One of the things I like most about the Satchmo SummerFest... are the lectures held in the old MINT building. The people giving the lectures are always experts on music, film, history and performance. They are NEVER dull. My favorite from this year... was an interview with George Avakian... he attends the festival every year. I have seen him there many times... I always remember him because he has the most amazing smile... he is, I believe, he is 94 years old. He is in a wheelchair and his wife (who is quite beautiful... and now I realized... a concert violinist... after googling George) is always by his side. The interview focused on the relationship between George and Louis Armstrong.... because the whole festival is devoted to Armstrong, his music, and his life...
George has had the most amazing life... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Avakian ... he stopped several times during the interview... smiling ear to hear and covering his eyes... nearly in tears to say something like... oh... to live that all over again...
Several times throughout the interview they played outtakes from the Louis Armstrong & WC Handy Album that was produced by Avakian in his basement.... when the interviewer would stop the track... George would say... oh, just let it play...
Louis Armstrong was so thrilled with the way the recording sessions were going he invited about 20 or so of his friends along to sit and watch... those friends eventually became an impromptu chorus on the track "Long Gone"
George has had the most amazing life... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Avakian ... he stopped several times during the interview... smiling ear to hear and covering his eyes... nearly in tears to say something like... oh... to live that all over again...
Several times throughout the interview they played outtakes from the Louis Armstrong & WC Handy Album that was produced by Avakian in his basement.... when the interviewer would stop the track... George would say... oh, just let it play...
Louis Armstrong was so thrilled with the way the recording sessions were going he invited about 20 or so of his friends along to sit and watch... those friends eventually became an impromptu chorus on the track "Long Gone"
I walked out of the lecture intent on buying the CD immediately. I heard a lot of stories in that hour that sort of blew my mind... but the thing I think I took away from it more than anything... was about how this man George... now 94... had lived a most magnificent life... and even looking back on it now... 50+ years later... he realizes just how amazing it was... life is so awesome!
RSS Feed