imagine, Louis Armstrong is one of the most influential musicians of popular music of all time and never is there a complete carreer-spanning box set released, until now!

10 CD's of which 8 are filled with the best commercial recorded and issued music in the best quality ever, one CD of rare and unreleased recordings and one CD is filled with an amazing interview by Mr. Dan Morgenstern in 1965.
If Mr. Armstrong is new to you, this is the one and only set which will let you discover all the secrets of Louis Armstrong's music! If you are an old fan, buy it too. The package is completed with an outstanding hardcover book and in the suitcase you will find a couple of hand written music sheets. Man, what an enjoyment. I played every CD several times before i went on to the next. The quality of each CD still trills me so much when i play it.
My tubes are "red hot". Every aspect of the musical path of Louis Armstrong is used in this box set. All his collaborations with other artists e.g. Ella Fitzgerald, Mills Brothers, Louis Jordan, Oscar Peterson and so on is taken care off.

This kind of great great box sets only comes once in a while. Don't wait! Buy it, it's a bargain!.You will fall in love (again) with Louis Armstrong!

7 of 10 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Ambassador of Jazz September 30, 2011

By Docrobbo

Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase

SATCHMO AMBASSADOR OF JAZZ

This wonderful presentation is a worthy reminder of the outstanding career of one of the best musicians the world has known.For people who have never enjoyed the very varied music of Louis this will be an amazing revelation.
The compilation consists of nine CDs each containing between 15 to 24 beautifully remastered tracks which are of a much higher quality than any of those I already possess. The discs contain tracks covering Louis's career covering a period from 1923 to 1964. The early tracks from the 1920s define his influence on jazz.
The book is also an excellent overview of his life and times, with photos of his many musical partners.
This is all packed in a little suitcase, along with the the reproductions of his early record covers, and some sheet music. This makes it a beautiful gift for any jazz lover.Ambassador of Jazz

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars oh my gosh, this is WONDERFUL June 6, 2012

By F. Morris Rosman

Format:Audio CD

Heaven, this is music and history heaven.
Thank you for putting this together. First of all, it
LOOKS great. A real conversation starter.
But the music is even better - Louis sounds so clear
and true, very good work.
Great choices of songs and thanks for the book, I learned
a lot.
GET THIS SET - IT'S THE BEST LOUIS EVER.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars New Music or Old, simply perfect March 15, 2012

By Gregory M. Odegaard

Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase

Frankly, for a collector and fan, even 1 disc of new music is worthy of buying this simply perfect set.

Elvis Costello when asked around the release of his premium CD/DVD live set that came out about the time of this Satchmo set, said, don't waste your money on my overpriced set and buy the simply perfect Satchmo set.

The sound quality is perfect and the overall quality of the packaging and extras should and will warrant a Grammy Award.

We all know it is pricy, but sometimes the money is fully worth it and this set redefines class and perfect presentation. Is that enough goodness for you.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A TREASURE FOR NEW ARMSTRONG FANS February 5, 2012

By Freak-A-Zoid

Format:Audio CD

This compilation is perfect for the new fan that wants to move up from a single disc, skip mid-sized collections and get a lot of Armstrong music in one single package.

Very satisfying!

3 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Boxed Set November 30, 2011

By jasz

Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase

Just read Oct; issue of U.K. mag; Jazz Journal. Glowing reports. The quality of the cds and the book are first class. There is one oversight in my opinion, there are no personel listings for each track, but Jazz Journal have seen to that.This will be a collectors item no doubt. Buy today!!

4 of 9 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent remastered sound September 8, 2011

By Joe Pang

Format:Audio CD

Except a few stereo takes which are spoiled by electronic sound effect, all of the songs are remastered tastefully in the most natural way. Satchmo simply sounds great.

16 of 32 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars A ROBBERY FOR REAL ARMSTRONG FANS December 5, 2011

By martin emiliano arias

Format:Audio CD

If you're a true Armstrong fan, then you already have all of the issued material contained here. So, to get two CDs with unissued music, you must spend $150, a total robbery and a disrespectful statement toward Louis' lovers.

One of those CDs is, however, truly insteresting, as it presents outtakes from the Armstrong-Oscar Peterson session and a couple so far unknown Gershwin songs from the PORGY AND BESS sessions by Louis, one of which is truly beautiful (it is presented in two takes).

The other mostly unissued CD presents the complete 1956 Hollywood Bowl performance by Louis. The most interesting segment from the concert is the reunion of Ella & Louis for two songs, but these two performances had already been issued on CD various times. The final "When the Saints", with Louis announcing various stars from previous sets in the night (not included on the set)who are mostly not heard at all, is less interesting. The Hollywood Bowl concert by the All Stars is OK (with Edmond Hall on clarinet), but certainly not essential, as it hardly departs from dozens of other concerts from that time.

The first seven CDs are a compilation of Louis' work, and the music is of course magical, but not a treat for an Armstrong collector. The interview (which occupies one full CD) is also nice, but you won't want to listen to it more than twice.

This set is accompanied with a nice booklet which lacks the personnel information for ALL TRACKS but the Hollywood Bowl concert. How can these things happen!!!! For that money!!!!... I do have the info plenty of times, and mostly I know it by heart, but if you are producing this for new listeners, you can't do so wrong as not to mention JOHNNY DODDS, JACK TEAGARDEN, COLEMAN HAWKINS, EARL HINES, BILLY STRAYHORN, AND THE MANY OTHER WONDERFUL MUSICIANS WHO ALSO HELPED TO MAKE THAT MUSIC ETERNAL (even if Louis had 80 percent of the responsibilities, we all know).

The big accompanying book is nice, but again, there are better books about Louis. And there is absolutely no proper "LINER NOTES" about the specific music included in the box, or about the bonus unissued material. If you do not know what that is or where it comes from... you just don't get any idea.

Companies should make themselves a more clear idea of which public they direct a product to. If this is for newcomers, then the previously unreleased Hollywood Bowl and the CD of outtakes seem a bit out of place. If you're directed towards true collectors and fans, then you should have skipped the first seven CDs and produce a truly specific box with previously unknown material. Then you'd have everyone happy. Two different boxes would have been fine.

But you surely think trying to get both at once is more wise. I don't know. It just doesn't seem the right politics to me.

AND NOW I KNOW THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL PERFORMANCE IS ALSO ON A SINGLE TWO-DISC SET!!! THIS IS SURELY A CRAZY WAY TO TREAT HISTORIC MATERIAL. NOW, IF YOU WANT THE REST OF THE CONCERT, WITH ROY ELDRIDGE, ELLA FITZGERALD, ART TATUM, THEN YOU MUST SPEND 34 DOLLARS AND BUY AGAIN THE ARMSTRONG MUSIC YOU JUST GOT AS "UNISSUED" ON THIS EXPENSIVE BOX!!!!

[...]

The box itself is pretty, all right. But what I care about is the music.

By the way, the Stotyville label just did the same, issuing a seven CD box set with three CDs worth of previously unissued material, while 4 CDs and a whole DVD just repeat previous separated CD / DVD issues from the same label, which all Armstrong fans no doubt already bought. This seems disrespectful to me.

Martin Read more ›