On this day in 1934 - Louis Armstrong

[dunsbyowl1867]

On 26th March 1934 trumpeter Louis Armstrong opened a week long slot at the EMPIRE THEATRE

[DaveH]

On 26th March 1934 trumpeter Louis Armstrong opened a week long slot at the EMPIRE THEATRE

What an achievement it must have been to get from America the top Jazz trumpeter of the age for a whole week at a Sheffield theatre.

I have a particular interest in Jazz and swing from the 1925 - 1945 period and although most people now remember Satchmo as a singer of songs such as "Wonderful World", "All the time in the World" and "Hello Dolly" which he did relatively late in his life but as a younger man in the 1930's he was considered the best "horn" (trumpet) player in the world and had a Jazz style of his own leading some writers to claim that he practically invented Jazz. His earlier works, many purely instrumental but with some songs as well, including his famous invention of wordless "scat" singing, are less known today but in their day they were the tops, "Jeepers Creepers", "Basin Street Blues", "St. James Infirmary Blues", "Potato Head Blues" and "Heebie Jeebies" come to mind.

I remember watching a programme on Yorkshire Television in the 1980's about the Batley Variety Club shortly after its closure. In the programme 2 people were interviewed, the club owner and manager, Jimmy Corrigan and a woman who worked there for many years.

Both were asked independently the same question, - "Of all the acts that have appeared at the club, who was the best?"

Both gave exactly the same answer, - "There were 2 acts that were the best ever, Morecambe & Wise and Louis Armstrong"

[Guest Gramps]

I heard a lot of the old jazz 78s on the radio when I was a kid.

You can listen to them again here - as much as you can listen to/download in a fortnight for 1USD via Paypal. I dip in now and again, some of those old numbers raise the hairs on the back of my neck

http://www.jazz-on-line.com/index.htm

[Guest Old Canny Street Kid]

On 26th March 1934 trumpeter Louis Armstrong opened a week long slot at the EMPIRE THEATRE

I think that Louis Armstrong came to Sheffield on a number of other occasions, and I feel sure that during recent research I came across a reference to him sharing the bill at the City Hall with Humphrey Lyttleton in 1956 (?) --but sadly I cannot find where I made a note of this! (That starts to happen after you reach a certain age!).

Anyway, something of interest that I spotted in a book I looked at in Waterstones today --a book of Humphrey Lyttleton pieces under the title Last Chorus, it includes an illustration of a programme that was designed especially for a HL concert at the City Hall.

Someone with knowledge of the local music scene in the 1950s will no doubt have some comment.

[Guest Old Canny Street Kid]

On 26th March 1934 trumpeter Louis Armstrong opened a week long slot at the EMPIRE THEATRE

Just as a footnote to the reference to the later Armstrong concert at the City Hall, what about starting a thread seeking info on all the famous acts who performed at the City Hall down the years? I am sure many people will be surprised at just who has played there.

[DaveH]

I heard a lot of the old jazz 78s on the radio when I was a kid.

You can listen to them again here - as much as you can listen to/download in a fortnight for 1USD via Paypal. I dip in now and again, some of those old numbers raise the hairs on the back of my neck

http://www.jazz-on-line.com/index.htm

I don't think you need to be paying for it Gramps

Copyright on music at present lasts for 50 years, that's why Sir Cliff Richard is making such a fuss about it at present as his early hits ("Move It" and "Living Doll") are just coming to the end of their copyright.

As most "old Jazz on 78's" pre dates that it is currently out of copyright and so can be obtained on the internet to listen to for free.

Try this site for free Jazz

Red Hot Jazz Archive

[DaveH]

Just as a footnote to the reference to the later Armstrong concert at the City Hall, what about starting a thread seeking info on all the famous acts who performed at the City Hall down the years? I am sure many people will be surprised at just who has played there.

Sounds a good idea to me OCSK, from 1931 to the present the City Hall must have hosted all the top acts of the time, so a "City Hall Top of the bill Acts" list, if we could get the info to build one would be great.

Humphrey Lyttleton died recently and had a Jazz show on BBC radio 2 to the end of his life. Another great Jazz trumpeter, British this time, who will be sadly missed by an ageing generation who appreciated Jazz music.

[dunsbyowl1867]

Sounds a good idea to me OCSK, from 1931 to the present the City Hall must have hosted all the top acts of the time, so a "City Hall Top of the bill Acts" list, if we could get the info to build one would be great.

Humphrey Lyttleton died recently and had a Jazz show on BBC radio 2 to the end of his life. Another great Jazz trumpeter, British this time, who will be sadly missed by an ageing generation who appreciated Jazz music.

A small number of the 'acts' were mentioned on this thread

http://www.sheffieldhistory.co.uk/forums/i...mp;hl=city+hall

[Guest Old Canny Street Kid]

A small number of the 'acts' were mentioned on this thread

http://www.sheffieldhistory.co.uk/forums/i...mp;hl=city+hall

This is interesting, but I wonder if it would be a good idea to start a thread under a heading such as "They appeared at the City Hall" limited if possible just to that topic, and, whoever starts it uses the original thread as the main list, adding to it from the replies. Is this possible?

If someone starts it, I can certainly add a number of names and dates I have spotted in my recent researches on other matters --and then there are the obvious names to be added like the day the Beatles came, the night Buddy Holly appeared, etc. What do you think, Dunsbyowl?

[hougomont]

I think that Louis Armstrong came to Sheffield on a number of other occasions, and I feel sure that during recent research I came across a reference to him sharing the bill at the City Hall with Humphrey Lyttleton in 1956 (?) --but sadly I cannot find where I made a note of this! (That starts to happen after you reach a certain age!).

Anyway, something of interest that I spotted in a book I looked at in Waterstones today --a book of Humphrey Lyttleton pieces under the title Last Chorus, it includes an illustration of a programme that was designed especially for a HL concert at the City Hall.

Someone with knowledge of the local music scene in the 1950s will no doubt have some comment.

I well remember seeing Louis Armstrong at The City Hall whose playing was an absolute delight, and memorable to actually see and hear one of the giants of jazz.

Every time he played and between numbers he treated his lips with salve and took a snow white large handkerchief from the top of the piano which held whilst playing and discarded it for another for the next number.

There is a story of when Louis was playing at a society function in America a lady member of the higher class asked "Tell me Mr Armstrong,what is Jazz?"to which he replied :

"Lady if you have to ask what it is, you ain't got it"

[Guest Old Canny Street Kid]

I think that Louis Armstrong came to Sheffield on a number of other occasions, and I feel sure that during recent research I came across a reference to him sharing the bill at the City Hall with Humphrey Lyttleton in 1956 (?) --but sadly I cannot find where I made a note of this! (That starts to happen after you reach a certain age!).

Anyway, something of interest that I spotted in a book I looked at in Waterstones today --a book of Humphrey Lyttleton pieces under the title Last Chorus, it includes an illustration of a programme that was designed especially for a HL concert at the City Hall.

Someone with knowledge of the local music scene in the 1950s will no doubt have some comment.

I have now found the date I was looking for --Louis Armstrong was at the City Hall on Whit Monday, May 21st 1956. I have added this to the City Hall thread.

[RichardB]

... from 1931 ...

Sheffield City Hall : Opening Ceremony, 22 September 1932; opening concerts, 22, 23 and 24 September 1932; a religious service, 25 September 1932.

Do you know of earlier DaveH ? Were they "trying it out ?" ?

[DaveH]

Sheffield City Hall : Opening Ceremony, 22 September 1932; opening concerts, 22, 23 and 24 September 1932; a religious service, 25 September 1932.

Do you know of earlier DaveH ? Were they "trying it out ?" ?

You are right Richard, the City Hall opened to the public in 1932 but the date usually given for the City hall is 1931, the year it was built.

Presumably it took over a year to build it in the first place as more recent experience shows that it took all of 2007 just to renovate the place.

[DaveH]

I have now found the date I was looking for --Louis Armstrong was at the City Hall on Whit Monday, May 21st 1956. I have added this to the City Hall thread.

Louis would have been an extremely popular act in 1956, especially if he appeared after the release of the 1956 Crosby / Sinatra / Kelly / Armstrong film "High Society". Film was released that year but don't know what dates it would have hit Sheffield Cinemas.