Stomp Off, Let's Go : The Early Years of Louis Armstrong

In Stomp Off, Let''s Go, author Ricky Riccardi offers a fresh take on the most widely discussed period of Louis Armstrong''s life. Tracing the trumpeter''s meteoric rise to fame from childhood in New Orleans all the way to Chicago, where he changed the course of music with the Hot Five and Hot Seven recordings, Riccardi foregrounds the voices of Armstrong and his contemporaries to explore Armstrong''s path and relationships more intimately, in turn providing essential insights into how Armstrong rose to become one of America''s most beloved icons.

The revelatory origin story of one of America''s most beloved musicians, Louis ArmstrongHow did Louis Armstrong become Louis Armstrong?In Stomp Off, Let''s Go, author and Armstrong expert Ricky Riccardi tells the enthralling story of the iconic trumpeter''s meteoric rise to fame. Beginning with Armstrong''s youth in New Orleans, Riccardi transports readers through Armstrong''s musical and personal development, including his initial trip to Chicago to join Joe "King" Oliver''s band, his first to New York to meet Fletcher Henderson, and his eventual return to Chicago, where he changed the course of music with the Hot Five and Hot Seven recordings. While this period of Armstrong''s life is perhaps more familiar than others, Riccardi enriches extant narratives with recently unearthed archival materials, including a rare draft of pianist, composer, and Armstrong''s second wife Lillian "Lil" Hardin Armstrong''s autobiography. Riccardi similarly tackles the perceived notion of Armstrong as a "sell-out" during his later years, highlighting the many ways in which Armstrong''s musical style and personal values in fact remained steady throughout his career. By foregrounding the voices of Armstrong and his contemporaries, Stomp Off, Let''s Go offers a more intimate exploration of Armstrong''s personal and professional relationships, in turn providing essential insights into how Armstrong evolved into one of America''s most beloved icons.