Pops

[Dmitry]

Tonight PBS was showing a less than memorable early 60s film about jazz musicians with Sidney Poitier and Paul Newman, titled Paris Blues. Cameo by Louis Armstrong, in his best sweat and grins. Score by Duke Ellington[i wonder if it's available].

My wife, with all her admittedly pedestrian knowledge and forced exposure to the music, in response to my saying that Pops had to be a tragic figure in real life, said something to this effect - "He's the most well-known jazz musician in the world. Even those who cannot name any other jazz musician will name Louis Armstrong, well, they know him because of the grinning and the clowning."

She probably is right. The amiable, love-you-all Louie, with thousands grinning photographs and a million smiling Made in China Satchmo figurines as portable tokens of his existance..

When I was growing up, my father had one of those pictures at our home, full color, with drips of sweat, eyes rolled out like the Citroen headlights. And a big grin.

Now that I have grown this Art Kane photo is hands down my favorite depiction of the man. No grins, no sweat, white handkerchief in shirt pocket.

What's the word?

[Late]

That picture is the word, which just may be closer to the truth than we'll ever be allowed access to. I don't know too much about Armstrong's personal life, but behind all that entertainment value was not so much a trumpet player but an artist, and one that was likely as perplexed about the world — with all its ambiguities and double standards — as any other commensurate figure from the creative arts. There were reasons Armstrong needed his tea, and it was probably more than to just take the edge off. You hear him sing "Shine" as far back as the early 30's, and the underlying gestures of doubt, exhaustion, and a pervading hope are already there.

[jazzbo]

The man was a frikkin' genius with laser beams. He not only revolutionized one genre of music but transformed the cornet/trumpet in general use, and galvanized pop vocals. AND on top of all that he was an amazing writer, and a visual artist as well.

From my study of his life I've come to the conclusion that a large portion of the outward aimed joy was REAL. He felt he was in the world to entertain and spread joy and happiness. He certainly worked towards that goal with a lot of success. He had his frustrations, but he let them pass through him, he seemed to let them out. He took the stand he needed to take for his mental health; when it was vitally important, he let his rage out. He was full of passion for music, for his family and friends and countrymen and just plain people. With his gifts he did much to improve the world.

I DON'T see him as a tragic figure.

Edited February 1, 2004 by jazzbo

[Muskrat Ramble]

"My whole life has been happiness. Through all the misfortunes...I did not plan anything. Life was there for me, and I accepted it." --Pops

Pops was beautiful in large part because he apparently felt no shame in being a popular entertainer--big grins, sweat rolling down, raspy vocals, silly scatting, and all. That was who he was, he was comfortable with it, and we're better for it. If you can make people smile and laugh and sing along, if you can remind them of true joy, then you've performed a great service. No need to pull the serious, aloof artist bit like Miles.

[Harold_Z]

Lon and Muskrat pretty well hit it for my money. I've read several bios AND auto bios, listened HEAVILY to Pops since I was around 10 years old, seen him perform live several times in the early 60s and everything pretty much shakes out to him being a remarkably great personality. A great artist AND a showbiz cat simoultaneously at a time in American pop culture when you coulb truly be both.

Tragic figure ? No - I don't see that at all. To the contrary, I think he knew the poverty and social situation he emerged from and I think he took great pride and satisfaction with having triumphed over that situation.

[John L]

I agree 100%. I don't see Pops as a tragic figure at all. His story is the archetypical great American story of someone who grew up with two strikes already against him, but overcame it all through sheer talent and determination.

I think that Lon, Z, and Muskat Rambler hit the nail on the head. As Muskat wrote, I don't think that Armstrong felt the shame that some others felt when he engaged in "muggin." He was above it all.

Edited February 1, 2004 by John L

[Dmitry]

This is one way to find out for myself-

http://www.satchmo.net/thehouse/

We'll be leaving in a few minutes.

[Christiern]

Louis was definitely not a tragic figure, IMO. I did not spend much time with him, but, when Lil and I worked on her autobiography, I spoke to many who knew Louis well. If he was a tragic figure, I think that would have come through, but exactly the opposite seems to have been the case. Sure, Louis experienced racism, which every black person living in America does, to varying degrees, but he did not let that bring him down--nor did he keep quiet about it. Louis' stage demeanor often gave (and continues to give) people the wrong impression of him--he was not the clown Ben Vereen portrayed in an ABC movie many years ago--he is to be taken as seriously as is his music. IMO, no other single performer has impacted the music as enduringly as Louis did, and no other single jazz performer has had as wide a following throughout the world.

[jazzbo]

Dmitry, hopefully you will find a visit to the house fascinating. I'd love to see it one day!

Although I would caution you to make sweeping judgments on his life based on this house!

Edited February 1, 2004 by jazzbo

[Christiern]

I believe the decor is more a reflection of Lucille's taste than of Louis'. My favorite room is Louis' office. Haven't been there since they renovated and opened as a museum, but I assume that nothing was changed.

[Late]

Just wanted to clarify — I don't see Armstrong as tragic. That's why I wrote "pervading hope." In the end, that's how I understand his music: hopeful, and, yes, filled with a profound sense of joy.

[Dr. Rat]

I think there is a middle way here: I don't think we need to dress Armtsrong up as a tragic figure to recognize that he had rather limited options as to his public persona, and that that public persona has done much to interfere with his reception as an artist in many quarters.

This doesn't make him tragic. I suppose it does make him and us flawed, though.

--eric

[Muskrat Ramble]

and that that public persona has done much to interfere with his reception as an artist in many quarters.

That reflects poorly on critics, then, not Pops. Critics usually run out of things to talk about (and ways to see themselves as important) when faced with art that's fun and joyous, as opposed to solemn, self-important, and conflicted.

[BruceH]

I agree.

[Alexander]

I don't think it's hyperbolic to say that Pops was an heroic figure. His life was triumphant. He was flawed, yes, because he was human. But his humanity was his greatest asset. That and his unbelievable talent. A giant may have feet of clay, and still be a giant nonetheless.

[Late]

Can't good art be both fun and solemn? Joyous and conflicted? That kind of creative tension is what makes it so great. I don't think we're dressing up Louis Armstrong here. At any rate, I think that all written words eventually stand in deference to the music itself.

Maybe it's best just to listen and be moved by what we hear.

[Dmitry]

Well, lads, we went and it was AWESOME.

The house is surprisingly small, there are two floors [used to be 3, I believe the 3rd floor was added after Mr. Armstrong's death by Mrs. Armstrong, but it was later torn down. The whole house is not more than 2000 sq.ft. or so.

Photography is prohibited inside the house, but I made a couple of shots outside.

The house was purchased by Mrs. A in 1943 while Mr. A was touring and he didn't get to see it till some time later. At that time Corona used to be an Irish-Italian neighborhood, but now is mainly Hispanic and African-American.

Mrs. A had called him up to tell him she’d bought a house and gave him the address over the phone. When he got in town he told a cab driver to take him to the address on the scrap of paper and when they got there he didn’t want to go in, thinking it was some mistake, that the house was too nice to be his and that he wrote the address wrong.

He was in his mid-forties when they bought the place, his first home, and his last.

Anyway, the ticket office and the gift shop are on the left, in what used to be the garage. Behind the brick wall is a Japanese garden that the Armstrongs made out of an empty lot they purchased for $10,000 some years after they moved in. I think the house itself cost $3,500.

The building is immaculately preserved both outside and inside. Shortly before her death Mrs. A had hired a lady by the name of Bessie Smith[!] who, even 20 years after Mrs. A's death used to come 2-3 times/week and dusted and mopped the place.

It's just a very warm, cozy place, nothing flashy except for the 360* mirrored bathroom on the first floor. Gold fixtures, marble basin; that’s how the man wanted it. And it looks good. There are even some bottles of his cologne on the shelves.

It's amazing, but the feeling I got was that he just stepped out for a pack of smokes. His hand-written notes are on the desk in his study, next to his reading glasses. It's well-known that he used to record reel-to-reel tapes of everything that he found to be of interest, even phone conversations with friends. Over 600 of his tapes are stored in Queens College archives.

I'm plannning to read a good bio of his, but seeing the house was more than enough to tell me - he was not a tragic persona. I was wrong. The feeling I got was that he was quite happy, actually.

Above the first floor window is a terrace from which he used to trumpet-call the neighborhood children, letting them know he was back in town.

Don't tell anybody, but they let me ring the door bell.

[jazzbo]

D, I'm glad you had a great time. There is a fantastic book which I'm sure you saw in the gift shop (???) that is an excellent resource for information about the house and has amazing photographs of Pops in and out of his home.

I recommend the book that is probably easy to find discounted that is "Louis Armstrong: In His Own Words." It gives a sense of athe man similar to that you get from his music and I bet his house.

[Brownian Motion]

In 20th Century America has a more formidable talent ever occupied a more humble dwelling?

[montg]

Thanks for the virtual tour! This thread has inspired me to give a spin to the JSP Hot 5s/7s.

I'm plannning to read a good bio of his

I enjoyed Gary Giddins' book "Satchmo" a lot.

Edited February 2, 2004 by montg

[John L]

Thanks for that information and those pictures, Dima. I look forward to visiting the house myself one of these days.

[Muskrat Ramble]

Yes, thanks for the pics and descriptions!

[Dmitry]

D, I'm glad you had a great time. There is a fantastic book which I'm sure you saw in the gift shop (???) that is an excellent resource for information about the house and has amazing photographs of Pops in and out of his home.

You're absolutely right.

This book was for sale at the house.

Michael Cogswell - Armstrong: The Offstage Story of Satchmo. Cogswell is a curator for the Armstrong House.

Book

It's a lovely lovely volume. I'll purchase it next time I'm at the house.

I'm planning to bring my father when the snow melts.

[brownie]

From the New York Daily News today!

[Christiern]

Dimitry: "He was in his mid-forties when they bought the place, his first home, and his last."

His last, yes, but not his first. That would be the row house pn East 41st Street in Chicago, which he and Lil bought when they were married. Phoebe Jacobs, a PR woman who was very close to Lucille Armstrong and often tries to diminish Lil's role in Louis' life made up that story about the house being his first. When Louis died, Phoebe and Lucille headed off for Europe to cash in on it. The lady who used to be the Armstrongs' housekeeper told me that her greatest moment in that house came when a cab pulled up in front and Lil stepped out—she was there for the funeral. The houskeeper went upstairs to Lucille's room and announced, with certain glee, "Mrs. Armstrong is downstairs." Lucille was not very well liked.

Here is a picture I took of Lil in 1962, she is standing on the steps to the house she and Louis bought—the window on the right was their living room, a small upstairs room is where King Oliver sometimes overnighted (I stayed there for 2 weeks). This is where they rehearsed for the Hot Five and Hot Seven sessions and Lil was still living there when she passed away, shortly after Louis' death. The trumpet she is holding was one of Louis' old ones. I wonder where it is now.