Category Archives: Uncategorized

The annals of music are filled with iconic band names. The Beatles. The Rolling Stones. Metallica. It happens less frequently in the jazz world, which tends to favor the individual, but even then, some phrases have had lasting power: The Blanton-Webster Band. The Old Testament. The Jazz Messengers. But it all started 100 years agoContinue reading “Hot Five Centennial Celebration Part 1: Birth of the Hot”

70 years ago today, Louis Armstrong stepped into Columbia Records’s 30th Street studio, acting upon an idea by producer George Avakian. It was the only free time he had before embarking on a three-month tour of Europe two days later. The stress of the session was worth it, as it resulted in the biggest hitContinue reading ““Take It, Satch!”: 70th Anniversary Celebration of “Mack the Knife””

Scrapbooks have been a very popular part of this website–and we have plenty of them to share. It’s always enjoyable to share them, but sometimes it’s nice to tie one into an anniversary. We’re a little late, but a memorable occasion took place on August 10, 1960–65 years ago last month–that’s worth celebrating: The 5thContinue reading ““Prisoners Have a Ball With Louis”: Lorton Jazz Festival 1960″

On this date in 1957, Louis Armstrong put his career on the line to speak out against racial injustice occurring in Little Rock, Arkansas, venting to young reporter Larry Lubenow, “The way they’re treating my people in the south, the government can go to hell.” Armstrong’s comments were made in Grand Forks, North Dakota, theContinue reading ““Solid – Satchmo Louis Armstrong”: Grand Forks Herald Coverage of Louis Armstrong and Little Rock”

Calling all film buffs and collectors! 95 years ago this month, Louis Armstrong stepped in front of a movie camera for the first time. His photo was used in advertisements and his sequence was shown in theaters across North America for the next two years–but then the film was “lost” and has never been seenContinue reading ““His First Big Talkie”: The Story of Louis Armstrong’s Lost First Film “Ex-Flame””

This summer marks the 95th anniversary of one of the exciting–and musically rewarding–chapters of Louis Armstrong’s life: his move to California. Up to this point, Armstrong had mostly stayed in a single place for long periods of time: New Orleans from birth to July 1922 (with three summer excursions up the Mississippi River, parked forContinue reading ““West Coast Star”: Scrapbook Coverage of Louis Armstrong in California, 1930-1931″

We have already shared three packed scrapbooks that Louis Armstrong compiled in the last two years of his life, each one chock full of Louis-related photos, articles, telegrams, and other ephemera to make any Armstrong lover’s heart sing. Moving in numerical order, today we hit Armstrong’s Scrapbook 4…not quite one for the Satchmophiles out there,Continue reading “Louis Armstrong’s 1969-1971 Scrapbooks: Scrapbook 4”

Way back in 2020–five years ago this month to be exact–we began a series exploring the scrapbooks Louis Armstrong compiled between 1969 and 1971. The ailing Armstrong had been in intensive care twice in less than a year and doctor’s forbade him from going back out on the road. With time to spend relaxing inContinue reading “Louis Armstrong’s 1969-1971 Scrapbooks: Scrapbook 3”

Lately, our posts have been centered around major milestones in Louis Armstrong’s life, such as the OKeh Records Cabaret and Style Show of 1926 or the recording of Satch Plays Fats from 1955. Today, we’re celebrating something on a smaller scale, something that even the most hardened Armstrong fan isn’t familiar with, but we thinkContinue reading ““Music Has No Age”: Louis Armstrong on “Wide, Wide World” and the Voice of America, June 1955″

Louis Armstrong recorded the immortal LP Satch Plays Fats in 1955–70 years ago! We’re a little late for the anniversary of the recording dates, which occurred on April 26, 27, and May 3, and we’re a little earl for the anniversary of the release, which took place in August 1955, but is there ever aContinue reading ““Satch Plays Fats”: A 70th Anniversary Celebration!”