Author Archives: Ricky Riccardi

Last time out, we shared Jack Bradley’s photos of Louis Armstrong at home, taken for a Jazz magazine story about Mardi Gras, the Guy Lombardo-led musical extravaganza that took place at Jones Beach from July 8 through September 4, 1966. Bradley eventually shot one of the rehearsals, as well as the actual show itself, andContinue reading ““The Greatest Photo Taker: Remembering Jack Bradley Part 23: “Mardi Gras” With Guy Lombardo”

This post marks the first in what will be a three-part look at the big event of Louis Armstrong’s life in the summer of 1966: the staging of Mardi Gras at Jones Beach in New York, a collaboration between the trumpeter and his favorite bandleader, Guy Lombardo. Armstrong’s love of Lombardo went back to ChicagoContinue reading ““The Greatest Photo Taker”: Remembering Jack Bradley Part 22–At Home In Queens July 1966″

After an action-packed week in New York City, filming A Man Called Adam and being celebrated at Carnegie Hall, Louis Armstrong and His All Stars traveled to Reno, where they spent much of December and the first part of January at Harold’s Club. Pianist Billy Kyle sent the following postcard to Jack Bradley and JeannContinue reading ““The Greatest Photo Taker”: Remembering Jack Bradley Part 21–Iona College Concert and Farewell Billy Kyle”

When Louis Armstrong left the Steel Pier in Atlantic City on July 10, 1965, he embarked on a tour of one-nighters across the United States and Canada, barely getting a day off for several months and not returning to New York until Thanksgiving, November 25. As alluded to at the end of the last post,Continue reading ““The Greatest Photo Taker”: Remembering Jack Bradley Part 20–A Man Called Adam and Carnegie Hall 1965″

Last week, we shared several dozen offstage photos Jack Bradley took during Louis Armstrong’s weeklong run at the Steel Pier in Atlantic City in July 1965. This week, it’s time to share numerous photos Bradley took of Armstrong in performance–in addition to introducing a different voice in this series in the form of 81-year-old AustralianContinue reading ““The Greatest Photo Taker”: Remembering Jack Bradley Part 19–Steel Pier 1965 Onstage”

In the previous installment of this series, Louis Armstrong relaxed at home with Jack Bradley and Dan Morgentern, polishing off a bottle of Slivovice plum brandy in the middle of a rare extended break from performing. Just days later, Armstrong and the All Stars traveled back to Europe for another tour, arriving back in theContinue reading ““The Greatest Photo Taker”: Remembering Jack Bradley Part 18–Steel Pier 1965 Offstage”

Today’s post is actually an updated version of the third ever post on this “That’s My Home” site. Launched in March 2020 with millions of people forced to stay at home because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the original theme of this site was focusd on what Louis Armstrong did when he was home. “The SlivoviceContinue reading ““The Greatest Photo Taker”: Remembering Jack Bradley Part 17–The Slivovice Interview”

At the end of our last post, Louis Armstrong concluded a ten-day run at Caesar’s Monticello in Framingham, Massachusetts on January 30, with Jack Bradley a constant presence throughout the run, shooting dozens of photos of Louis onstage and off. At the end of the engagement, Armstrong headed back to New York, where he wasContinue reading ““The Greatest Photo Taker”: Remembering Jack Bradley Part 16–Bell Telephone Hour 1965″

Through the first 14 parts of our Jack Bradley series, we have rarely ventured out of New York City except for a couple quick trips to Newport. But between January 21-30 1965, Louis and the All Stars performed at Caesar’s Monticello in Framingham, Massachusetts and being a Cape Cod native, that was enticing enough forContinue reading ““The Greatest Photo Taker”: Remembering Jack Bradley Part 15–Framingham 1965″

In many way, looking at photos of Louis Armstrong can feel like looking at a Rorschach Test. A single image can invoke lots of complex feelings. Where some people might see joy, others see pain. Some are charmed by Armstrong’s smile, others feel uncomfortable. Some just feel warmth, others sense inner turmoil. Some marvel atContinue reading ““The Greatest Photo Taker”: Remembering Jack Bradley Part 14–Suzy Cute Commercial Shoot”