by Scott Yanow
Originally out on a double LP, this is a definitive set of the Louis Armstrong All-Stars of 1956. The music and many of the solos will be familiar to longtime Armstrong fans, but whether it be &Struttin' with Some Barbecue,& &Basin Street& or his new hit, &Mack the Knife,& the spirit and enthusiasm of this music is irresistible. This is his best live set in the '50s. The CD reissue, a two-CD set, is slightly more complete than the two-fer LP in that it adds a version of Armstrong's theme song, &When It's Sleepy Time Down South,& a closing &Saints& that allows Satch to introduce his band and a straightforward rendition of &The Star Spangled Banner.&