The Louis Armstrong House Museum in Queens, N.Y., will help celebrate Jazz Appreciation Month by featuring a rare recording of Louis Armstrong performing “West End Blues.” Originally recorded by Armstrong 85 years ago, the song was performed by him in 1961 at Freedomland, a long-gone theme park in The Bronx, N.Y. According to a press release, the performance-previously unissued and not in any discographies-was recently donated to the Museum’s Archives by the son of Freedomland sound engineer Peter Denis. The recording complements the museum’s current exhibit, Louis Armstrong at Freedomland, that closes April 30.
In addition, the museum is featuring three rare CDs from the late Gösta Hägglöf’s Ambassador Records label of Sweden, currently available for sale only in the museum’s gift shop beginning April 2. The remastered volumes feature Armstrong’s 1940s and 1950s Decca recordings.
The Louis Armstrong House Museum is located at 34-56 107th Street in Corona, Queens. The museum is open Tuesday-Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Saturday/Sunday from 12:00 noon-5:00 p.m. The last tour of the day is at 4:00 p.m. The gift shop, exhibit area and garden can be explored before or after the tour.
Admission is $10.00, $7.00 for seniors, students and children; and free for LAHM members and children under 4. For more information, visit Louis Armstrong House or call the Museum at 718-478-8274.
