Louis Armstrong

This is the third article in the series “Made in New York,” a historical examination of the music history of each of New York’s 62 counties, this time looking at Queens County. New York City has a fascinating history and an immense…

The East Village of Manhattan has been home to immigrants, the working class, Beatniks, hippies and artists over the last 300 years. Originally home to the Lenape tribe before the arrival of Europeans, the East Village today is comprised…

Flushing Town Hall has announced a virtual Jazz Jam in honor of all mothers for Mother’s Day. The celebration will take place on May 12, 2021 at 7 PM EST for free on Facebook or Zoom.  In May, the cultural nonprofit’s Virtual Jazz…

On August 4, 1901, Louis Armstrong was born in New Orleans. Until the age of five, Armstrong's grandmother was his caregiver. At the age of six, he attended the Fisk School for Boys, an all black school in New Orleans. While performing odd…

Eleanora Fagan was born on April 7, 1915 in Philadelphia. As a child, she started going by Billie Holiday, Billie from Billie Dove and Holiday from her dad. She began listening to records by Louis Armstrong and Bessie Smith. Her mother…

Cabell "Cab" Calloway III was born on Christmas Day 1907 in Rochester, living on Sycamore Street. His mother was a teacher and church organist and his father was a lawyer. When Calloway was 11, they moved to Baltimore. After he was caught…

On May 21, 1904, Thomas Wright "Fats" Waller was born to Adeline Locket Waller, a musician and Rev. Edward Martin Waller, a trucker and pastor in New York City. He began playing piano at the age of six and began playing organ at his…

On April 15, 1894, Bessie Smith was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Her parents and brother had died by the time Smith was nine, leaving her sister Viola as the caretaker. Therefore, Smith had a "wretched childhood" and never received an…

William James "Count" Basie was born in Red Bank, New Jersey in August 1904. Both of his parents played instruments: his dad on mellophone, his mom on piano. He dreamt of traveling, heavily inspired by touring carnivals. However, he spent…

FTH at Home! will be presenting, Virtual Jazz Jam: Celebrating the Legacy of Louis Armstrong, Aug. 12 at 7:00 p.m. Astoria resident, Carol Sudhalter, leads the monthly jam, along with Flushing Town Hall's house band. Their theme for August…