Description
Louis Armstrong – Louis Wishes You A Cool Yule – Red Vinyl Record
First Louis Armstrong Christmas record ever
Features a never-before-heard spoken word track “A Visit From St. Nicholas”
Louis Armstrong – Louis Wishes You a Cool Yule (released October 2022 by Verve/UMe) is a joyful, swinging, and historically significant holiday compilation that brings together—for the first time—all of Louis Armstrong’s Christmas recordings in one collection, and introduces a previously unreleased gem: “A Visit from St. Nicholas” (’Twas the Night Before Christmas), the last known recording Satchmo made before his death in 1971. This album is much more than a festive novelty—it’s a celebration of Armstrong’s unparalleled charm, charisma, and his ability to infuse warmth, humor, and soul into everything he touched, even holiday standards.
Though Armstrong never recorded a full Christmas album during his lifetime, he did cut a handful of memorable holiday singles between the 1950s and the early ’70s. Louis Wishes You a Cool Yule brings these together, remastered and sequenced with care, resulting in a cohesive and deeply enjoyable holiday record that feels as fresh as it is nostalgic.
The compilation opens with Armstrong’s irresistible 1953 hit “Cool Yule,” written by Steve Allen. With big-band swing, tongue-in-cheek lyrics, and Armstrong’s signature growl, it sets the tone perfectly: playful, rhythmically punchy, and effortlessly hip. It’s not your average crooner’s Christmas—this is holiday cheer with a jazzman’s swagger. Songs like “Zat You, Santa Claus?” and “Christmas in New Orleans” showcase Armstrong’s gift for mixing showmanship with a street-level realness, capturing the spirit of New Orleans and the festive mischief that only he could pull off with such ease.
Armstrong’s take on “Winter Wonderland,” “White Christmas,” and “I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm” show his adaptability. He turns familiar tunes into vehicles for his infectious swing and gravelly phrasing, backed by arrangements that balance warmth with bounce. His duet with Velma Middleton on “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” is particularly delightful, full of humor and chemistry, making the familiar back-and-forth feel spontaneous and theatrical. And with “Moments to Remember”—a reflective track added to the end—there’s a quiet poignancy that hints at the deeper emotional range behind Armstrong’s joyful exterior.
The true centerpiece of the album, however, is the newly released “’Twas the Night Before Christmas”, recorded at Armstrong’s home in Corona, Queens in 1971. It’s not a song, but a spoken-word recitation of Clement Clarke Moore’s classic poem, read by Armstrong in his unmistakable voice. It’s tender, sincere, and full of the warmth that made him one of the most beloved entertainers of the 20th century. His delivery is gentle and grandfatherly, turning the poem into a kind of benediction. It’s made even more touching when you realize it was his final recording—a parting gift from a cultural giant, full of charm, humor, and kindness.
In terms of musical cohesion, Louis Wishes You a Cool Yule is surprisingly smooth for a posthumous compilation. The remastering enhances the clarity without losing the vintage glow, and the sequencing gives the album a true arc—from the upbeat and irreverent to the tender and nostalgic. It captures the breadth of Armstrong’s holiday spirit, never cloying or over-sentimental, always rooted in rhythm, humanity, and fun.
This album also matters culturally and historically. Armstrong was not only one of the most important figures in jazz, but also one of the few African American artists of his time to achieve global stardom while retaining artistic control. His holiday recordings—though few in number—help bring Black joy and humor into the Christmas canon, offering an alternative to the more sanitized or buttoned-up versions of holiday cheer so common in mid-century America.
Whether you’re spinning it for a holiday party or simply enjoying a quiet December evening, Louis Wishes You a Cool Yule delivers exactly what the title promises: a cool, swinging, heartwarming dose of Christmas cheer, led by one of the most joyful voices in American music history.
Brand new, never played and still sealed in the factory plastic
Track Listing
Cool Yule
Winter Wonderland (Single Version)
I’ve Got My Love To Keep Me Warm
‘Zat You, Santa Claus?
Christmas In New Orleans
White Christmas
Christmas Night In Harlem
Baby, It’s Cold Outside
Moments To Remember
What A Wonderful World
Visit From St. Nicholas
