New Orleans Satchmo Summerfest

Latest updates, photos and videos from the festival

The Louisiana State Museum's Old U.S. Mint was alive with kids on Thursday.

Six members of the Brooklyn Repertory Ensemble, here for the Satchmo SummerFest, performed a rollicking musical history lesson in the auditorium.

Yoshio Toyama and his wife, Keiko, won't sleep much this weekend, but that's okay. The musicians came all the way from Tokyo for the Satchmo SummerFest, and they don't want to miss a thing.

"It is just great to play for Pops back in New Orleans," Yoshio said.

Eliot Kamenitz / Times-PicayuneSatchmo Summerfest finished its last day with a Jazz Mass at St. Augustine Church and Second Line Parade to the festival site at the Old U.S. Mint where food booths and Jazz treated festival goers to hot food and tunes on a hot day, Sunday, August 3, 2008. Second Liner Jennifer Jones comes strutting out of St. Augustine Church along with musicians. Click here to view more galleries from this year's festival.

For four days, lovers of Louis Armstrong enjoyed music, food and even a bit of education as the eight annual festival took over lower Decatur Street in the French Quarter of New Orleans.

Bands playing mostly traditional Jazz filled four stages and Jazz historians remembering the good old days paid tribute to the man many say made Jazz a household name.

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photo by Tom MorganLeroy & Katja

WWOZ broadcast four different groups today in a Sunday afternoon dedicated to Pops and traditional jazz.

The folks were dancing up a storm, as the New Orleans Helsinki connection proved to be a tonic that made that August heat almost seem to melt away.

There are four stages at the Satchmo SummerFest -- a brass band, contemporary and traditional jazz, and a kid's stage. Today was Kidd's day, Kidd Simmons' day that is, as he led his band at the traditional stage for the WWOZ broadcast today. Kidd had a fine band and everyone seemed to enjoy his efforts, as we're sure our audience did.

photo by Tom MorganKidd Simmons' Band

Yosiho Toyama has known New Orleans music for a long time and it was an appearance of Louis Armstrong in Japan that changed his life. He lived in New Orleans in the late sixties and has come back to visit many times. WWOZ was very proud to broadcast his appearance today around the country and to the world. One of the highlights of the concert was a duet of "Rocking Chair" a la Louis and Jack Teagarden, only on our stage it was Yoshio and New Orleans trombonist, Freddie Lonzo.

photo by Tom MorganYoshio Toyama and Freddie Lonzo

Connie Jones and his band were up next for our WWOZ live broadcast on Saturday. Tom McDermott stayed and played for both of our opening bands, and he looked rather dapper and cool as he massaged the ivories.

photo by Tom MorganTom McDermott