Free Virtual Symposium and Concert Highlighting Art in a Time of Emergency Takes Place
April 8 – 9, 2021; Participants Include Wynton Marsalis, Robert G. O’Meally, Dr. Cornel West, Jason Moran and Many Others
NEW YORK, NY, March 24, 2021 /Neptune100/ — Columbia University’s Center for Jazz Studies, in conjunction with The Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation (LAEF), presents The Louis Armstrong International Continuum, a Free virtual symposium and concert set for April 8 (6:00 pm – 10:30 pm ET) and April 9 (9:00 am – 3:00 pm ET). Highlighting the Continuum theme, Art in a Time of Emergency, the two-day event brings together an impressive assemblage of musicians, scholars, authors, art administrators and academics to examine Armstrong’s ever-evolving influence on the arts and sciences, culture, social justice and society, through his music, activism, and life. Wynton Marsalis, Robert G. O’Meally, Jason Moran, Cornel West, Gina Belafonte, Ron Carter, Dan Morgenstern, Rene Marie and Bobby Sanabria are among the participants.
The Continuum is free of charge and open to the public. Guests must register at www.armstrongcontinuum.eventbrite.com.
“Louis Armstrong’s nobility of sound – from his triumphant introduction on ‘West End Blues’ to his reverent rendition of ‘What a Wonderful World’ continues to resonate on the higher harmonics of our humanity,” said Wynton Marsalis, President of LAEF and Artistic and Managing Director of Jazz at Lincoln Center. “Pops is inarguably one of the most beloved and revered entertainers of all time. We could present a Continuum every day of the week and not run out of topics to discuss. We are pleased that Professor O’Meally has curated this outstanding gathering of great minds and musicians to tackle this year’s topic for these two days in April.”
“The multi-faceted investigations, appreciations and applications of Armstrong’s life-affirming artistry presented in these panel discussions, presentations and concerts, will make it abundantly clear that his undying human spirit is just what we need in this time of worldwide emergency,” added Robert G. O’Meally, the Columbia University Zora Neale Professor of English and Comparative Literature, Director of the Columbia University Center for Jazz Studies, and author of Lady Day: The Many Faces of Billie Holiday and The Jazz Cadence of American Culture.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Thursday, April 8, 2021 6:00 pm – 10:30 pm ET
Armstrong Video: When It’s Sleepy Time Down South
Welcome Robert G. O’Meally
Interview: Robert G. O’Meally and Dan Morgenstern, Recipient of the Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation 2021 Lifetime Achievement Award, Jazz Historian, Archivist, Educator
Presentation of Lifetime Achievement Award: Howard Schain, LAEF Treasurer
Armstrong Video Performance: Black and Blue
Panel Discussion: Jazz and Social Justice
– Professor Robert G. O’Meally, Moderator
– Cornel West, Scholar, Writer, Activist
– Rev. Dwight Andrews, Composer, Musician, Educator
– Gina Belafonte, Filmmaker, Producer, Activist
– Tongo Eisen-Martin, Writer, Educator
Concert: Music In The Time of Emergency
– Trumpeter James Zollar Quartet with special guest Vocalist Brianna Thomas
– Vibraphonist Stefon Harris & Blackout
Closing Remarks: Robert G. O’Meally and Jackie Harris, LAEF Executive Director
Friday, April 9, 2021 9:00 am – 3:00 pm ET
Armstrong Audio Recording: Royal Theater Coal Story 1970
Welcome and Remarks: Armstrong in a Time of Emergency – Wynton Marsalis
LAEF Remarks: Robin Bell-Stevens, LAEF Vice President , Jazzmobile Director and Executive Producer
Introduction of Events: Robert G. O’Meally
Panel Discussion followed by Live Zoom Q & A: Armstrong In the World
– Chris Washburne, Moderator, Columbia University Professor
– Daphne Brooks, Yale University Professor
– Wolfram Knauer, Director, Jazzinstitut Darmstadt
– Ingrid Monson, Harvard University Professor
Interview and Presentation: David Chevan, Bassist, Professor, and Legendary Bassist Ron Carter, Recipient of the 2021 SATCHMO™ Award
Panel Discussion followed by Live Zoom Q & A: Rhythm Is Our Business
– Emily Lordi, Moderator, Vanderbilt University Professor
– Ainissa Ramirez, Writer, Scientist, Science Evangelist
– Ricky Riccardi, Director of Research Collections, Louis Armstrong House Museum
Entertainment: Armstrong Performance Videos
Panel Discussion followed by Live Zoom Q & A: Armstrong’s Influence on 21st Century Jazz Artists
– Jackie Harris, Moderator
– René Marie, Vocalist
– Jason Moran, Pianist and Artistic Director of Jazz, The Kennedy Center
– Bobby Sanabria, Percussionist, Educator, Activist, WBGO Radio Host
– James Zollar, Trumpeter, Educator
Closing Remarks; Robert G. O’Meally and Jackie Harris
Special Presentation from the Louis Armstrong House Museum: Armstrong Now
The 2021 Louis Armstrong International Continuum is dedicated to the memory of Author, Jazz Historian and Critic, Stanley Crouch, who served as President of the Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation from 2010 – 2020, and passed away September 16, 2020.
To register for The Louis Armstrong International Continuum, go to www.armstrongcontinuum.eventbrite.com. For more information on the presenting organizations, please visit www.louisarmstrongfoundation.org and www.jazz.columbia.edu.
