Category Archives: Uncategorized

Last week, we celebrated the 60th anniversary of Louis Armstrong’s historic tour of Prague with a packed post featuring audio, videos, photos, newspaper clippings, and other artifacts from our Archives and from around the internet. But there was a big chunk of our collection that we held back: the photographs of Ivan Englich. Who wasContinue reading ““To Remember Your Visit in Prague”: A 60th Anniversary Photographic Celebration”

60 years ago this week, Louis Armstrong performed behind the Iron Curtain for the first time, opening a concert run at Lucerna Hall in Prague, located in what was then known as Czechoslovakia. Radio Prague International has already kicked off the 60th anniversary celebration with this terrific piece, which we urge you to check out.Continue reading ““Hallo Satchmo!”: 60th Anniversary Celebration of Louis Armstrong’s 1965 Tour of Prague”

We have spent several weeks putting together five packed posts featuring hundreds of photographs Maynard Frank Wolfe took during the rehearsal of the fourth Timex All-Star Jazz Show in January 1959 (you can now access all the posts in this series HERE). With the rehearsals out of the way, it is time to actually shareContinue reading “Timex All-Star Jazz Show Celebration Part 6: The Broadcast and Aftermath”

We originally envisioned today’s post as the conclusion of a multi-part series on the Timex All-Star Jazz Show, broadcast live on CBS television on January 7, 1959, and planned to build up to sharing the final aired broadcast–but in putting it together, we’ve uncovered a bunch of new research about the aftermath and response toContinue reading “Timex All-Star Jazz Show Celebration Part 5: Final January 7, 1959 Rehearsal”

After three action-packed, table-setting posts (here are links to Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3), we have finally reached January 7, 1959, the day the fourth Timex All-Star Jazz Show was filmed and aired live across the nation on CBS television–but we have not reached the end of this series. Why? Because photographer MaynardContinue reading “Timex All-Star Jazz Show Celebration Part 4: January 7 Rehearsal With Jackie Gleason, Dizzy Gillespie, and Duke Ellington”

In case you’d like to catch up on this series devoted to the Timex All Star Jazz Show of January 7, 1959, we’ve already published a first part that shared the initial script and photos of the rehearsal that took place on January 5, and a second part that covered the first half of theContinue reading “Timex All Star Jazz Show Celebration Part 3: Rehearsal With Gene Krupa, Bobby Hackett and Dizzy Gillespie”

In the first part of this series, we shared a little of the backstory of the fourth Timex All Star Jazz Show, including some pages of the first draft of George T. Simon’s script, audio of Louis and Lucille Armstrong rehearsing a second draft of the script, and numerous Maynard Frank Wolfe photographs of theContinue reading “Timex All Star Jazz Show Celebration Part 2: Rehearsal With Duke Ellington”

[An earlier draft of this post celebrated the 65th anniversary of this broadcast…but the New Year got me and it’s actually 66 years! Even though it’s not a round number, we will continue the celebration because it’s worth celebrating no matter the day or year!] 66 years ago this evening, on January 7, 1959, CBSContinue reading “Timex All Star Jazz Show Celebration Part 1: The Script and First Rehearsal”

Today would have been the 91st birthday of Jack Bradley, Louis Armstrong’s close friend and personal photographer for the last decade of his life. Ever since Jack passed away in March 2021, we have slowly and steadily told the story through photos and other artifacts of his relationship with Louis, a series that spans 55Continue reading ““The Greatest Photo Taker”: Remembering Jack Bradley Part 56–The Funeral of Louis Armstrong and CBS Tribute”

Happy Holidays, everyone! When it comes to the Christmas season, Louis Armstrong has become almost as much of a mainstay as Santa Claus; the holiday compilation Louis Wishes You a Cool Yule ended up on the Billboard charts a couple of years ago and Armstrong’s Spotify numbers always go through the roof at this timeContinue reading ““Merry Christmas, Everybody–This is Satchmo!” – Louis Armstrong and Stuff Crouch Celebrate Christmas in 1950″