Satchmo SummerFest Returns Aug 5 & 6!

French Quarter Festivals, Inc. (FQFI), producer of Satchmo SummerFest presented by the New Orleans Tourism and Cultural Fund (NOTCF), is excited for the festival’s return on August 5 & 6 at the New Orleans Jazz Museum at the Old U.S. Mint. The much loved festival dedicated to the life, legacy, and music of New Orleans' native son, Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong brings more than 30 musical performances, seven culinary experiences and fun to the community for FREE! Everyone is invited to the 23rd annual celebration that includes the annual Satchmo Sound-Off with the Roots of Music, Sunday’s Jazz Mass at St.Augustine Church, the Satchmo Salute Parade, and more with gates open from 11:30 AM - 8:00 PM each day.

While New Orleans is known for its steamy summers, producers will keep fans cool with the help of the Chill Zone powered by Entergy New Orleans that includes misting fans and complimentary neck chillers. Attendees can also beat the heat and enjoy more music and history inside the Museum on the second floor for a Fest first, Piano Sessions sponsored by New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park. Melodious sounds will fill the air with performances from Sam Kuslan, Linda Aubert, Oscar Rossignoli, Tom McDermott & Tim Laughlin, and more from 12:30 - 4:30 PM each day.  Returning to the third floor, the Satchmo Legacy Stage in Memory of Joni Berry brings a very special element to the weekend with ten exceptional presentations with Satchmo scholars and historians from 12:00 - 5:00 PM each day. Fans looking for a space to relax from the festival sights, sounds, and crowds can take a hiatus in Benny’s Sensory Activation Vehicle, a project of Beignet Fest Foundation with support from New Orleans & Company. SSF is the first of ten events Beignet Fest will partner with to provide the fully-equipped, tow-along trailer that makes events more inclusive for individuals with sensory processing disorders often associated with autism and other conditions.

Live Music Performances and Discussions with Satchmo Scholars

The 2023 festival lineup includes more than 30 musical acts ranging from traditional jazz to swing, brass and marching bands, funk, R&B, jazz fusion, and more. Two-tented outdoor stages will include debut performances from Cuban Born musician Yusa, Tuba Skinny, and first-time collaborations from TBC Brass Band featuring HaSizzle, and Delfeayo Marsalis & the Uptown Jazz Orchestra featuring Corey Henry and Tonya Boyd-Cannon on the Fidelity Bank Stage and 79rs Gang on the Eugenie & Joseph Jones Family Foundation Stage. Weekend performances also include music from Jeremy Davenport, The Original Pinettes Brass Band, Doyle Cooper Jazz Band and more.

Just as enthusiastic as the Satchmo fans, are the Satchmo Scholars that join the event each year for the Satchmo Legacy Stage in Memory of Joni Berry. Ricky Riccardi, Director of Research Collections for the Louis Armstrong House Museum and Archives returns as a long time contributor, “This year marks the 15th anniversary of my first time presenting at Satchmo Summerfest and I can honestly say that one weekend did more to jumpstart my career than any other single event. Over the past 15 years, the Legacy Stage has been the number one spot for Armstrong scholars from around the world to meet and present the latest research findings on jazz's greatest genius, Louis Armstrong. As some of those with direct ties to Armstrong have moved on, the Legacy Stage has remained relevant by presenting a diverse group of voices encompassing different backgrounds who continue to demonstrate year after year why Pops remains Tops! The outdoor stages will always be the main attraction for Satchmo Summerfest attendees, but there's always something scintillating happening on Legacy Stage—and it's air-conditioned, too!” The nearly two dozen presentations include a conversation with New Orleans Jazz Museum Music Director David Kunian and musician, composer, and educator Don Vappie. Before Vappie hits the stage on Saturday he will be interviewed about his life and the King Oliver Creole Jazz Band Centennial that celebrates a 100 year mark of the 1923 recordings with King and Louis this year. Attendees can also visit “New Orleans Stomp”, an accompanying exhibit in the Museum. All interviews and discussions can also be viewed via YouTube and Facebook livestream.

In addition to the performances on outdoor stages and indoors, the weekend is jam-packed with returning favorites for all to enjoy.

SATURDAY:

     * Satchmo Soundoff: Music fans of all ages can attend a special performance by some of the city’s youngest and most talented musicians. The Roots of Music presented by Fidelity Bank will kick off this year’s festival Saturday at 11:30 A.M. underneath the Fidelity Bank Stage Tent on Esplanade Ave.

     * George Brown Record Release Listening Party: Come meet and greet Gallatin Street Recording artist George Brown, debuting his new EP Saturday, 5:30 - 7:00 P.M. on the 3rd floor of the Museum.

SUNDAY:

     * Satchmo SummerFest Jazz Mass: The Jazz Mass at St. Augustine Church will begin at 10am where attendees can also enjoy a spirited performance by Treme Brass Band presented by New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park. Due to ongoing renovations at St. Augustine Church, mass will be held in the Parish Hall. Please note that space and seating is limited.

The mass will be livestreamed on Facebook.com/saintaugchurch

     * Satchmo SummerFest Second-Line Parade: The Treme Brass Band will lead attendees out of Sunday mass at St. Augustine Church at 11:15 A.M. in the Treme neighborhood and through the French Quarter for a Second-Line parade to the New Orleans Jazz Museum. The parade, led by Al Carnival Time Johnson, features Shaka Zulu on Stilts, Million Dollar Baby Dolls, The Original Black Seminole Baby Dolls, Sporty’s Brass Band, Big 6 Brass Band, TBC Brass Band, Zulu Social Aid & Pleasure Club’s Grand Marshall and 2023 King and Queen, Fi Yi Yi and more.

Culinary Delights

The 2023 Satchmo SummerFest presented by the New Orleans Tourism and Cultural Fund (NOTCF) features a note-worthy lineup of dishes and treats for all. In addition to Southerns return to the Festival with their award-winning Fried Chicken Sandwich and Fried Fish Sandwich, foodies can dine on fest faves from Beaucoup Eats with the Vegan Fish Po-Boy, Red Beans & Rice with Fried Chicken & Cornbread and new offering, the fruit Bliss Bowl; 14 Parishes returns with Plantains and Jerk Chicken or Pork; Ditto’s Did Dat brings their trio of tacos, including a Fried Crawfish, Shrimp and Grilled Chicken option; Café Dauphine serves up the infamous Cajun Seafood Rolls and Fried Ribs; and Theaudric’s Real Clever Cuisine delights with the Redfish Cake Poboy, Brussel Voorheese, and Creme Bru’leches Breadpudding. Hop in line for a cool treat for everyone in the group at Plum Street Snoballs, try their traditional flavors and add-on options to personalize your sweet treat, or take a healthier approach with sugar-free flavors.

This year’s cocktail menu includes the new Frozen Mango Daiquiri as well as favorites like the Jack Daniel's Lynchburg Lemonade, El Jimador Tequila Margarita and Bubly Sea Breeze (Bubly, Cranberry, Finlandia Vodka + Lime). Fans can relax with a seat and some shade at the Folgers Café and our beer lovers will find many options from Abita Beer like the Hard Sweet Tea and Strawberry Lager chilled and ready. Non-alcoholic options will also be available including Pepsi, Bubly and Gatorade to keep hydrated.

Satchmo SummerFest is scheduled annually to coincide with Louis Armstrong’s birthday on August 4th; the first festival took place on what would have been his 100th birthday, the same year the New Orleans airport was renamed Louis Armstrong International Airport. The artist often stated in public interviews that he was born on July 4, 1900 (Independence Day), a date that has been noted in many biographies.

Armstrong died in 1971 and his true birthdate, August 4, 1901, was not discovered until the mid-1980s. Louis Armstrong was raised in a poor section of New Orleans known as “Jane Alley.” Throughout his career, he entertained millions – from heads of state and royalty to the neighborhood kids on his stoop in Corona, New York. Despite his fame, he lived a simple life in a working-class neighborhood. The man known around the world as “Satchmo,” short for Satchelmouth, was widely recognized as a founding father of jazz – a unique American art form.

In 1932, Melody Maker magazine editor Percy Brooks greeted Armstrong in London with "Hello, Satchmo!” and the nickname stuck. His influence as an artist and cultural icon is universal, unmatched and very much alive today.

Source:  French Quarter Festivals, Inc.