A piece of paper says that Louis Armstrong was born on August 4, 1901, instead of the July 4, 1900, he always claimed. In this, I take the testimony of his mother, who called him her “firecracker baby,” as prime. And I will argue this point until no more copies of WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD can be found. Of course, he deserves every birthday celebration one can imagine, ideally 365 of them every year. 
But just yesterday, at the Ear Inn, on 326 Spring Street, there was a little celebration in the proper spirit. Louis loved the South — which he would have defined as his native Louisiana — but he would have been very happy to greet two musicians from that region, more or less (Mexico City and Buenos Aires): cornetist Guillermo Perata and guitarist Fernando Montardit, who sat in with the EarRegulars — Jon-Erik Kellso, trumpet; Scott Robinson, reeds and F-trumpet, and Neal Miner, string bass — on a properly celebratory SWING THAT MUSIC. And they all do:
Louis smiles his approval. I hope you do, also.
May your happiness increase!
JAZZ LIVES 