Louis Armstrong: "niger, illegitimus" -- and baptized Catholic

Deacon's Bench ^ | December 23, 2008 | Deacon Greg Kandra

[ichabod1]

It’s sort of a different sect... saint worship, santeria in spanish. It doesn’t necessarily include sticking pins in dolls and dancing around with bloody chickens.

[ichabod1]

I would suggest that his trumpet was what was influential to the music, his singing was what propelled him to worldwide fame and crossover fortune. Good for him. Such a lovable figure.

[ichabod1]

Thank you. IIRC, it was the jazz style to do that, unlike the classical world which of course was very staid and proper. It was the DIXIELAND jazz style, which was all about the New Orleans joie de vivre, unlike “cool” jazz which came along later. It’s all good.

[Lee N. Field]

saint worship, santeria

makes sense, thanks.

Black lady I know, remembers her Mom doing "weird stuff" when she was a little kid. Glow in the dark rosaries -- does that sound like familiar?

[bcsco]

While Louis epitomized New Orleans jazz, he migrated to Chicago early on (his classic West End Blues was first recorded in Chicago on Okeh records in 1928). And Chicago was the start of many jazz and pop musicians of the time. Benny Goodman, Gene Krupa, (the Dorsey bros. and Glen Miller also played in Goodman's early band as well as Harry James), Bud Freeman and the Austin High Gang, Eddie Condon, just to name a few.

Check out The Red Hot Jazz Archive if you haven't already for a real early jazz music experience.