Book Talk & Launch Party: Heart Full of Rhythm
October 9, 2021 • 2:00PM to 3:30PM
Author –and the Museum’s Director of Research Collections, Ricky Riccardi, will take part in a conversation with us that will cover a variety of topics featured in the book beginning with the recording of Armstrong’s first popular hits, including “I Can’t Give You Anything but Love”; his first international engagements, his presence in the Black press, his relationship with the critics; the hardship of navigating 1930’s-40’s racism; Louis’s arrival to Corona in 1943, and much more.
After unveiling Armstrong’s complexity by revising his career with his All-Stars between 1947-1971 in his first book What a Wonderful World: The Magic of Louis Armstrong’s Late Years, Riccardi entered unexplored lands to depict Armstrong’s middle years vividly, giving us true tones of the artist’s genius in the constellation of jazz, the popular music of the period, and beyond. The resulting work, “Heart Full of Rhythm,” was named “Best Book” of 2020 in the “Jazz Times” Critic’s Poll and was a finalist for the Marfield Prize, a National Award for Arts Writing. Join us to discuss this publication next Saturday in the House garden!
Moderated by Andrew Jackson (Director Emeritus, Langston Hughes Library) and Adriana Carrillo (Director of Guest Experience, LAHM).
Attendees will be accommodated in a first come, first served basis. Books will be available for purchase and will be signed onsite by the author!
