"The excellence of Louis' band is so high and so consistent that every man deserves commendation for his part in making this remarkably fine record. Trummy Young particularly should be singled out for his driving solos and for the way his 'boots' Louis in the final ensembles. The way I fell about this record can be summed up in this way. When I die, I want people to say, 'That's the guy that if it hadn't been for him and Louis Armstrong and W.C. Handy, there wouldn't have been that great record, Louis Armstrong Plays W.C. Handy". – excerpt from the sleeve notes by George Avakian

"Pure Pleasure has remastered one of my desert island discs – my favorite Armstrong recording and one that shows him at his best musically and sonically…How does this new release stack up against the original maroon label Columbia vinyl ? Almost from the moment that the stylus first touched down, I heard subtle and not so subtle details that I had never noticed before, and I have listened to this recording in various incarnations hundreds of times. Add to that fact that the harmonic texture is captured spot on, and this new re-issue is an instant candidate for my Record of the Year…don't miss it !" Recording = 10/10; Music = 10/10 – Dennis D. Davis, Hi-Fi+, Issue 45