April 30th is International Jazz Day, a day during which we celebrate the impact that jazz has had in the development of American music and culture. For this day, the Louis Armstrong House in Corona, New York is pulling out all the stops, hosting a free, day-long celebration and discussion of Armstrong’s music and cultural impact.

The event will feature original music composed by trumpeter Stephanie Richards, who wrote a piece in tribute to Armstrong. Richards will be joined by Jeremy Pelt, David Weiss and Igmar Thomas. Ricky Riccardi, the archivist of the Louis Armstrong House and the author of What A Wonderful World: The Magic of Louis Armstrong’s Later Years, will present and interpret some of Armstrong’s recordings, including performances that were never released officially before. 

The celebration at the Louis Armstrong House will be the culmination of Jazz Appreciation Month, an initiative taken to set aside the month of April as a month to consider and appreciate jazz’s cultural and societal impact.

For more information, visit the Louis Armstrong House’s website at www.louisarmstronghouse.org.