That photo you have of Louis Armstrong is "just me holding the trumpet up to my lips," as he once said. Robert Cameron (the publisher and photographer of the "Above" series of books) was friends with Mr. Armstrong and he made an exposure of the jazz great improvising on stage in St. Louis in 1941. Bob was a good friend on mine and he passed on his original films to me when he passed away in 2009 at the age of 98.
I made a print from the original negative and mailed it to you via your publishing company in New York. I mailed it just yesterday so be on the look out for it. I had asked for your home address but never go it. I understand why not, so it's okay. I decided to send it to Oxford University Press hoping they would forward it to you. I thought you might like an original print from the negative since your are such a jazzy guy.
Once in a while I read an article (or a book) and I wish I could turn to my Dad and have a conversation. (I am 75. He died in 1995. He was career Military and an amateur musician. He played piano and trumpet. 1 of his four children and 4 of his grandchildren are professional musicians. All of us play at least one musical instrument.) This article brings back memories of hours spent talking “horn” with him. Inevitably it led to listening to often scratchy recordings from his collection or Grandfather’s. Thanks for the memories, great and sad. Also, you mentioned two men I don’t remember at all. Wish he were here . . . .
This is a great piece, Ted. I have taught a jazz history class here in Vancouver in a local music school, with two classes devoted to Louis. One focuses on his personal history and trumpet career in the 1920's and 30's, and the other on his singing. He opened the door for so many players and singers who, as you note, learned his style as if by rote, until it became conventional.
In the classes I've taught, few people knew him as anything but the older man they saw on Ed Sullivan, or Hello Dolly and What A Wonderful World. As they listened to his playing with the Hot Fives and Sevens, particularly Potato Head Blues, and West End Blues, and the bravura performances of Stardust and Up The Lazy River, they finally got it, their eyes lit up with awe and enthusiasm. Louis Converts! This put a big smile on my face!
Many of these great musicians are featured on weekly free listening sessions of the Hot Club of New York. In the past year we have featured complete runs of Jabbo's amazing Brunswick sessions and Henry Red Allen's exciting sides for Victor (backed by Luis Russell's group of which he was a member at the time), all from clean copies of the original 78's. As I am working on a Bennie Moten project, I often feature 'Lips' Page in the stunning Victor sides from 1930 and especially 1932. Frankie Newton is a particular interest of the Hot Club leader Matthew Rivera. Newton's "Who?" is the theme song of his weekly radio show on WKCR in NYC. We have 40-100 people join the zoom sessions each week and host in person events when we are able.
Frank Newton was an incredibly interesting guy. In 1954, Newton tried to make a comeback, deciding to audition for the TV show, Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts. It’s true that Godfrey did have jazz on his program (there are examples on YouTube), but it’s at least tinged with irony that a man who dedicated so much of his life to political activity, to painting, and to literature of a cutting-edge variety, would jump into the belly of the middle-brow capitalist whale. Whatever led Newton to Godfrey, apparently he passed the audition, but he died three months later of acute gastritis, before he could appear on the program. I cover him in depth here: https://syncopatedtimes.com/frankie-newton-20th-century-jazzman-and-political-activist/
Thanks for this essay on these great but neglected trumpet masters. And for your comments on Armstrong, too. I don’t know where else to put this, but I’m confident that you and your readers will be happy to hear that New Orleans’ Dew Drop Inn may be back: https://uptownmessenger.com/after-50-years-dew-drop-inn-gets-ready-to-open-its-doors/
Worth mentioning with regards to Red Allen is that he played with the great and also often overlooked clarinetist, Pee Wee Russell, who might've been the first avant-garde jazz musician - Coleman Hawkins said "For thirty years, I’ve been listening to him play those funny notes. He used to think they were wrong, but they weren't. He’s always been way out, but they didn't have a name for it then."
Any recording of Red Allen and Pee Wee Russell playing together is guaranteed to be a showcase of two of the finest jazz musicians of their era playing in top form.
These men all deserve recognition outside of the jazz encyclopedias where I first encountered their names and reputations. Bix certainly has attained legendary status, but that has had the unfortunate effect of obscuring his true importance as a musician.
I certainly agree with you about Miley's influence on Ellington. The orchestra's first big hit, "East St. Louis Toodle-O", had the two of them jointly credited as composers. That says an awful lot.
My mom is the Board President for the Bix Beiderbecke Jazz Festival in Davenport, IA. My partner and I went this year, and it was incredible! There was also a boat trip down the Mississippi with lunch, a live trad band, and dancing old school, plus two more days of bands all day and into the night, and even a jazz church service Sunday morning. Fabulous and well worth a weekend in Iowa! Also - inexpensive!
A Jewish family Karnofsky, who immigrated from Lithuania to the United States, took pity on the 7-year-old boy and brought him to their home.
There he stayed and spent the night in this Jewish family home, where for the first time in his life he was treated with kindness and tenderness.
When he went to bed, Mrs Karnovski sang him Russian lullabies, which he sang with her.
Later he learned to sing and play several Russian and Jewish songs.
Over time, this boy became the adopted son of this family.
Mr. Karnofsky gave him money to buy his first musical instrument, as was the custom in Jewish families.
Later, when he became a professional musician and composer, he used these Jewish melodies in compositions such as St. James's Hospital and Go Down Moses.
The little boy grew up and wrote a book about this Jewish family, who adopted him in 1907. And proudly spoke Yiddish fluently.
In memory of this family and until the end of his life, he wore the Star of David and said that in this family he learned "to live a real life and determination."
This little boy's name was Louis Armstrong.This little boy was called Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong. Louis Armstrong proudly spoke fluent Yiddish and “Satchmo” is Yiddish for “big cheeks, a nickname some say was given to him by Mrs. Karnofsky!
Nice work, Ted. I’ve admired these guys for decades, mostly because my father ( who was born in 1919, started collecting records when he was 10, and became a jazz pianist) had many of their 78s. I’ve loved the whole stable of swing era trumpeters, including a couple you didn’t mention here( probably because they weren’t contenders in star quality for Louis’ crown) like Buck Clayton, Emmett Berry, Joe Thomas and Dud Bascomb. Young guys of our own era should have their noses rubbed in these guys’ music instead of constantly “referencing” Freddie Hubbard, Miles, Clifford and Woody Shaw. They spoke truth and I’m sure that if young cats got hip to them we could have some more interesting trumpet playing to listen to.
Loved this article! And so glad to see “In a Mist” get a mention--what a tune! I first discovered that track about a decade ago from reading Really The Blues by Mezz Mezrow. Mezz couldn’t say enough about “In a Mist,” and once I heard it, I could see why. So, so ahead of its time.
That photo you have of Louis Armstrong is "just me holding the trumpet up to my lips," as he once said. Robert Cameron (the publisher and photographer of the "Above" series of books) was friends with Mr. Armstrong and he made an exposure of the jazz great improvising on stage in St. Louis in 1941. Bob was a good friend on mine and he passed on his original films to me when he passed away in 2009 at the age of 98.
I made a print from the original negative and mailed it to you via your publishing company in New York. I mailed it just yesterday so be on the look out for it. I had asked for your home address but never go it. I understand why not, so it's okay. I decided to send it to Oxford University Press hoping they would forward it to you. I thought you might like an original print from the negative since your are such a jazzy guy.
Once in a while I read an article (or a book) and I wish I could turn to my Dad and have a conversation. (I am 75. He died in 1995. He was career Military and an amateur musician. He played piano and trumpet. 1 of his four children and 4 of his grandchildren are professional musicians. All of us play at least one musical instrument.) This article brings back memories of hours spent talking “horn” with him. Inevitably it led to listening to often scratchy recordings from his collection or Grandfather’s. Thanks for the memories, great and sad. Also, you mentioned two men I don’t remember at all. Wish he were here . . . .
This is a great piece, Ted. I have taught a jazz history class here in Vancouver in a local music school, with two classes devoted to Louis. One focuses on his personal history and trumpet career in the 1920's and 30's, and the other on his singing. He opened the door for so many players and singers who, as you note, learned his style as if by rote, until it became conventional.
In the classes I've taught, few people knew him as anything but the older man they saw on Ed Sullivan, or Hello Dolly and What A Wonderful World. As they listened to his playing with the Hot Fives and Sevens, particularly Potato Head Blues, and West End Blues, and the bravura performances of Stardust and Up The Lazy River, they finally got it, their eyes lit up with awe and enthusiasm. Louis Converts! This put a big smile on my face!
Many of these great musicians are featured on weekly free listening sessions of the Hot Club of New York. In the past year we have featured complete runs of Jabbo's amazing Brunswick sessions and Henry Red Allen's exciting sides for Victor (backed by Luis Russell's group of which he was a member at the time), all from clean copies of the original 78's. As I am working on a Bennie Moten project, I often feature 'Lips' Page in the stunning Victor sides from 1930 and especially 1932. Frankie Newton is a particular interest of the Hot Club leader Matthew Rivera. Newton's "Who?" is the theme song of his weekly radio show on WKCR in NYC. We have 40-100 people join the zoom sessions each week and host in person events when we are able.
Frank Newton was an incredibly interesting guy. In 1954, Newton tried to make a comeback, deciding to audition for the TV show, Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts. It’s true that Godfrey did have jazz on his program (there are examples on YouTube), but it’s at least tinged with irony that a man who dedicated so much of his life to political activity, to painting, and to literature of a cutting-edge variety, would jump into the belly of the middle-brow capitalist whale. Whatever led Newton to Godfrey, apparently he passed the audition, but he died three months later of acute gastritis, before he could appear on the program. I cover him in depth here: https://syncopatedtimes.com/frankie-newton-20th-century-jazzman-and-political-activist/
Thanks for this essay on these great but neglected trumpet masters. And for your comments on Armstrong, too. I don’t know where else to put this, but I’m confident that you and your readers will be happy to hear that New Orleans’ Dew Drop Inn may be back: https://uptownmessenger.com/after-50-years-dew-drop-inn-gets-ready-to-open-its-doors/
Worth mentioning with regards to Red Allen is that he played with the great and also often overlooked clarinetist, Pee Wee Russell, who might've been the first avant-garde jazz musician - Coleman Hawkins said "For thirty years, I’ve been listening to him play those funny notes. He used to think they were wrong, but they weren't. He’s always been way out, but they didn't have a name for it then."
Any recording of Red Allen and Pee Wee Russell playing together is guaranteed to be a showcase of two of the finest jazz musicians of their era playing in top form.
God DAMN I love your stuff. Thank you for being you
These men all deserve recognition outside of the jazz encyclopedias where I first encountered their names and reputations. Bix certainly has attained legendary status, but that has had the unfortunate effect of obscuring his true importance as a musician.
I certainly agree with you about Miley's influence on Ellington. The orchestra's first big hit, "East St. Louis Toodle-O", had the two of them jointly credited as composers. That says an awful lot.
Lester Bowie!
My mom is the Board President for the Bix Beiderbecke Jazz Festival in Davenport, IA. My partner and I went this year, and it was incredible! There was also a boat trip down the Mississippi with lunch, a live trad band, and dancing old school, plus two more days of bands all day and into the night, and even a jazz church service Sunday morning. Fabulous and well worth a weekend in Iowa! Also - inexpensive!
https://www.facebook.com/roseannetsullivan/posts/pfbid0mdiKDCiFtWuWGoyfBWX8NsbmuVYgeigrHMysGrXcYZLk85zmYGTFearwJzMbvnYhl
Could this be true about Louis Armstrong?
A Jewish family Karnofsky, who immigrated from Lithuania to the United States, took pity on the 7-year-old boy and brought him to their home.
There he stayed and spent the night in this Jewish family home, where for the first time in his life he was treated with kindness and tenderness.
When he went to bed, Mrs Karnovski sang him Russian lullabies, which he sang with her.
Later he learned to sing and play several Russian and Jewish songs.
Over time, this boy became the adopted son of this family.
Mr. Karnofsky gave him money to buy his first musical instrument, as was the custom in Jewish families.
Later, when he became a professional musician and composer, he used these Jewish melodies in compositions such as St. James's Hospital and Go Down Moses.
The little boy grew up and wrote a book about this Jewish family, who adopted him in 1907. And proudly spoke Yiddish fluently.
In memory of this family and until the end of his life, he wore the Star of David and said that in this family he learned "to live a real life and determination."
This little boy's name was Louis Armstrong.This little boy was called Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong. Louis Armstrong proudly spoke fluent Yiddish and “Satchmo” is Yiddish for “big cheeks, a nickname some say was given to him by Mrs. Karnofsky!
Maybe this is more true?
https://acloserwalknola.com/places/karnofsky-shop-residence/
I think Armstrong led the way stylistically. His phrasing and timing marked him out as the shape of things to come.
I think Miles did the same thing in the bebop era.
I would also like to put in a vote for Bobby Hackett as one the great melodic trumpet/cornet players
Nice work, Ted. I’ve admired these guys for decades, mostly because my father ( who was born in 1919, started collecting records when he was 10, and became a jazz pianist) had many of their 78s. I’ve loved the whole stable of swing era trumpeters, including a couple you didn’t mention here( probably because they weren’t contenders in star quality for Louis’ crown) like Buck Clayton, Emmett Berry, Joe Thomas and Dud Bascomb. Young guys of our own era should have their noses rubbed in these guys’ music instead of constantly “referencing” Freddie Hubbard, Miles, Clifford and Woody Shaw. They spoke truth and I’m sure that if young cats got hip to them we could have some more interesting trumpet playing to listen to.
Loved this article! And so glad to see “In a Mist” get a mention--what a tune! I first discovered that track about a decade ago from reading Really The Blues by Mezz Mezrow. Mezz couldn’t say enough about “In a Mist,” and once I heard it, I could see why. So, so ahead of its time.
it would also be fun to hear your assessment of pops vs his predecessors notably king oliver. buddy bolden i guess we can only guess at.