What a complicated world
December 17, 2020

Louis Armstrong - a "jazz giant" or a "sell-out"?

The popular opinion of Louis Armstrong is as a genial, foundational voice in jazz, but the jazz establishment – and many African Americans – reviled him as a sellout or an “Uncle Tom” - Guardian writes presenting a new book, Ricky Riccardi’s 'Heart Full of Rhythm: the Big Band Years of Louis Armstrong'. The book describes this fall from grace.