FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM NOVEMBER 22, 2018 • BUZZ • THE QUEENS COURIER 45
buzz
Armstrong House in Corona digitizes
thousands of Satchmo’s personal artifacts
BY ALEJANDRA O’CONNELLDOMENECH
adomenech@qns.com
@AODNewz
Corona’s Louis Armstrong House
Museum now has a digital archive that
will having fans of the jazz legend thinking
to themselves, “What a wonderful
world!”
Never-before-seen artifacts are available
to Satchmo fans through the museum’s
new digitized collection, which went
live on their website on Nov. 16.
Th ousands of photos, letters, newspaper
clippings, personal papers, videos, scrapbooks
and sheet music of Armstrong and
his entourage paint a fuller picture of the
legendary musician, who grew up impoverished
in New Orleans, battled racism
during his career and who meticulously
studied his self-image as a celebrity.
Armstrong lived the last 25 years of his
life at the Corona home where the museum
is located: 34-56 107th St.
“If there was one man that defi ned the
20th century it was Louis Armstrong,”
said director of research collections at the
Louis Armstrong House Museum and
Armstrong scholar Ricky Riccardi.
According to Riccardi, all trends in
popular music stem from Armstrong who
perfected the improvised solo and turned
it into an art form.
“From Charlie Barker to Jimi Hendrix,
they are all creating sounds directly
descended from Armstrong,” he said.
Artifacts from the collection give an
intimate perspective on Armstrong backstage,
in the recording studio, at home
and in concert. Many of the personal letters,
scrapbooks and reels were the result
of Armstrong himself. Th e artist wanted
to be in control how how he was to be
remembered.
Many of the photographs come from
his personal photographer and close
friend Jack Bradley and Paul Studer. Th ey
also give insight into his creative process
which he worked on diligently to develop
over his lifetime.
Th e Corona museum decided to digitize
the artifacts in honor of the 75th
anniversary of the legendary musicians
move to Corona in 1943. Th e new collection
also is also part of the museum’s
greater plan to build another museum
across the street with bigger and better
experiential exhibits on the artist.
“It’s going to be our version of
Graceland,” said Riccardi, who added
that the new building is set to open fall
of next year and will be right across the
street from the museum.
Th e annual Louis Armstrong House
Museum Gala on Wednesday, Nov. 28,
at Capitale in Manhattan will support the
museum’s eff orts. Th e event includes a
cocktail hour, silent auction, seated dinner,
and the presentation of the Louie
Award to nine-time Grammy-awardwinning
musician, philanthropist and
longtime friend of Louis Armstrong, Herb
Alpert. Additional guests will include
noted philanthropists Saul Kupferberg
and Gail Coleman.
Past recipients of the Louie Award
include Wycliff e Gordon, Quincy Jones,
Dick Cavett, Dr. John, George Avakian,
Jon Faddis and Robert F. Smith.
Celebrate the holiday season in style across Queens
BY EMMA MILLER
editorial@qns.com
@QNS
Th e holiday season has offi cially begun,
and there are lots of fun things to do and
see in Queens.
Check out these tree lightings and
other upcoming holiday events across the
“World’s Borough”:
Glendale
Th e Shops at Atlas Park will usher in
the holiday season with a tree lighting this
Saturday night, Nov. 24. From 6 to 8 p.m.,
enjoy music, face painting, giveaways, a
special visit from Santa and, of course, a
tree lighting.
Astoria
Come to Astoria Park for their sixth
annual holiday festival on the Great Lawn
on Saturday, Dec. 1. Enjoy music, train
rides and refreshments beginning at 2
p.m. until the tree lighting at 5 p.m.
Flushing
Th e Queens Botanical Garden will host
its “Christmas in the Garden” program
featuring craft s, a cappella music, caroling
and more! Pictures with Santa will be
available for a fee. Th e event is on Sunday,
Dec. 2, from noon to 5:30 p.m. Th e tree
lighting ceremony will begin at 5 p.m.
Additionally, the Queens Historical
Society will once again be off ering their
annual holiday tour event on Sunday,
Dec. 9, from 1 to 5 p.m. Enjoy seven different
historical sites within walking distance
at your own pace.
Th e Kingsland Homestead, Voelker
Orth Museum, Lewis H. Latimer House
Museum, Flushing Town Hall, Friends
Meeting House, Bowne House and Louis
Armstrong House Museum will each
have tours, activities, snacks, music, craft s
or decorations to celebrate the holidays.
Tickets are $5 for kids under 12, $15 in
advance and $20 at the door.
Practice your tinkering skills with some
holiday-themed activities at the Lewis
H. Latimer House Museum on Sunday,
Dec. 16. Enjoy hot chocolate and music
while you build from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.
Th ere will also be a tree lighting at 5
p.m. Admission is free, but registration is
required due to limited space. Contact the
Latimer House at 718-961-8585.
Bayside
The Bayside Village Business
Improvement District and Councilman
Paul Vallone will host Bayside’s fi ft h-annual
holiday parade on Dec. 2. Th e parade
starts at 3 p.m. at the corner of 36th
Avenue and Bell Boulevard, then proceeds
south on Bell Boulevard to 41st
Avenue and ends outside the Bayside
Long Island Rail Road station.
At the station, the revelers will enjoy
holiday activities, food, hot chocolate
and the annual lighting of the Bayside
Christmas tree and Hanukkah menorah.
Th e event concludes at about 5 p.m.
Woodhaven
Th e Woodhaven Business Improvement
District will hold its annual Christmas
tree and Hanukkah menorah lighting on
Friday night, Dec. 7, at 6 p.m. at the Forest
Parkway Plaza, located at the corner of
Forest Parkway and Jamaica Avenue. Th e
ceremony features live music and a scheduled
appearance by Santa Claus himself.
File photo/THE COURIER
A scene from the 2017 Bayside Children’s Holiday Parade
Photo courtesy of the Louis Armstrong House Museum
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