The premiere American Jazz Festival dedicated to the life, legacy, and music of New Orleans’ native son, Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong, will take place August 3 – 5 at the Louisiana State Museum’s Old U.S. Mint. This weekend-long celebration will feature traditional jazz, contemporary jazz, and brass bands comprised of New Orleans’ most talented musicians.
Live, Local Music, Free Dance Lessons, and Indoor Family Activities
Satchmo SummerFest 2012 music lineup includes Kermit Ruffins and the Barbecue Swingers, Preservation Hall-Stars, Yoshio Toyama and the Dixie Saints, Leroy Jones and New Orleans’ Finest, Treme Funktet featuring Corey Henry and Travis Hill, Don Vappie & The Creole Jazz Serenaders, Wendell Brunious, The Original Pinnettes Brass Band, The New Orleans Moonshiners, and many more.
Between musical sets, dancers of all levels can take lessons from New Orleans’ well-known dance teachers at the Cornet Chop Suey Stage Saturday and Sunday of the festival. Swing and Charleston dance lessons are open and free to the public and are taught and sponsored by NOLA Jitterbugs.
Throughout the day, children and parents can relax indoors on the second floor of the Louisiana State Museum’s Old U.S. Mint with an array of educational, entertaining children’s activities, “Satchmo on Film” for kids, and exhibits. The “Satchmo for Kids’” area features a variety of activities for kids to enjoy including a Satchmo collage project, a second-line umbrella creation station, coconut decorating with the Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club’s “Junior Zulus,” and the Jazz National Historic Park’s Junior Rangers program.
While inside, visitors can also enjoy the Louisiana State Museum’s exhibit, “Preservation Hall at 50.” The exhibit is a commemoration of the 50th anniversary of Preservation Hall through artifacts, photographs, posters, handbills, flyers, newspaper articles, phonograph records, film and audio clips, interviews, and oral histories. In addition, items from the museum’s jazz collection are on display, including Louis Armstrong’s first cornet. The exhibit and children’s area are free and open to the public during the festival weekend.
Satchmo SummerFest hosts diverse and exciting offerings from great New Orleans restaurants and welcomes new additions to the festival menu options. This year, the festival introduces Lakeside Harbor and Mona’s Café to Red Bean Alley, and welcomes back Plum Street SnoBalls and Cool Fruit Sensations and their refreshing fresh squeezed juices and teas with the option to add Absolut Vodka or Avion Tequila to any drink. The festival also debuts Avion Frozen Margaritas, Lipton Green Tea, and Gatorade at the beverage booths.
Special Events
In addition to a weekend full of great music, food, seminars, movies, and children’s activities, Satchmo SummerFest features an array of special events including the annual Jazz Mass at the historic St. Augustine Church in Treme, a traditional second line parade, and the annual ‘Trumpet Tribute’ which closes the festival Sunday night with a Satchmo birthday party.
A complete list of the music schedule, special events, and festival menus are attached below or visit the Satchmo SummerFest website at www.satchmosummerfest.com for more information.
About French Quarter Festivals, Inc. Satchmo SummerFest is produced by French Quarter Festivals, Inc. (www.fqfi.org), the 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization, which also produces French Quarter Festival in April and Christmas New Orleans Style! in December. French Quarter Festivals, Inc. promotes the Vieux Carré and the City of New Orleans through high quality special events and activities that showcase the culture and heritage of this unique city, contribute to the economic well-being of the community, and instill increased pride in the people of New Orleans.
Satchmo SummerFest 2012 – Music Schedule
Please note: In partnership with NOLA Jitterbugs, FREE dance lessons will be offered on Saturday and Sunday during Satchmo SummerFest (see schedule for details). Fun for novices and experienced dancers! All dance lessons will take place at the Old U.S. Mint at the Cornet Chop Suey Stage.
Saturday, August 4th
Red Beans & Ricely Yours Stage presented by WWLTV
12:00-1:00 Jesse McBride Presents the Next Generation
1:15-2:15 Lars Edegran’s Ragtime Orchestra featuring Lionel Ferbos
2:30-3:30 Treme Brass Band
3:45-4:45 Yoshio Toyama & the Dixie Saints
5:00-6:15 Preservation Hall-Stars
6:30-8:00 Treme Funktet featuring Corey Henry and Travis Hill
Cornet Chop Suey Stage presented by OffBeat
11:40-12:00 Dance Lessons
12:00-1:00 Connie Jones and the Crescent City All Stars
1:15-2:15 Harmonouche featuring Norbert Slama
2:15 -2:45 Dance Lessons
2:45-3:45 The New Orleans Moonshiners
4:00-5:00 Delfeayo Marsalis & The Uptown Jazz Orchestra
5:15-6:30 Big Chief Bo Dollis, Jr. and the Wild Magnolias
6:45-8:00 Stooges Brass Band
Sunday August 5th
Red Beans & Ricely Yours Stage presented by WWLTV
12:00-1:00 Clive Wilson’s Satchmo Serenade
1:15-2:15 Palmetto Bug Stompers
2:30-3:30 New Birth Brass Band
3:45-4:45 Leroy Jones and New Orleans’ Finest
5:00-6:15 Topsy Chapman and Solid Harmony
6:30-7:30 Kermit Ruffins and the Barbecue Swingers
7:30-8:00 Trumpet Tribute to Louis Armstrong (with Kermit Ruffins)
Cornet Chop Suey Stage presented by OffBeat
12:00-1:00 Paulin Brothers Brass Band
1:15-2:15 Kid Merv and All that Jazz
2:15-2:45 Dance Lessons
2:45-3:45 Don Vappie & The Creole Jazz Serenaders
4:00-5:00 The Ritz-Carlton presents Jeremy Davenport
5:00-5:30 Dance Lessons
5:30-6:30 Wendell Brunious
6:45-7:45 The Original Pinnettes Brass Band
Thursday, August 2nd
The Hotel Monteleone
$65 per person
5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. – Opening Reception
7:00 p.m. – Keynote Conversation with Michael Cogswell
Keynote Conversation –“Our Love is Here to Stay”: Louis Armstrong through the Centuries. Today, Louis Armstrong is properly revered as an American Cultural icon. Satchmo SummerFest, the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, and the Louis Armstrong House Museum are merely three indicators of this reverence. But it wasn’t always so. In this keynote address, Michael Cogswell, Director of the Louis Armstrong House Museum in New York City, explores perceptions of Armstrong throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. The address includes rare and unique images and recordings from the Museum’s collections.
Friday, August 3rd
Armstrong Park Birthday Party
10 a.m. – Armstrong Park is located on Rampart Street at St. Ann
Celebrate the 111th anniversary of the birth of New Orleans’ native son, Louis ‘Satchmo’ Armstrong. The event will take place at the foot of the Armstrong Statue in Armstrong Park. Enter at the St. Ann gate on North Rampart Street. Enjoy cake and refreshments. This event is free and open to the public.
Saturday, August 4th and Sunday, August 5th
Free Dance Lessons at Satchmo SummerFest!
Dance lessons for all ages will take place in between sets, Saturday and Sunday, at the Cornet Chop Suey Stage during Satchmo SummerFest. They are fun to participate in, or just observe! Dance lessons are sponsored by nolajitterbugs.com and are taught by NOLA Jitterbugs. Festival goers will learn how to swing and the Charleston.
Sunday, August 5th
Jazz Mass at St. Augustine Church, followed by traditional second line parade
10 a.m. – St. Augustine Church is located at 1210 Gov. Nicholls Street in Treme
Arrive early! Standing room only event
Celebrate the 12th annual Satchmo SummerFest, featuring the Treme Brass Band – a unique Sunday morning music ministry at the church of Sidney Bechet. At 11:30 a.m., following mass, join the ‘Satchmo Salute’ Second Line Parade featuring Grand Marshall Boe Monkey Red, Jennifer Jones, Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club, Million Dollar Baby Dolls, Dumaine Street Gang, Sudan Social Aid and Pleasure Club, Undefeated Divas, TBC (To Be Continued) Brass Band, Baby Boyz Brass Band, and more. Sponsored by Rhodes Funeral Home.
Trumpet Tribute and Birthday Party featuring Kermit Ruffins
7:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Closeout the celebration with a song of Happy Birthday to jazz’s most beloved musician, Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong. The trumpet tribute will feature Kermit Ruffins and is located at the “Red Beans and Ricely Yours” Stage. Don’t forget to stay for free cupcakes and slices of cake courtesy of Buttermilk Drop Bakery.
Satchmo SummerFest Menu
Amy’s Vietnamese Cuisine
Pork & Shrimp Spring Roll – 1 for $3 / 2 for $5
Grilled Lemongrass Chicken with Vermicelli Noodles – $8
Grilled Salmon with Jasmine Rice & Spring Mix – $10
Crawfish Egg Rolls – $3
The Praline Connection
Vegetarian Mustard Greens & Red Beans & Rice – $6
Fried Chicken Wings with Mustard Greens or Red Beans & Rice – $7
Cheesecake with Praline Sauce – $4
Pralines – $2
Vaucresson Sausage Co.
Creole Hot Sausage Po-Boy or on a Stick – $6 / $5
Creole Crawfish Sausage Po-Boy or on a Stick – $6 / $5
BBQ Chicken Sausage Po-Boy or on a Stick – $6 / $5
Fascinating seminars discuss the life, legacy, and music of Louis Armstrong
The premiere American Jazz Festival dedicated to the life, legacy, and music of New Orleans’ native son, Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong, will take place August 3 – 5 at the Louisiana State Museum’s Old U.S. Mint. An impressive array of speakers will present seminars, discussions, music, and movies about the history of New Orleans Jazz and the life and music of Louis Armstrong. Enlightening presentations, discussions, and performances will be given by Richard Havers co-producer of Satchmo – a comprehensive box set of Louis Armstrong recordings, Ricky Riccardi author of What a Wonderful World: The Magic of Louis Armstrong’s Later Years, Jason Harrelson of Harrelson Trumpets, and many more.
Satchmo SummerFest Keynote Speaker, Michael Cogswell, will open the seminar presentations with a Keynote Address. Cogswell’s presentation will explore the perceptions of Louis Armstrong through the 20th and 21st centuries. The address will also include rare and unique images and recordings from the Museum’s collections and offer insight on how Armstrong became the icon he is today.
Cogswell is the Director of the Louis Armstrong House Museum in New York City and author of Louis Armstrong: The Offset Story of Satchmo (Collectors Press, 2003). In 1991, Queens College hired Cogswell to arrange and catalog the vast collections of Louis Armstrong’s home-recorded tapes, scrapbooks, photographs, manuscripts, trumpets, and other personal items. The Louis Armstrong Archives has grown to include six collections and houses the world’s largest archive for a single jazz musician. In 1995, Cogswell administered the nine-year, two million dollar project to open the Louis Armstrong House Museum, a national historic landmark and a New York City landmark, as a historic house museum. The Louis Armstrong House opened to the public in 2003 and is a popular destination for tourists, school groups, musicians, and jazz lovers. It is the only national landmark for a jazz musician that is completely authentic and open to the public six days per week, 52 weeks per year.
Michael has made several presentations about Louis Armstrong in cities across the United States and Europe. He has also appeared on NPR’s Fresh Air, ABC-TV’s Nightline, and CBS Sunday Morning.
The Opening Reception and Keynote Address at the Hotel Monteleone will take place August 2 at 5:30 p.m. Reception tickets are $65 per person and are available for sale. Please call the French Quarter Festivals, Inc. office at (504) 522-5730 to purchase tickets.
Seminars at the Louisiana State Museum’s Old U.S. Mint are scheduled from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, August 3; 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday, August 4; and 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, August 5. Seminars are free and open to the public. For a complete list of the seminar schedule and speakers see the attached schedule below or visit the website www.satchmosummerfest.com.
Satchmo SummerFest 2012 – Seminar Schedule
2012 Satchmo SummerFest Seminars will take place at The Louisiana State Museum’s Old US Mint
Made possible by Louis Armstrong Education Foundation
Friday, August 3rd
1pm – My Friend Satchmo – Part 1
Jazz educator, historian and Gully Low Jazz Band leader and tuba man David Ostwald interviews NEA Jazz Master Dan Morgenstern about his long friendship with Louis Armstrong – with key points in their conversation enhanced by audio and images supplied by Armstrong House archivist and jazz scholar Ricky Riccardi.
2pm – Satchmo’s Gear
Trumpeter and custom trumpet designer and builder Jason Harrelson of Harrelson Trumpets – talks about the trumpets and mouthpieces used by Louis Armstrong – and how Jason believes they affected Armstrong’s sound. Jason has played the trumpet for years and founded Harrelson Trumpets when he was just twenty years old. He started by modifying student horns and selling them to friends. Harrelson then began to offer custom modifications for a few select customers, and his reputation grew. Jason is known for bringing new technology and exciting designs to his instruments.
3pm – Gleanings from the Groove: The Exciting Music of the King Oliver Creole Jazz Band
Library of Congress archivist and outstanding jazz trombonist David Sager presents a multi-media examination of the seminal role and continued importance of the early recordings of the King Oliver Creole Jazz Band, which featured Louis Armstrong as second cornet, in his first recorded performances.
4pm - Cinematic Satch – with Ricky Riccardi – Louis Armstrong On Television
If ever there was a medium invented for Louis Armstrong, it was television. In his years studying the trumpeter, Ricky Riccardi has amassed a large collection of Armstrong’s television appearances, including rare treasures from Armstrong’s many visits to television talk shows. Join him for this special session as he screens some footage unseen since it was originally broadcast.
Saturday, August 4th
2pm – My Friend Satchmo – Part 2
Louis Armstrong House Museum Director Michael Cogswell interviews Armstrong House Museum board member and businessman Stephen Maitland-Lewis about his long friendship with Louis Armstrong – which began when Stephen was a youngster in the UK.
3pm – Digital Satchmo
Critically acclaimed British music writer and producer Richard Havers – and jazz pianist, archivist and historian Ricky Riccardi – who collaborated on last year’s widely praised ‘Satchmo: Louis Armstrong – Ambassador of Jazz’ 10-cd boxed set retrospective of Louis Armstrong’s recording career – discuss Universal’s forthcoming digital-only set of previously unreleased Armstrong material. The new recordings are being released in honor of the 2012 Satchmo SummerFest.
4pm – String Bands, Hawaii and Satchmo
New Orleans guitarist and banjoist Seva Venet and a five piece string band present an ‘informance’ about the impact of New Orleans string bands – and Hawaiian music – on early jazz and the music of Louis Armstrong.
5pm – Cinematic Satch – with Ricky Riccardi – Louis Armstrong in Europe
In his years as America’s “Ambassador of Goodwill,” Louis Armstrong enjoyed a special relationship with his European fans. Join Ricky Riccardi, author of ‘What a Wonderful World: The Magic of Louis Armstrong’s Later Years,’ as he screens rare Armstrong performances from the 1930s through the 1960s, filmed in Denmark, Germany, Amsterdam, England and more.
Sunday, August 5th
1pm – Dipper and the Kid
Jazz historian John McCusker talks about the influence of trombonist Kid Ory on the development of Louis Armstrong in New Orleans, and their relationship, which stretched from 1913 until Satchmo’s death in 1971. John McCusker’s biography of Kid Ory, ‘Creole Trombone: Kid Ory and the Early Years of Jazz’ will be published by the University Press of Mississippi on October 2, 2012.
2pm – New Orleans Style and the Writing of American Jazz History
Tulane University Director of Special Collections and Hogan Jazz Archive Curator, Bruce Raeburn, talks about his recent book ‘New Orleans Style and the Writing of American Jazz History’ with award-winning radio producer and interviewer Fred Kasten.
3pm – Recording Satchmo
Armstrong House Trustee, attorney, and band leader David Ostwald interviews NEA Jazz Master and legendary producer George Avakian about his remarkable recording sessions with Louis Armstrong – with key points in their conversation enhanced by audio and images supplied by jazz archivist and Armstrong scholar Ricky Riccardi.
4pm -Pops in England
British writer and producer Richard Havers shares great anecdotes about Satchmo ‘across the pond’ – touching on Louis Armstrong’s tours of England in the 1930’s and post WWII.
5pm – Cinematic Satch – with Ricky Riccardi – Louis Armstrong On Film
Throughout his long career, Louis Armstrong appeared in over 30 major feature films. Louis Armstrong House Museum Archivist Ricky Riccardi will screen some highlights from Armstrong’s film career, from well-known Hollywood blockbusters like “High Society” and “The Five Pennies” to rarely seen entries such as “Satchmo the Great” and the European film “Saluti e Baci.”
Satchmo SummerFest will premiere a triptych selection of original collages by Louis Armstrong from the collections of the Louis Armstrong House Museum Archives. The three collages display several personal aspects of Armstrong’s life. While on the road and at home in Corona, New York, Louis Armstrong would spend hours talking into a reel to reel tape, recording stories from his career and private life. Armstrong’s love for the arts inspired him to decorate the leftover reel to reel tape boxes with personal photographs, newspaper clippings, movie stills, handwritten letters, cards, telegrams, and other items he collected throughout his life. The triptych Louis Armstrong collages are a limited edition silkscreen print and will be on sale at the merchandise booth during Satchmo SummerFest.
Armstrong-inspired King Cake Baby Pendants from Molly McNamara Designs (local artist) will also make its debut to the merchandise line. The pewter pendants are $30 and include a chain and a brief history of the New Orleans King Cake and Baby. Other merchandise will be available for sale at the festival and online including Satchmo SummerFest shirts, hats, and neck coolers.
A complete list of all 2012 Satchmo SummerFest merchandise follows. For more information about Satchmo SummerFest call (504) 522-5730 or visit the website www.satchmosummerfest.com.
Tented stages, extended hours, new food and beverage offerings, and exciting new programming will enhance festival goers experience at the 2011 Satchmo SummerFest.
The Experience
Satchmo SummerFest has extended its hours from noon to 8 pm on Saturday, August 6th and Sunday, August 7th. For the first time, fans will enjoy ‘Satchmo in the Shade’ – musical performances under completely tented areas. The new 40-by-80-foot tents will cover stage areas and provide relief from the August heat. In addition, picnic table dining areas on festival grounds will also be tented. ‘Satchmo in the Shade’ is sponsored by Where Y’at Magazine.
Satchmo SummerFest introduces two new beverages this year: an Absolut Mango Daiquiri and Malibu Rum Piña Colada Daiquiri in souvenir cups. In addition, local-festival-favorite ‘Cool Fruit Sensations’ will join Satchmo SummerFest for the first time, fresh-squeezed revitalizing fruit blends with a choice of traditional or cocktail blends. A sample of the flavors include: Blueberry Lemonade, Arnold Palmer, Strawberry Lemonade, Blueberry Tea, Pineapple Lemonade and Watermelon Lemon Tea.
Satchmo SummerFest presents a new delicious menu, featuring some of New Orleans favorite restaurants. New restaurants at the 2011 festival include: Lasyone’s (Natchitoches Meat and Crawfish Pies); The Thee Muses (Mini Lamb Burgers with Goat Cheese and Tomato Chutney as well as Creole Tomato Gazpacho with Louisiana Crabmeat); The Bombay Club (Gulf Fish & Shrimp Escabeche); Old Nawlins Cookery (Charbroiled Oysters); and Royal House (Gator Burger Sliders). A complete list of restaurants and menus can be found at www.fqfi.org\satchmosummerfest.
Exciting Programming at the Satchmo Seminars
2011 has been an incredible year for advancements in Armstrong scholarship. The worldwide release of a new Armstrong box set will take place during the 2011 Satchmo SummerFest. The release is called ‘Satchmo’ and has been hailed as the ‘most comprehensive Armstrong box set ever made available’. Producer Richard Havers will be at the festival to present the ‘Keynote Conversation’ on Thursday, August 4th (Louis Armstrong’s birthday). He will discuss this exciting new work and the never-before-heard material that it contains. Richard Havers is a critically acclaimed British music writer and concert producer for some of the most famous artists in the world.
Ricky Riccardi is author of the new Louis Armstrong biography, What a Wonderful World, which focuses on the magic of Armstrong’s later years. Riccardi’s book offers a fresh perspective on one of the world’s most famous and beloved artists and he has received incredible reviews since the book was released earlier this year. Ricky will be joined by Armstrong House Museum and Archive Director Michael Cogswell at 2 p.m. on Friday, August 5th at Maison (508 Frenchmen Street) to discuss this new book.
Keith Spera, Times Picayune writer and author of the new Groove Interrupted: Loss, Renewal and the Music of New Orleans, will discuss his new book at Satchmo SummerFest. Groove Interrupted focuses on the post-Katrina experiences of over a
dozen well known New Orleans musicians, including Allen Toussaint, Fats Domino,
Jeremy Davenport, Pete Fountain, Aaron Neville and Gatemouth Brown. Keith will be joined by trumpeter Jeremy Davenport at 12 noon on Sunday, August 7th to discuss the book and the behind-the-scenes reality of making a jazz album in the modern era, with all its creative and economic challenges.
Meet the authors and
get books autographed and personalized at Satchmo SummerFest
Richard Havers, Ricky Riccardi and Keith Spera will be available to sign their books and the box set during Satchmo SummerFest. These newly released books and the box set will be on sale at the festival merchandise booth (Old U.S. Mint, 400 Esplanade Avenue) and at Satchmo Seminars (Maison, 508 Frenchmen Street). Shipping is also available for a nominal charge.
Festival goers will enjoy traditional jazz and brass bands, New Orleans classic cuisine, family activities, culture and fun at weekend-long celebration
NEW ORLEANS(July 19, 2011) – French Quarter Festivals, Inc. announces details about the eleventh annual Satchmo SummerFest – the premier American Jazz Festival dedicated to the life, legacy and music of New Orleans’ native son, Louis ‘Satchmo’ Armstrong. The 2011 Satchmo SummerFest takes place August 4 through August 7 in the French Quarter – at the Louisiana State Museum’s Old U.S. Mint, Maison on Frenchmen Street (Satchmo Seminars), and at Muriel’s Jackson Square (Satchmo Opening Reception and Keynote Speech). Friday through Sunday the festival is free and open to the public.
Live, Local Music and Family Activities
Two stages of music on the grounds of the Mint will include traditional jazz, contemporary jazz and brass bands. Musical performers include Kermit Ruffins and the Barbecue Swingers, Preservation Hall Allstars, Yoshio Toyama and the Dixie Saints, Hot 8 Brass Band, Tim Laughlin and Connie Jones, Soul Rebels Brass Band, Leroy Jones, Jazz vocalist Leah Chase, Leon ‘Kid Chocolate’ Brown and many more. This free community event will also feature free dance lessons sponsored by NOLA Jitterbugs during Saturday and Sunday at the Cornet Chop Suey Stage. Lessons will take place between each musical set (see music schedule for details). The festival will also feature an array of educational and entertaining
children’s activities, including a Satchmo collage project, a second-line umbrella creation station sponsored by the New Orleans Jazz Celebration, activity stations sponsored by Krewe of Muses and Young Audiences, coconut decorating with the Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club ‘Junior Zulus’ and Jazz National Historic Park’s Junior Rangers program. Festival hours have been extended to 12:00 pm to 8:00 pm Saturday, August 6 and Sunday, August 7. The festival will also include a new tented music and food area called Satchmo in the Shade and is sponsored by Where Y’at Magazine.
Fascinating Speakers, Seminars and Discussions
The 2011 Satchmo SummerFest Seminars will be held at our new location, Maison in the Marigny, located at 508 Frenchmen Street, just one block from the Old U.S. Mint.
An impressive array of speakers will present seminars, discussions, music, and movies, scheduled from Friday, August 5 to Sunday, August 7. Satchmo SummerFest Keynote Speaker, Richard Havers, will open the sessions at Muriel’s Jackson Square on Thursday, August 4th, Armstrong’s birthday, at the annual Satchmo SummerFest Kickoff Party. Critically acclaimed British music writer Richard Havers and Grammy-winning record producer Russ Titelmanare co-producers of the new comprehensive box set from Universal Music Group of great Armstrong recordings, ‘Satchmo’ – officially releasing at the 2011 Satchmo SummerFest in New Orleans. The set is being hailed by experts as “the most complete Louis Armstrong boxed set ever made available.” Havers and Armstrong archivist Ricky Riccardi will discuss and play clips from the set, along with additional Armstrong re-issues scheduled for release later this year. Richard Havers has written over 2,000 jingles for radio and television and has produced concerts for artists such as Paul McCartney, the Beach Boys, Chicago and America. Amongst his many books, Havers wrote the Frank Sinatra biography, Sinatra, and collaborated on two books with Bill Wyman: Bill Wyman’s Blues Odyssey and Rolling with the Stones. Many other sessions are scheduled with educational and entertaining speakers who knew or were inspired by Louis Armstrong (complete schedule attached).
Special Events
In addition to a weekend full of great music, food, seminars, movies and children’s activities, Satchmo SummerFest features an array of special events, including an Opening Reception
and Keynote Address on Armstrong’s birthday (August 4th); the annual Jazz Mass at the historic St. Augustine Church in Treme, a traditional second line parade and the annual
‘Trumpet Tribute’ which closes the festival Sunday night with a Satchmo birthday party. Please see attached schedule for more details.
Happy Birthday Satchmo!
Satchmo SummerFest is scheduled annually to coincide with Louis Armstrong’s birthday on August 4th. The artist often stated in public interviews that he was born on July 4, 1900 (USA Independence Day), a date that has been noted in many biographies. Armstrong died in 1971 and his true birthdate, August 4, 1901, was not discovered until the mid-1980s. Louis Armstrong was born in a poor section of New Orleans known as “the Battlefield”. Throughout his career, he entertained millions – from heads of state and royalty to the neighborhood kids on his stoop in Corona, New York. Despite his fame, he lived a simple life in a working-class neighborhood. The man known around the world as ‘Satchmo’, short for Satchelmouth, was widely recognized as a founding father of jazz – a unique American art form. In 1932, Melody Maker magazine editor Percy Brooks greeted Armstrong in London with “Hello, Satchmo!” and the nickname stuck. His influence, as an artist and cultural icon, is universal, unmatched, and very much alive today. Armstrong was a charismatic and innovative performer whose improvised soloing was the main influence for a fundamental change in jazz. As one of the most famous musicians of the 20th century, he was first known as a cornet player, then as a trumpet player, and toward the end of his career he was best known as a vocalist and influential jazz singer.
2011 Official Poster by Christy Works Boutte
A Satchmo SummerFest limited edition print by local artist Christy Works Boutte will be available for purchase. Christy’s love of vibrant colors and ability to create harmony using thick oil paints has become a trademark of her creations. She most recently worked with French Quarter Festivals, Inc. in 2008, creating the painting which became the sold-out French Quarter Festival poster. Other merchandise will be available for sale at the festival and online including Satchmo SummerFest shirts, hats, cooling bandanas and jewelry. More than twenty-five food and beverage booths will be open at the Louisiana State Museum’s Old U.S. Mint and will feature authentic local cuisine, drinks and snowballs from the area’s finest restaurants to create “Red Bean Alley.”
Sponsors and Community Partners for the 11th annual Satchmo SummerFest include: The City of New Orleans, The Convention & Visitors Bureau, New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corporation, Louisiana Office of Tourism, Abita Brewing Company, WWL TV-4, Louisiana State Museum, French Market, Louis Armstrong International Airport, Absolut, Malibu, Rhodes Funeral Home, Hotel Monteleone, Muriel’s Jackson Square, Rouses, New Orleans Jazz National Historic Park, The Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation, Aidan Gill, Harrah’s New Orleans, Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club, OffBeat Magazine, nola.com, Where Y’At Magazine, Pelican Ice, www.nolajitterbugs.com, Tulane Medical Center, Event Rentals, Rolland Safe and Lock, Mardi Gras Productions, New Orleans Jazz Celebration, New Orleans Musicians Assistance Foundation, Jefferson Variety, My New Orleans, WWNO 89.9 FM, Louisiana Cookin’, Kids and Family New Orleans Magazine, The Vinyl District, SLS Arts, Krewe of Muses and Sunburst Media.
