[PDF] What a Wonderful World: The Magic of Louis Armstrong's Later Years by Ricky Riccardi at Arts-Photography

Review

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful. On Pops UnbirthdayBy Al BasileWhile my personal opinion is that there could never be enough books on Louis Armstrong. by anyones standards this is a supremely important addition to the body of attention focused on Pops. If good art makes us see something new. and great art makes us see in a new way. this book is both good and great in bringing even the experienced reader and listener to a new relationship with the depth of Armstrongs art and humanity.If it is fair to judge a person by the standards of the times in which he lived. Pops was well ahead of the social curve of racial justice in America - much of the view of him as a Tom was made through a generational lens by younger musicians for whom he was a father figure who must be superseded. What he did behind the scenes in his own way is revealed in this book. and it should put to rest the notion that Pops was merely a genial entertainer. bowing and scraping before the White Establishment (what he really called Orval Faubus in 1957 - instead of "an uneducated plowboy" as the press rewrote his remarks - is instructive).Whatever your take on the music some call jazz. at some point in the middle of the last century it came to be acknowledged as an art form. That this made some of its greatest musicians begin to think of themselves differently was a natural development. and over time the message of the music came to mirror more and more the message of mid-twentieth century art in general - it showed the changes in the human spirit inflicted by one of humanitys most brutal centuries. A crisis in faith. an increase in alienation. a dessication of sincerity in the face of monstrous cynicism - all these elements may be found in the music of the generations who followed Pops. Yet even though he came up under crushing circumstances. had to fight his way in a business where white criminals were your only potential protectors. had to endure indignities and injustice in order to keep his livelihood. mastered his own form of expression to a level none other reached yet was still misunderstood and undervalued by the white race and even his own during his lifetime. what do we remember above everything else? His unique distillation of joy in the midst of a precious yet flawed world. and his unrivaled power in the expression of personal freedom in music. His was a spirit of such towering strength that he could look at life in all its limitations and still make a joyful noise. Thats why his music will be a beacon to humanity hundreds of years from now. in whatever condition of life it finds itself.In the end its the revelations Riccardi is able to make about Armstrong the musician that are the most telling. The vast resources available to him at the Armstrong Archives and from experts and private collectors around the world support his contentions that Pops was himself - singing. creating. perfecting. entertaining - from the beginning of his career. and he continued to be himself until its end. The proof is in the documentation. and even more in the music itself. which is why Riccardis invaluable Armstrong blog The Wonderful World of Louis Armstrong ([....]) is the natural complement to this book. In its priceless audio and video clips. and Riccardis knowing and sharp-eared essays. youll hear the most detailed study of Pops musical legacy yet assembled for the public.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. REQUIRED READING FOR ARMSTRONG FANS AND SCHOLARSBy F. Norman VickersThis book should be required reading for every fan of Louis Armstrong. The scope of the book deals with Armstrongs later years when he was traveling and performing with his small group. It effectively refutes the impression that Armstrongs creative years were behind him. Author Ricky Riccardi is a researcher/archivist at the Armstrong House Museum in Queens. NY Take advantage of any opportunity to tour the museum and see examples of Armstrongs talent. Armstrong was a "recording nut." There are hundreds of reels of audio-tape in which the listener can get a "slice of life" listening to conversations at home and in Armstrongs dressing rooms. Ricdcardi had first access to these tapes when the home became a museum. Also. Armstrong would decorate each tape box with a collage of cut-out from papers or magazines and/or hand decorated in ink. Many are very clever.At many Satchmo Summerfests in New Orleans. I have heard Riccardi talk about his researches and show numerous videoclips of Armstrong performances.F. Norman VickersJazz PensacolaMember Jazz Journalists Association7 of 7 people found the following review helpful. Past perceptions? Leave it all behind you!By SeanIts much easier to parrot what we hear or read rather than challenge it. so it was with admiration that I read Ricky Riccardis attempt to dispel the standard lines regarding the latter portion of Louis Armstrongs career. Whether one agrees with Riccardi or not that the often accepted perceptions of Armstrong and his music are misguided. it cannot be denied that Riccardi is uncompromising in his research to make his case. Though not a jazz enthusiast myself. Riccardis passion quickly becomes contagious. and the narrative of Louiss days with his All Stars becomes a page-turning insight to the artists humor. goodwill. and. at times. his hurt.Though Riccardi handles the events of Armstrongs years (detailing just the right amount of minutia) with expertise. the books life. like Louies. centers around that horn. As the author describes the subtle nuances of recordings or performances that have long been dismissed as inferior to Armstrongs earlier work. his frustration almost seems palpable. Truly. Riccardi is at his most energetic in the text when hes allowed to wax poetic on material that he knows defies the criticisms people have swallowed for so long.And it is not attacks on Armstrongs music alone that Riccardi defends. but on the man himself. In the book. facts about Armstrong are revealed that contradict common held beliefs that often taint the memory of this great artist. almost as if still posthumously robbing him of his dignity. This lack of respect is one Riccardi simply cannot abide. apparent by the tenderness in the way he describes Armstrongs final days. Indeed. as Riccardi describes the twilight of Armstrongs life. filled with days the jazz man spent making collages with pictures of former bandmates. Riccardi cant help but betray the fourth wall. seeming to suffer right along side Satch from his own nostalgia for the characters he had spent previous pages and chapters chronicling. Because make no mistake - much of the charm of this book stems from how Riccardi is not merely an objective recorder. but an enthused fan. living along side his idol as he writes about him.