Spread the love
Post Views: 135

This past weekend, thousands joined to celebrate the life, legacy and music of Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong at the New Orleans Jazz Museum at the Old U.S. Mint. The festival, now in its 23rd year, continues to stand as a staple in the community and provides fans a chance to revel in the evolution of jazz music and its strong history, rooted in the city of New Orleans. Over the course of the weekend the event welcomed an estimated 10,000 guests. Attendance rose by approximately 33%, despite unprecedented temperatures across the region. Click here for highlights from the event.

Satchmo SummerFest presented by the New Orleans Tourism and Cultural Fund (NOTCF) kicked off in high gear with The Roots of Music Satchmo Salute presented by Fidelity Bank. The band marched their way into the Festival gates, rousing fans and bringing them to their feet. The day continued with a mashup of upbeat tempos and smooth notes from Kid Merv and All That Jazz, the 79rs Gang, and Rebirth Brass Band on the Eugenie & Joseph Jones Family Foundation Stage. New to the Fest, the Piano Sessions by New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park drew crowds to the second floor gallery of the Museum featuring pianists such as Sam Kuslan and duos with Tom McDermott & Tim Laughlin. The free festival, made possible by New Orleans & Company, hosted more than two dozen musical performances that had attendees dancing and swaying to the beat for two days.

On Sunday, fans were invited to attend the Jazz Mass presented by Rhodes Funeral Home Services at St. Augustine Church. The relationship with the historic Catholic church in the heart of Treme dates back to the beginning of the Festival and continues to be an integral element of the weekend. Locals and visitors to the city lined the streets to join the Annual Satchmo Salute Parade presented by the New Orleans Tourism and Cultural Fund (NOTCF) following the Mass. The parade processed through the streets amidst groups of colorful suits and parasols, with buck-jumping and striding from local Social Aid & Pleasure Clubs all moving to the echoing sounds of marching brass bands. The Parade made its way to the Festival gates to open the day with performances from Doyle Cooper Jazz Band and John Boutté. The momentum continued throughout the day with large crowds gathering to see Charmaine Neville, TBC Brass Band featuring HaSizzle, and the closing set, Kermit Rufifns’ Tribute to Louis Armstrong on the Fidelity Bank Stage.

Presentations and interviews by historians and scholars on the Satchmo Legacy Stage in Memory of Joni Berry held the audience enthralled with personal stories about Louis’ life and adventures. Day one began with Deano Assunto & Jan Assunto interviewed by Sally Young – Louie & the ASSUNTO Dukes and a special addition; children of the Assunto brothers presented Freddie and Frank Assunto’s trumpet and horn that were played in recording sessions with Louis Armstrong in the late 1950’s. Donated to the Jazz Museum, the two instruments were uncased from their vaults and displayed on the same stage for the first time in over 55 years. The weekend continued with nine other captivating conversations by some of the world’s most knowledgeable experts on Satchelmouth. All videos can be viewed here.

The addition of Chill at the Fest brought relief to fans who moved from indoors at the Museum to shade tents near stages to beat the heat. A sea of purple neck-chillers could be seen across the Fest grounds, as well as attendees strategically placed near misting fans, all thanks to Entergy New Orleans. Cool treats like the Frozen Mango Daquiri and mixed cocktails like the Sea Breeze, Jack Daniel’s Lynchburg Lemonade and Sno Balls from Plum Street Snoballs provided more options for fest-goers to cool off. Culinary vendors satisfied appetites with their delicious eats throughout the weekend and saw an increase in weekend sales at the Fest. “It was wonderful seeing so many loyal customers and friends who braved the heat in celebration of our beloved Satchmo”, said Tia Henry, Owner of Café Dauphine. “It was also a welcomed surprise to see new faces and increased sales this year, despite the high temps. Thank you for all the support and we look forward to frying it up again next year”. Gene Colley, Co-Founder of Southerns shared, “We would like to thank the Satchmo SummerFest organizers and all the wonderful people that came out in the heat and showed us so much love. Also, be on the lookout for a Southerns Restaurant coming soon!”

Satchmo SummerFest will return August 3 – 4, 2024.

Thank you Sponsors and Community Partners:

French Quarter Festivals, Inc. is proud of its 40-year history of providing high-quality community events that are accessible to all. The organization relies heavily on the contributions of sponsors and partners as well as beverage and merchandise sales to support the festival.

Sponsors for the 2023 festival include: New Orleans Tourism and Cultural Fund (NOTCF), New Orleans & Company, Fidelity Bank, Eugenie & Joseph Jones Family Foundation, Joseph K. & Inez Eichenbaum Foundation, Omni Royal Orleans, WWL-TV, Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program, Friend of Fest, Entergy-New Orleans, New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park, Brown-Forman, Jack Daniels, El Jimador Tequila, Finlandia Vodka, Sonoma-Cutrer, Korbel, Abita Brewing Company, Pepsi, Folgers Coffee, French Market Corporation, New Orleans Jazz Museum at the Old U.S. Mint, Music Performance Trust Fund, The Helis Foundation, New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation, Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Foundation, JAX Brewery Parking Lots and The Berger Company, Keesler Federal Credit Union, Rhodes Funeral Home, Benny’s Sensory Activation Vehicle,LeafFilter, T-Mobile, Touro, Renaissance Publishing, Nola.Com OffBeat Magazine, WWOZ 90.7 FM, Cumulus New Orleans, Telemundo 42 New Orleans, Where Magazine, WGSO, DownBeat Magazine, Louisiana Cookin’, Vicki and Richie Vicki Noorigian, Danny & Alana Wolfe, The Derbes Foundation, The Spotted Cat Music Club, and JB Awnings.

Happy Birthday, Satchmo!
Satchmo SummerFest is scheduled annually to coincide with Louis Armstrong’s birthday on August 4th; the first festival took place on what would have been his 100th birthday, the same year the New Orleans airport was renamed Louis Armstrong International Airport. The artist often stated in public interviews that he was born on July 4, 1900 (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 raised in a poor section of New Orleans known as “Jane Alley.” 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.