Personnel: Louis Armstrong (vocals, trumpet); Russ Garcia (arranger, conductor); Ella Fitzgerald (vocals); Trummy Young (trombone); Edmond Hall (clarinet); Oscar Peterson, Billy Kyle (piano); Herb Ellis (guitar); Ray Brown, Dale Jones (bass); Louis Bellson, Barrett Deems (drums).Producer: Norman Granz.Compilation producer: Michael Lang.Recorded in Chicago, Illinois and Los Angeles, California in 1956-57. Includes liner notes by Chris Albertson.Digitally remastered by Phil Schaap and Tom "Curly" Ruff (PolyGram Studios).This is part of the Verve Jazz Masters series.Personnel: Louis Armstrong (vocals, trumpet); Ella Fitzgerald (vocals); Herb Ellis (guitar); Edmond Hall (clarinet); Trummy Young (trombone); Oscar Peterson, Billy Kyle (piano); Deems, Louie Bellson, Barrett Deems (drums).Audio Remasterer: Phil Schaap.Liner Note Author: Chris Albertson.Recording information: Chicago, IL (08/15/1956-10/14/1957); Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles, CA (08/15/1956-10/14/1957); Los Angeles, CA (08/15/1956-10/14/1957).Photographer: Herman Leonard.Unknown Contributor Roles: Deems; Russell Garcia .Arranger: Russell Garcia .This compilation finds Louis Armstrong in a variety of settings, from small combos accompanied by the likes of Oscar Peterson and Ella Fitzgerald, to a full orchestral backing. The emphasis is on his vocal style, but there's enough of his inimitable trumpet here to more than satisfy.The Fitzgerald/Armstrong pairing, including "Learnin' the Blues," and the Jerome Kern-Dorothy Fields classic "A Fine Romance" is particularly rewarding, an intimate small group setting showing off both these magical talents to their best advantage. Armstrong's trumpet playing in an orchestral setting will be a revelation to anyone who previously considered him a fine soloist but nothing more. While his gnarled, throaty delivery is no-one's idea of a smooth, romantic croon, his effortless phrasing carries weight and authority that few other jazz singer/soloists can begin to muster, and he moves effortlessly from a down-and-dirty "I Got a Right to Sing the Blues," to the perky "I Got the World on a String." Of course, no Armstrong primer would be complete without a version of "When the Saints Go Marchin' In"; the version included here was recorded live at the Hollywood Bowl in 1956 with a stellar cast.