“Louis Armstrong’s nobility of sound – from his triumphant introduction on ’West End Blues’ to his reverent rendition of ‘What a Wonderful World’ continues to resonate on the higher harmonics of our humanity,” said Wynton Marsalis, President of LAEF and Artistic and Managing Director of Jazz at Lincoln Center. “Pops is inarguably one of the most beloved and revered entertainers of all time. We could present a Continuum every day of the week and not run out of topics to discuss. We are pleased that Professor O’Meally has curated this outstanding gathering of great minds and musicians to tackle this year’s topic for these two days in April.”
“The multi-faceted investigations, appreciations and applications of Armstrong’s life-affirming artistry presented in these panel discussions, presentations and concerts, will make it abundantly clear that his undying human spirit is just what we need in this time of worldwide emergency,” added Robert G. O’Meally, the Columbia University Zora Neale Professor of English and Comparative Literature, Director of the Columbia University Center for Jazz Studies, and author of Lady Day:The Many Faces of Billie Holiday and The Jazz Cadence of American Culture.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Thursday, April 8, 2021 6:00 pm – 10:30 pm ET
Armstrong Video: When It’s Sleepy Time Down South
WelcomeRobert G.O’Meally
Interview:Robert G. O’MeallyandDan Morgenstern, Recipient of the Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation 2021 Lifetime Achievement Award, Jazz Historian, Archivist, Educator
Presentation of Lifetime Achievement Award: Howard Schain, LAEF Treasurer
Armstrong Video Performance: Black and Blue
Panel Discussion: Jazz and Social Justice
Robert G.O’Meally, Moderator
Cornel West, Scholar, Writer, Activist
Rev. Dwight Andrews, Composer, Musician, Educator
Gina Belafonte, Filmmaker, Producer, Activist
Tongo Eisen-Martin, Writer,Educator
Concert: Music In The Time of Emergency
Trumpeter James Zollar Quartet with special guest Vocalist Brianna Thomas
Vibraphonist Stefon Harris& Blackout
Closing Remarks: Robert G.O’Meally and Jackie Harris, LAEF Executive Director
Friday, April 9, 2021 9:00 am – 3:00 pm ET
Armstrong Audio Recording: Royal Theater Coal Story
Welcome and Remarks: Armstrong in a Time of Emergency- Wynton Marsalis
LAEF Remarks: Robin Bell-Stevens, LAEF Vice President , Jazzmobile Director and Executive Producer
Introduction of Events: Robert G. O’Meally
Panel Discussion followed by Live Chat and Q & A: Armstrong In the World
Robert G. O’Meally, Moderator
Daphne Brooks, Yale University Professor
Kwami Coleman, Gallatin School of Individualized Study - NYU
Wolfram Knauer, Director, Jazzinstitut Darmstadt
Ingrid Monson, Harvard University Professor
Interview and Presentation: David Chevan, Bassist, Professor, andLegendary Bassist Ron Carter, Recipient of the 2021 SATCHMO™ Award
Panel Discussion followed by Live Chat and Q & A: Rhythm Is Our Business
Emily Lordi, Moderator, Vanderbilt University Professor
Ainissa Ramirez, Writer,Scientist, Science Evangelist
Ricky Riccardi, Director of Research Collections, Louis Armstrong House Museum
Entertainment: Armstrong Performance Videos
Panel Discussion followed by Live Chat and Q & A: Armstrong’s Influence on 21stCentury Jazz Artists
Jackie Harris, Moderator
René Marie, Vocalist
Jason Moran, Pianist and Artistic Director of Jazz, The Kennedy Center
Bobby Sanabria, Percussionist, Educator, Activist, WBGO Radio Host
James Zollar, Trumpeter, Educator
Closing Remarks; Robert G. O’Meallyand Jackie Harris
Special Presentation from the Louis Armstrong House Museum: Armstrong Now
The 2021 Louis Armstrong International Continuum is dedicated to the memory of Author, Jazz Historian and Critic,Stanley Crouch, who served as President of the Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation from 2010 – 2020, and passed away September 16, 2020.
To register for The Louis Armstrong International Continuum, go to www.armstrongcontinuum.eventbrite.com. For more information on the presenting organizations, please visit www.louisarmstrongfoundation.organd www.jazz.columbia.edu.