Compilations of New Orleans Mardi Gras music have a tendency to adjust themselves to outside perceptions of the holiday rather than vice versa. Not so with GHB Records’ newest offering. There are no conspicuous appeals here to the broader commercial market, notwithstanding a recording of “The Saints” from Louis Armstrong, whose Mardi Gras bona fides [...]
Tag Archives: Louis Armstrong
10 Classic New Orleans Marijuana Songs
April 20, 2011 – 4:28 pm
UPDATED As with so many pleasures of the flesh (see: cocktails, jazz, rock ‘n’ roll, parades), New Orleans was a pioneer in marijuana consumption in America. As one of the country’s busiest ports in the late 1800s, it’s no surprise that Storyville, the city’s red light district, became a hotbed for “marihuana”, at least until [...]
Collectors Items?
February 28, 2011 – 4:18 pm
In a recent blog post, I questioned art4now’s “Vintage Poster Values,” which documents what Jazz Fest posters cost when they were first sold and what they cost now from art4now. Out of curiosity, I decided to follow a number of Jazz Fest posters up for auction on eBay. Of the nine Jazz Fest poster auctions [...]
Kid Ory: The Permission Not Given
December 1, 2010 – 12:10 am
[Updated] Edward “Kid” Ory may not be as well known as the superstars of early jazz, players such as Louis Armstrong and Buddy Bolden, but Ory played with them all, and he left an indelible imprint on each of them, all the while helping to create the most dominant trombone sound of all. Ory left [...]
Two Louis
August 1, 2010 – 12:26 am
David Stricklin Louis Armstrong: The Soundtrack of the American Experience (Ivan R. Dee) Scott Allen Nollen Louis Armstrong: The Life, Music, and Screen Career (McFarland and Company) Louis Daniel Armstrong lies buried in Flushing, Queens, but his heart belongs to the Crescent City. Practically and spiritually, he belongs to the planet, and measuring the full [...]
Shamarr Allen: None of the Above
August 1, 2010 – 12:14 am
1907 Jourdan Avenue is situated just past the east wall of the Industrial Canal. Shamarr Allen recalls growing up there, practicing his trumpet at home with encouragement from his father and Kermit Ruffins. Playing with his childhood friend Dinerral Shavers, buddies so close people thought they were brothers. But like so many other such New [...]
Seeking Satch Competition: The Sons of Satchmo
August 1, 2010 – 12:11 am
“New Orleans is the only place I know of where you ask a little kid what he wants to be and instead of saying ‘I want to be a policeman,’ or ‘I want to be a fireman,’ he says, ‘I want to be a musician,’” said Allan Jaffe, founder of Preservation Hall. The French Market [...]
Cultural Economies Need Love, Too
August 1, 2010 – 12:02 am
We play in the August heat, too. Satchmo SummerFest celebrates its tenth anniversary this year. Originally funded by the Louisiana Office of Tourism, Satchmo SummerFest is more than just a local festival; its intent was to inform and educate locals and visitors on the heritage and legacy of Louis Armstrong, and the importance of New [...]
Jazz & Bounce: An Interesting Pairing at Republic
July 21, 2010 – 6:20 pm
Republic will transform from a concert hall to a bounce party within 24 hours. Tonight, the venue will host a benefit for the Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong Summer Jazz Camp, a music education program for students ages 10-21, from 7-10 p.m. Called “An Evening of Jazz”, the event features dancer Norma Gordon, trombonist Wycliffe Gordo and [...]
Jazz Fest First Thoughts
December 15, 2009 – 10:28 am
Some disconnected quick thoughts: – It’s tempting to say that Jazz Fest has managed its long-time knack for booking bands after their prime – Pearl Jam – but they’ve got My Morning Jacket about right, or perhaps just a little behind the curve. And Pearl Jam has found a way to stay meaningful in a [...]
