Heart Full of Rhythm: The Big Band Years of Louis Armstrong

by Ricky Riccardi

Between 1929 and 1947, Armstrong transformed himself from a little-known trumpeter in Chicago to an internationally renowned pop star, setting in motion the innovations of the Swing Era and Bebop. He had a similar effect on the art of American pop singing, waxing some of his most identifiable hits such as "Jeepers Creepers," "When You're Smiling," and "When the Saints Go Marching In." Along the way, he became the first black man to host a nationally sponsored radio show and to receive featured billing in a Hollywood film. However as author Ricky Riccardi shows, Armstrong's most transformative era wasn't without its problems, from racist performance reviews and being held up at gunpoint by gangsters to struggling with an overworked embouchure and getting arrested for marijuana possession. Utilizing a prodigious amount of new research, Riccardi traces the Armstrong's mid-career fall from grace-why his career faltered; the ways in which the rise of swing and bop affected his musical approach and identity; the sacrifices he made to reenter the limelight; and the choices he made during this period that ultimately led to his resurgence as an iconic vocalist and performer whose nuance influenced the musical stylings of Bing Crosby, Billie Holiday, and countless others for decades to follow.

Featuring never-before-published photographs and brand new stories culled from Armstrong's personal archives, Heart Full of Rhythm: The Big Band Years of Louis Armstrong tells the story of the man called "Pops".

Genres: Music, Biography, Jazz, Nonfiction

424 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 1, 2020

Reviews

[Harold · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely the best book on Armstrong I have read to date and I've read quite a few. It's telling that the first thing I did upon finishing it was to immediately order Riccardi's earlier work on Armstrong. I hadn't yet read that because it was unavailable on Kindle and I figured I would wait for the Kindle edition. After reading this I decided to wait no longer. This book is, as the title tells us, about the big band years and records made during that period. The first book is about the period after that, when Louis led a small group known as The All Stars. I was fortunate enough to see them three times in my teenage years and the memory is vivid. People who only know Louis through Hello Dolly and his "hits" of the 60s are missing the total blend of entertainment and great music Armstrong put out. The man was a phenomenon. Those of you reading this (if anyone. Lol) check out some of the live things on you tube and maybe some of the classic recordings. It's well worth your investment in time.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second in Ricky Riccardi’s biographical trilogy about Louis Armstrong. Riccardi is Director of Research Collections for the Louis Armstrong House Museum in Corona, Queens, New York, where Louis lived for most of his life. While not a huge fan of his music (or voice!), as a music lover & historian, I’ve come to respect & admire Armstrong’s seminal role in the evolution of twentieth century jazz and popular music. This is really the point of Riccardi’s books.

My impressions of Armstrong date from the ‘60s when, as a child, I would see Armstrong as a sweaty older man with an extremely gravelly voice who showed up on variety & talk shows, usually singing “Hello Dolly.” I didn’t pay him much attention or realize his importance until I started listening to old blues singers like Bessie Smith, due to her mention as an influence on Janis Joplin. Then I realized that was Armstrong’s masterful cornet accompanying her on “St. Louis Blues!” As a frequent visitor to New Orleans, I learned even more about him. Stomp Off, Let’s Go, the Early Years of Louis Armstrong, Riccardi’s first book, recounts these tumultuous early years of the musician in the Big Easy, Chicago & New York. It’s probably my favorite as it covers the burgeoning New Orleans jazz scene and the forward musical leap initiated by Armstrong’s Hot Five & Hot Seven ensembles.

But in Heart Full of Rhythm, Riccardi dispels the notion that Armstrong was no longer innovative or influencial during the ‘30s and ‘40s, his Big Band era. He was interested in the contemporary, popular music of his time and believed in always looking forward, not back. The harshest criticism came later from the bebop & cool jazz players, like Dizzy Gillespie and Miles Davis, because Armstrong didn’t play that type of jazz. However, Davis acknowledged Armstrong’s status by stating “You can’t play anything on a horn that Louis hasn’t played.” That’s kind of like criticizing Springsteen or Jagger for not playing rap or hip-hop today-it just wasn’t his genre! He was also targeted by the “pure” jazz aficionados for his “Uncle Tom” brand of humor & flamboyant showmanship, but that was all a product of his upbringing & personal taste. Most of his audience, especially his Black fans at the Apollo & other venues, loved it.

Louis Armstrong’s contributions to jazz & music in general can not be overstated and Riccardi expertly details his significant achievements & influence in this interesting & entertaining book.

[Rob · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is SO well-researched and so well-written. The author had unique access to so much archival material (and help from so many great archivists!) that it couldn't help but be the outstanding book that it is.

I'm grateful for the insight that Mr. Riccardi has gleaned and so kindly shared with us. Don't forget to read all the footnotes, there are gems there that you won't want to miss. Thank you, Ricky Riccardi!