Celebrating the Birthday of Louis Armstrong

Trumpeter and vocalist Louis Armstrong, also known as Satchmo, Satch, and Pops, was born in New Orleans on August 4, 1901. He is the most famous and influential jazz musician of all time, and was a beloved American icon and cultural ambassador. He was born into poverty, learned to play the coronet at the Colored Waif’s Home for Boys in 1913, and emerged as a trumpet virtuoso whose highly inventive, improvised solos transformed jazz. His distinctive, gravelly voice and charismatic stage presence propelled him to great popularity, both at home and internationally, and not just with his musical recordings, but on radio, films and television. He has innumerable popular songs, but he is best known for the heartwarming “What A Wonderful World” and the cheerful “Hello Dolly”, for which he won a Grammy in 1964. Armstrong passed away in his sleep from a heart attack, a month before his 70th birthday, on July 6, 1971. A 12-foot statue of Armstrong, trumpet in hand, is located in Louis Armstrong Park, located in the Tremé neighborhood of New Orleans, just across from the French Quarter.

Satchmo Summerfest is the premier American festival dedicated to the life, legacy, and music of New Orleans' native son, Louis Armstrong, and it takes place at the New Orleans Jazz Museum at the U.S. Mint the first weekend of August.

Mardigramus - Goin' For A Run

Mardigramus the soothsayer dispenses pointless wisdom and useless observations every Tuesday. Today’s sooth is called “Goin’ For A Run”. Click on the image to view his visionary video.

Happy Birthday, Amanda Shaw!

Cajun fiddler, singer and actress Amanda Christian Amaya-Shaw was born on August 2, 1990, in Mandeville, Louisiana, and she studied classical violin starting at age four. At the age of eight, she began playing and performing Cajun music, and also became the youngest soloist to perform in the Baton Rouge Symphony. In 2008, Shaw opted to obtain her G.E.D. rather than complete her schooling so she could travel around the country to perform.

Shaw was inspired by musicians Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, Bonnie Raitt, and others, and remained devoted to her culture and musical heritage. Her music is a diverse blend of Cajun and country, with some blues and rock n roll mixed in. Shaw and her band, The Cute Guys, appear throughout the New Orleans area, including at the annual New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and French Quarter Festival. She has recorded albums and EPs, and has appeared in two Disney Channel movies filmed in New Orleans. Shaw was one of the narrators in the 2006 documentary Hurricane on the Bayou, about Hurricane Katrina and the erosion of Louisiana's wetlands. The film features her music along with that of co-narrator Tab Benoit and New Orleans native Allen Toussaint. Her talent has been recognized by many, and she has received numerous awards including the Big Easy Award for Best Female Entertainer, Louisiana Music Hall of Fame Future Famer, and Offbeat Magazine’s Best of the Beat.

Shaw is an eminently talented musician with a magnetic personality. Be sure to catch her and her band at your next opportunity. Until then, let’s celebrate her talent by wishing her a very happy birthday!

Photo: Shreveport-Bossier Convention and Tourist Bureau

Satchmo Summerfest at the New Orleans Jazz Museum 7/31 to 8/1!

The 21st annual Satchmo SummerFest is a 2-day festival dedicated to celebrating the life, legacy and music of New Orleans' native Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong. The festival will feature 2 outdoor stages with 20 performances by New Orleans' most talented musicians, an indoor stage featuring presentations on Armstrong, and 6 of your favorite local restaurants vending all weekend long. 

Satchmo SummerFest is a family friendly festival. Admission to the festival includes access to the many exhibits inside the New Orleans Jazz Museum building. Pre-registered attendees pay $7; Tickets will be available for purchase "at-the-door" for $10. Children under 12 enter for free. Satchmo SummerFest will operate under the best guidance provided by the city of New Orleans and the CDC in regards to COVID-19.

Louisiana Cajun-Zydeco Festival - July 30 - 31, 2021

Pull out your dancing shoes and get ready for the 15th annual Louisiana Cajun-Zydeco Festival - four weeks of back to back stellar performances from some of the most beloved Louisiana Cajun and Zydeco musicians. The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation presents the only New Orleans festival that exclusively celebrates Cajun and Zydeco music.  This year's festival features powerhouse performers taking the stage each week at the George and Joyce Wein Jazz & Heritage Center: Grammy- Winning Chubby Carrier, Grammy-Nominated BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet, Grammy-Nominated Dwayne Dopsie & the Zydeco Hellraisers,  Grammy-Nominated Sweet Cecilia, and many more!  The Foundation is welcoming back live music in New Orleans not only with great performances but also with outstanding local food vendors.  

New this year: Every Friday and Saturday, beginning July 9th,  the Foundation will host free outdoor performances made for dancing at the George and Joyce Wein Jazz & Heritage Center - 1225 N. Rampart Street, New Orleans, La.   Doors will open at 6:00pm prior to the start of the performance or program and the show starts at 7:00p.m and goes until 8:30 p.m. Admission is free to all eight concerts, but attendees are asked to RSVP using this link:  RESERVE TICKETS.  Please no outside food and drink - concessions will be sold on site.  

Happy Birthday, Delfeayo Marsalis!

Trombonist, producer and educator Delfeayo Marsalis was born in New Orleans on July 28, 1965, and is the son of Ellis Louis Marsalis, Jr., a pianist and music professor. He is also the grandson of Ellis Marsalis, Sr., and the brother of Wynton Marsalis (trumpeter), Branford Marsalis (saxophonist), and Jason Marsalis (drummer). Delfeayo also has two brothers who are not musicians, Ellis Marsalis III and Mboya Kenyatta. Delfeayo founded the New Orleans-based Uptown Music Theatre in 2000, which has trained over 300 youth and staged eight original musicals, all of which are based upon the mission of "community unity". Delfeayo has recorded 8 of his own albums and is known for his work as a producer of acoustic jazz recordings. He is a graduate of Berklee College of Music, and in 2004 received an MA in jazz performance from the University of Louisville. Marsalis, with his father and brothers, are group recipients of the 2011 NEA Jazz Masters Award. Today we celebrate the birthday of an incredibly talented musician and producer. Happy Birthday, Delfeayo!

Photo: Delfeayo Marsalis