Michael Cogswell News

The Louis Armstrong House Museum Gala will be held on Tuesday, December 4, 2012 at the Manhattan Penthouse, 80 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10011. The cocktail hour begins at 6:00 pm; dinner and the awards ceremony follow at 7:15 pm featuring a special performance by David Ostwald's Louis Armstrong Centennial Band. Business attire is welcome.

David L. Reese, the former Curator of Gracie Mansion and Resident Director of Gunston Hall, historic home of George Mason, joins Louis Armstrong House Museum (LAHM) filling the newly created position of Curator as part of LAHM's Strategic Plan.

Louis Armstrong House Museum was awarded $150,000 in discretionary funds from the Partners in Preservation (PIP) grant contest. The grant contest, sponsored by American Express and the National Trust for Historic Preservation, was New York City's first-ever preservation contest. The funds awarded to LAHM will be used to help restore Louis's Garden. Louis Armstrong celebrated his 71st birthday in his beloved garden, and then passed away two days later.

As part of the Partners in Preservation grant contest that has taken over New York City, Louis Armstrong House Museum had almost 1,000 people attend its Garden Party this past weekend on May 5 & 6. LAHM also hosted a student photo that included a 5' 6' Louis Armstrong cutout of the Jazz legend in the Quad on the Queens College campus.

As part of the PartnersInPreservation.com grant contest sponsored by American Express and the National Historic Trust, Louis Armstrong House Museum will present the exclusive free film screening of Satchmo the Great on Saturday, May 12th at 8:00 pm in the Garden at Louis Armstrong House Museum. This film was released in 1957 and is now a collector's item. Seating is limited for this free screening and is available on a first-come basis.

To celebrate Jazz Appreciation Month, Louis Armstrong House Museum (LAHM) Historic House Tours will highlight one-of-a-kind portraits featured in Louis and Lucille's home by noted artists: Calvin Bailey, Tony Bennett, Samuel Countee and LeRoy Neiman throughout the month of April.

Tony has graciously donated the new painting to the Louis Armstrong House Museum, to be auctioned off on Charitybuzz.com, the leading destination for online charity auctions, to raise funds for the Museum. The oil painting depicts Armstrong performing on his gold-plated Selmer trumpet. In the lower right corner is Bennett's signature, "Benedetto."

Tony has graciously donated the new painting to the Louis Armstrong House Museum, to be auctioned off on Charitybuzz.com, the leading destination for online charity auctions, to raise funds for the Museum. The oil painting depicts Armstrong performing on his gold-plated Selmer trumpet. In the lower right corner is Bennett's signature, "Benedetto."

A who's who of the jazz and cultural world is slated to gather for the first annual fundraising gala celebrating the historic Louis Armstrong House Museum (LAHM) on Tuesday, December 6, 2011 in New York's famed 3 West Club (3 West 51st Street) from 6pm - 8pm. (6pm - 7pm cocktail; 7pm - 8pm awards program & dinner). This event celebrates 25 years of growth for the museum.

On November 29, the British singer-songwriter used his website to dissuade fans from buying his own new boxed set, The Return of the Spectacular Spinning Songbook, noting that its suggested retail price of $329.99 "appears to be either a misprint or a satire." Instead, his message urged them to make a different purchase. "If you should really want to buy something special for your loved one at this time of seasonal giving," he wrote, "we can whole-heartedly recommend, Ambassador Of Jazz - a cute little imitation suitcase, covered in travel stickers and embossed with the name 'Satchmo' but more importantly containing TEN re-mastered albums by one of the most beautiful and loving revolutionaries who ever lived - Louis Armstrong. The box should be available for under one hundred and fifty American dollars and includes a number of other tricks and treats. Frankly, the music is vastly superior."