Louis Armstrong might be the most influential cornetist/trumpeter of the 1920s but a strong case for second place could be made for Bix Beiderbecke. Though his tragic death at the age of 28 turned him into a cult figure, his cool, lyrical style of playing still sounds timeless today and is the reason why BeiderbeckeContinue reading ““Satchmo Always Loved Bix”: Jazz As It Should Be Played”
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Hanging With Hyland: Why Corona, Queens?
Last week, Adriana Filstrup published “Our Neighborhood”, a virtual exhibit about Louis Armstrong’s relationship with the community of Corona, Queens featuring many samples of Armstrong’s writings about the place he called home for the last 28 years of his life. Still, one of our most frequently asked questions is “Why Corona?” For the second installmentContinue reading “Hanging With Hyland: Why Corona, Queens?”
“I’m Still Louis Armstrong–Colored”: Louis Armstrong and the Civil Rights Era
[Warning: This post contains audio excerpts with graphic language and is not appropriate for younger readers.] In September 1957, Louis Armstrong put his career on the line by speaking out against the injustice taking place in Little Rock, where Governor Orval Faubus sent in the Arkansas National Guard to prevent nine African American school childrenContinue reading ““I’m Still Louis Armstrong–Colored”: Louis Armstrong and the Civil Rights Era”
“Opus Time”: Rachmaninoff Symphony No. 2 in E Minor, Op. 27
After exploring selections by jazz royalty such as Jelly Roll Morton and Duke Ellington, not to mention his friend and disciple Bing Crosby, in previous editions of Satch’s Tracks, it’s time to explore one of the many classical selections found in Louis Armstrong’s record collection. Or in Louis’s words, it’s “Opus Time!” Today’s selection isContinue reading ““Opus Time”: Rachmaninoff Symphony No. 2 in E Minor, Op. 27”
Hanging With Hyland: Introduction
This is Hyland Harris: For the last ten years, Hyland has been an all-star employee of the Louis Armstrong House Museum, officially serving as our Gift Shop Manager. Hyland is also one of our finest docents and storytellers, always on hand to give tours to anyone who walks in, from groups of elementary school studentsContinue reading “Hanging With Hyland: Introduction”
“Our Neighborhood”: Louis Armstrong and Queens
The question is always asked: why Corona, Queens? Louis Armstrong could have lived anywhere–so why a working class neighborhood in the largest borough of New York? The person most responsible for choosing Corona was Louis’s fourth wife, Lucille Wilson Armstrong. When they married on October 15, 1942, Louis was living out of the Hotel OlgaContinue reading ““Our Neighborhood”: Louis Armstrong and Queens”
“The Great Bing and The Solid Duke”: St. Louis Blues
April 29 marked the 121st birthday of legendary pianist, composer, bandleader Duke Ellington. Louis Armstrong’s record collection was flooded with Ellington selections. His tapes include works such as Masterpieces by Ellington, Uptown, In a Mellotone and Ellington At Newport. Here are two pages from Louis’s tape catalog for a dub of At Newport, including notesContinue reading ““The Great Bing and The Solid Duke”: St. Louis Blues”
“A Little Story of My Own”: Armstrong and Collage
When he passed, Louis Armstrong left behind a collection of more than 750 reel to reel tapes, which have now found their home in the archives of the Louis Armstrong House Museum. The audio content of this collection is priceless, ranging from conversations between friends and family, recordings of Louis playing along with records andContinue reading ““A Little Story of My Own”: Armstrong and Collage”
“I Just Couldn’t Let You Get Away With That”: The Saga of Mister Jelly Lord
In our previous virtual exhibit on Louis Armstrong’s record collection, we promised to share more treasures from his music library in a series of regular Friday posts. For the inaugural effort in this series, we have chosen a masterpiece by another legend of New Orleans music, Jelly Roll Morton’s The Saga of Mr. Jelly LordContinue reading ““I Just Couldn’t Let You Get Away With That”: The Saga of Mister Jelly Lord”
“From Stravinsky to Gizzard”: Louis Armstrong’s Record Collection
Another frequent question we get at the Louis Armstrong House Museum is, “What did Louis Armstrong listen to in his spare time?” The simplest answer was given by the man himself in this 1965 recording: “I listen to all kinds of music.” Click here to create a free account and listen to the rest ofContinue reading ““From Stravinsky to Gizzard”: Louis Armstrong’s Record Collection”