Satchmo and the Jews

Commentary Magazine ^ | Nov 2009 | Terry Treachout

[Mac from Cleveland]

Evidently—the article indicated that Armstrong was done wrong by his black family as much as by whites, but you said Armstrong had a right to be vengeful toward whites.

Sounds like he had two feet on his neck-one of each color—looks like he rose above it all. More power to him.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Nice story about Satchmo.

[19th LA Inf]

I’ve heard that Louis’ “Boppinpoof” version really hurt Dizzy Gillespie’s feelings, as he had always looked up to Louis as a hero and didn’t feel that it was right for Louis to make fun of him and his music (. . . “to the place where Dizzy dwells”).

[AreaMan]

I should have expanded my comment.

As many people that have been mistreated by racists he had grounds for being bitter/vengeful. But what you said is correct, he got a raw deal by both colors, and maybe that made him realize that bad people come in different colored wrappers.

[rlmorel]

Very cool! You are a lucky man indeed...I heard an interesting story a while back that he habitually called everyone “Pops” in the same way some people call others names like “dude” or “sister”. Maybe he did it because he wasn’t good with names...:)

But there was one jazz musician who was actually known as “Pops” by everyone else, and the story was that Louis Armstrong never called him Pops, but always addressed him by his first name, George.

I thought that was an entertaining anecdote, don’t know if it is true, though!

[Mac from Cleveland]

bad people come in different colored wrappers.

That they do—but we have plenty of good folks out there, too. (BTW—I didn’t mean to minimize any racism Armstrong encountered—it’s just based on his own writings-like you said-he knew the score about it all, good and bad— and his experiences gave him a lot of insight)Plus as I think you mentioned—he was one hell of a musician.

Thanks again for the article. If I knew how to make it a Must-Read, I would.

[bcsco]

That may be. I’m not a great “Dizzy” fan and really know little about him. My reaction is, if he looked at Louis as a hero, then he should have learned something from the song...

[bcsco]

I agree, I am a lucky man. It’s a memory I cherish.

Louis himself was commonly called “Pops”. Velma Middleton would call him that in various vocals. IIRC, Ella did as well. I’m not familiar with his use of the term as much as I know how it was used by friends toward him.

[Responsibility2nd]

 Booker T. Washington is my personal hero. I now add Satchmo to the pantheon. (I already loved his music; I now admire him for his deeds and words as well.) Why, oh why do modern black people scorn these two American greats?

 

• There is another class of coloured people who make a business of keeping the troubles, the wrongs, and the hardships of the Negro race before the public. Having learned that they are able to make a living out of their troubles, they have grown into the settled habit of advertising their wrongs — partly because they want sympathy and partly because it pays. Some of these people do not want the Negro to lose his grievances, because they do do not want to lose their jobs.

 

• I am afraid that there is a certain class of race-problem solvers who don't want the patient to get well, because as long as the disease holds out they have not only an easy means of making a living, but also an easy medium through which to make themselves prominent before the public.

 

Ch. V: The Intellectuals and the Boston Mob

 

 

Gee! I wonder the same thing!

 

/sarc

 

 

[SJackson]

Middle East and terrorism, occasional political and Jewish issues Ping List. High Volume

If you’d like to be on or off, please FR mail me.

..................

[dennisw]

Thanks for the ping...Very interesting

[SJackson]

It is interesting. Some people even notice the similarity of the Rivera Ballroom in Lake Geneva

with the fictional Palace Hotel Ballroom from the Blues Brothers, located out in the boondocks.

South Shore Country Club, in Obama's neighborhood. Not so much the physical similarity, even in the late 60s they couldn't be dragged into admitting Jews or blacks. So the city bought it.

[dennisw]

The Playboy Magazine of that era always referred to Lake Geneva. That area must be a resort town for Chicago and Milwaukee and a party town. There was a Playboy Club there. Playboy HQ were of course in Chicago back then. It was a Chicago-centric magazine

Hefner moved the operation to Los Angeles to be in degeneracy central, USA. Near the film and TV industry
Playboy was much better before that move

[SJackson]

Early 19th century town, favored by rich Chicago families post civil war, that really bloomed as a resort town in the early 20th century, when the railroad arrived. Predates Hef by over a half century, though he probaly wishes he was hanging there in the 1920s. About the same distance from Chicago as Lake Wazupumani from the movie.

[dennisw]

Early 19th century town, favored by rich Chicago families post civil war, that really bloomed as a resort town in the early 20th century, when the railroad arrived. Predates Hef by over a half century, though he probaly wishes he was hanging there in the 1920s. 

Was it what used to be called a "wide open town"? With gambling and gangsters and liquor served during Prohibition?

About the same distance from Chicago as Lake Wazupumani from the movie.

I have to see that movie again just for the stupid nostalgia

 

[SJackson]

I don’t know that it held special any claim to prominence. It’s a hundred miles from Chicago and about 60 from Milwaukee, so it’s not where you’d head for a night on the town. There are places in northern Wisconsin with legitimate claims to notereity, farther from Chicago law enforcement, and closer to the Canadian border. Chicago area staging was done much closer in. I don’t know if the area had any particular regional business importance. Party town for the rich, that was already established.

[happygrl]

What a Wonderful World !
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnRqYMTpXHc

[dfwgator]

And eternal shame on Kenny G for even daring to do a posthumous duet with Satchmo on “What a Wonderful World.”

[happygrl]

Thanks so much for sharing that!

What a wealth of experiences our Freepers have!

What a testament to this wonderful man!

[bcsco]

You’re welcome. I’m glad it pleased you.