by Scott Yanow
Recorded late in Louis Armstrong's life, this obscure LP finds his All-Stars of the period (which included trombonist Tyree Glenn and clarinetist Joe Muranyi) joined by several studio musicians and a choir, arranged and conducted by Dick Jacobs. At this point in time, Armstrong's trumpet solos were quite brief and basic, although usually effective. The emphasis throughout is on his vocalizing, mostly on then-current show tunes such as &Talk to the Animals& (from Doctor Dolittle), &Willkommen& (from Cabaret) and &Sunrise, Sunset.& The choir weighs down the music; the extra musicians (which often include a banjo) water down the sound of the All-Stars; and the material is largely forgettable. Only the charm of Louis Armstrong makes this long-out-of-print album worthwhile.