Ricky Riccardi

Oh, my pleasure, Terry. This has been an honor. And, you know, I always have to leave my closing phrase, Pops is tops.

Oh, my pleasure, Terry. This has been an honor. And, you know, I always have to leave my closing phrase, Pops is tops.

I mean, for me, this is kind of everything you need to know about Louis Armstrong in three minutes. Actually, it's probably everything you need to know about him in the first 13 seconds, because that unaccompanied opening trumpet cadenza, people are still learning it.

I mean, for me, this is kind of everything you need to know about Louis Armstrong in three minutes. Actually, it's probably everything you need to know about him in the first 13 seconds, because that unaccompanied opening trumpet cadenza, people are still learning it.

I mean, for me, this is kind of everything you need to know about Louis Armstrong in three minutes. Actually, it's probably everything you need to know about him in the first 13 seconds, because that unaccompanied opening trumpet cadenza, people are still learning it.

I mean, during the height of the pandemic, there was a hashtag Louis Armstrong West End Blues Challenge, and they had musicians around the world trying to nail that cadenza. But then the rest of the recording... The way he plays the melody, the way he scat sings, the operatic trumpet playing at the ending.

I mean, during the height of the pandemic, there was a hashtag Louis Armstrong West End Blues Challenge, and they had musicians around the world trying to nail that cadenza. But then the rest of the recording... The way he plays the melody, the way he scat sings, the operatic trumpet playing at the ending.

I mean, during the height of the pandemic, there was a hashtag Louis Armstrong West End Blues Challenge, and they had musicians around the world trying to nail that cadenza. But then the rest of the recording... The way he plays the melody, the way he scat sings, the operatic trumpet playing at the ending.

It was really his announcement to the world that he is here, he has arrived, and nothing will ever be the same.

It was really his announcement to the world that he is here, he has arrived, and nothing will ever be the same.

It was really his announcement to the world that he is here, he has arrived, and nothing will ever be the same.

So the records he makes in the 1920s, which are at the heart of Stomp Off, Let's Go, they were known at the time as race records, records aimed at cities and urban areas and the black community in general. And, you know, a lot of blues and a lot of instrumental jazz. But West End blues wasn't a runaway pop hit.

So the records he makes in the 1920s, which are at the heart of Stomp Off, Let's Go, they were known at the time as race records, records aimed at cities and urban areas and the black community in general. And, you know, a lot of blues and a lot of instrumental jazz. But West End blues wasn't a runaway pop hit.

So the records he makes in the 1920s, which are at the heart of Stomp Off, Let's Go, they were known at the time as race records, records aimed at cities and urban areas and the black community in general. And, you know, a lot of blues and a lot of instrumental jazz. But West End blues wasn't a runaway pop hit.

You know, that that was still the terrain of Paul Whiteman and Guy Lombardo and band leaders like that. But it did move the needle a little bit. People were buying it. They were listening. They were influenced. And OK Records, Armstrong's label at the time, their head A&R man, his name was Tommy Rockwell,

You know, that that was still the terrain of Paul Whiteman and Guy Lombardo and band leaders like that. But it did move the needle a little bit. People were buying it. They were listening. They were influenced. And OK Records, Armstrong's label at the time, their head A&R man, his name was Tommy Rockwell,

You know, that that was still the terrain of Paul Whiteman and Guy Lombardo and band leaders like that. But it did move the needle a little bit. People were buying it. They were listening. They were influenced. And OK Records, Armstrong's label at the time, their head A&R man, his name was Tommy Rockwell,

He was the one who kind of had the brainchild, like, man, this Armstrong guy has got something different. If we could just get him to connect with the larger public, you know, he really has a chance to be a star. And so beginning in late 1928, Rockwell starts expanding the sound of Armstrong's band, and he starts simultaneously releasing his recordings as race records and as pop records.

He was the one who kind of had the brainchild, like, man, this Armstrong guy has got something different. If we could just get him to connect with the larger public, you know, he really has a chance to be a star. And so beginning in late 1928, Rockwell starts expanding the sound of Armstrong's band, and he starts simultaneously releasing his recordings as race records and as pop records.

He was the one who kind of had the brainchild, like, man, this Armstrong guy has got something different. If we could just get him to connect with the larger public, you know, he really has a chance to be a star. And so beginning in late 1928, Rockwell starts expanding the sound of Armstrong's band, and he starts simultaneously releasing his recordings as race records and as pop records.