Ghana - 1956
"By jove, Louis is as great as his instrument!"
E.T. Mensah
New York Herald Tribune (5/24/56)
In May, 1956 Louis Armstrong's
All Stars were in Great Britain playing the last gigs of a long and tiring
overseas tour. The trip was sponsored by CBS and Edward R. Murrow, and
would produce material for the United Artists video Satchmo The Great
and the record albums Ambassador Satch and Satchmo The Great. In 1955 Murrow
had visited Africa and shot two hours of film for his CBS-TV show See It Now
which included some coverage of the Gold Coast. He now desired to do a
short sequel and requested that Louis and his entourage stop off in Ghana
for two days before returning to the United States. Murrow's idea was to
shoot film of Louis walking on the beach and playing a solo in E.T. Mensah's
Paramount open air bar, where he had enjoyed himself while filming in 1955.
In 1954 the first national
elections had been held in the Gold Coast as an initial step in the transition
from British colonial rule to independence as the new nation of Ghana (March,
1957). Now, in 1956, preparations were underway for another set of general
elections. Also, the country was preparing for a Royal Visit later that
summer, and working on plans for the Volta River Project. It was in these
circumstances that James Moxon, the 35 year old Director of The Department
of Information Services, received Murrow's request for assistance. The
British Colonial Office had sent Moxon to the Gold Coast more than a decade
earlier; he had made many friends and was well-liked by the local population.
He no doubt was a significant factor in the immense success of Satchmo's
visit. Robert Raymond, an Australian,
was a member of the Department of Information Services, on home leave in May
1956, when Moxon recalled him to assist with the Armstrong visit. In his
excellent book on Ghana - Black Star In The Wind - he provides a
detailed account of the whirlwind tour. As he recalled, soon after his return
to Accra, about a week before Satchmo's arrival:
"That night I went round to James's house. We played a few
Armstrong records, just to get into the mood, then worked
out a programme. We were forced to recognize that there was
a fixed number of hours between Armstrong's arrival at nine
a.m. on Thursday morning and his departure at noon on Saturday.
We reluctantly conceded that some of these hours would have to
be set aside for eating, and probably for sleeping (although
James, I think, placed great reliance on the legend that jazz
musicians, by taking narcotics, could do without sleep)."
Next day James cabled the programme to New York:
FIRST DAY MET AIRPORT ENTHUSIASTIC CROWDS THEN FORMAL CALLS
GOVERNOR PRIME MINISTER AFTERNOON DRIVE THROUGH CITY EVENING
PRESS PARTY NIGHT OPENAIR CONCERT THIRTY THOUSAND PEOPLE
AFTERWARDS VISIT NIGHTCLUBS SECOND DAY STUDIO INTERVIEW LUNCH
UNIVERSITY THEN OPENAIR DISPLAY TRADITIONAL DANCING DRUMMING
EVENING PRIME MINISTERS PARTY NIGHT THEATRE CONCERT FINALLY
JAMSESSION PARAMOUNT THIRD MORNING ON BEACH PROCESSION TO
AIRPORT FOR DEPARTURE [page 216]
Soon, the CBS TV film crew arrived.
Gene De Poris, leader of the CBS team, was not happy with the hectic schedule.
He was adamant that the nighttime Open Air Concert be filmed during daytime
for lighting reasons. This was agreed to, and fortunately so, because more
than 100,000 fans would turn out for the afternoon performance, on a work day!
Despite De Poris' protestations, the remainder of the busy schedule remained
unchanged, as Moxon kept reminding him that "In Africa, Armstrong is
more than a band leader, he is a symbol." For Louis' arrival at the
airport Moxon had invited and provided transport for all 13 of Accra's
nightclub bands. Shortly before the plane arrived the bands took up their
positions and the crowd, which would reach 10,000, slowly began to build.
Robert Raymond describes the scene after touch down, as the 13 bands strike
up a highlife - "All For You, Louie, All For You":
"Then the spirit took charge. The crowd suddenly swarmed over the
fence into the prohibited tarmac area, and the two cultures met
with explosive zest. The police and customs officers watched
helplessly. De Poris and his men sweated and shot film frantically.
Ajax Bukana gallantly rushed to greet Velma Middleton, Armstrong's
twenty-stone blues singer. He took her by the hand, bowed gracefully,
and led her past the crowded airport fence in an absurd, joyous
gavotte. A dozen trumpet players swung in behind Armstrong. They
blew their hardest in his ear as they marched along. The Americans,
now with the tune between their teeth, blew as hard as anyone, led
by Armstrong's swinging, driving trumpet. As the animated mass
of players and singing people moved across the tarmac, gathering
strength and impetus all the time, the noise and the clamor rose to
the skies in the greatest paean of welcome Accra had ever known." [page 225]
Lucille and Louis Armstrong's
entourage included vocalist Velma Middleton, clarinetist Edmond Hall, trombonist
Trummy Young, pianist Billy Kyle, drummer
Barrett Deems, bassist Jack Lesberg,
valet Doc Pugh, personal physician Alexander Schiff, and Ernie
Anderson of Asscociated Booking.
Following the exuberant welcome, the Armstrong party was taken by motorcade to
their quarters in Accra. The Armstrongs, staying with James Moxon, then departed
with Moxon for a two and one half hour luncheon with Prime Minister Kwame Nkrumah, while
the remainder of the group attended the press reception. Raymond then received
an ominous message - the Old Polo Ground - about the size of three soccer fields
and the site of the 2:30 p.m. open air concert - had been deserted at 1 p.m..
As Robert Raymond and the All Stars started the drive to the concert site
at 2 p.m., Robert wondered how many fans had assembled since 1 p.m..
As the Polo Ground came into view, he and the band members were stunned -
the entire area for several hundred yards in each direction was filled with
people. According to Raymond: "It was an overwhelming, almost frightening, sight."
At 3:15 p.m., the Prime Minister's car finally delivered the Armstrongs.
As the band began to play amidst wild cheering, the
crowd tried to spread out to dance. Eventually, the speaker system was disabled
and, as people at the far end of the field attempted to move
closer, the band stand and camera equipment came into danger. After several
numbers it was necessary for the band to depart.
The next scheduled event was a reception for the Armstrongs
at James Moxon's. Raymond recalled:
"I looked in at James's reception. Armstrong was
the most famous person to visit the Gold Coast
since the Prince of Wales in the nineteen twenties.
Everybody in Accra we had invited, and some we had
not, stood round talking to Armstrong and his men.
Even Phillip Gbeho had overcome his distaste for
brass bands" [page 233]
Raymond soon departed for E.T. Mensah's to check on the arrangements for the
evening's jam session, scheduled to begin at nine o'clock. There, he found
Gene De Poris and E.T. arguing about space for the cameras. E.T. had packed
the Paramount with many extra tables and they were being occupied at a rapid
rate. "Clear the floor!", De Poris cried, "we need room to work!" All to no
avail. Finally James Moxon arrived with the Armstrongs.
"The rest of the evening went very well. The atmosphere
and the music were so infectiously happy that nobody
felt like getting worked up. The American musicians
spent hours on the bandstand playing with the local men.
Trummy Young who must have had an unquenchable enthusiasm
for music, played every number. He was the comedian of
the group, and occasionally finished a frantic solo lying
on his back, working the slide of his trombone with his
foot." [page 234]
At midnight the Armstrongs and James left for home. Raymond took the remaining
members of the band to another club - The Weekend In Havana - which was filled with patrons that
had earlier paid to see Louis Armstrong and his All Stars. Trummy Young
immediately picked up his horn and obliged them. Everyone made it home
safely by 8 a.m..
Friday morning, the Armstrongs visited an Accra school. (Looking for more
info on this, and also a picture.)
At noon Friday, the All Stars were taken to Legon Hall at the University
for a luncheon. After preliminary greetings and a cocktail, the band was led into a great
hall filled with students dressed in royal blue gowns. The All Stars took their seats
at the large head table. The Master of Legon Hall, who took pride in his ability to
establish immediate rapport with people by means of a single question,
turned to Louis:
"And I suppose you've had an enthusiastic response to
your - ah - music wherever you've been, Mr. Armstrong?"
he said gravely.
Armstrong paused, holding a chicken leg.
"There's cats everywhere, y'know!", he said, and
went on with his lunch. [page 237]
After a brief silence, Barrett Deems, who had been boosted onto the shoulders of
admiring fans while sightseeing in Accra the previous afternnon, explained that
he liked Africa because it was "drummin' country", and because the drums were made of wood.
His explanation was accompanied by a drumming demonstration using available utensils,
various objects to be found on the table, and the wooden table itself.
Upon arriving at Achimota College
for the traditional drumming and dancing exhibition, the Armstrong party was welcomed
by Phillip Gbeho and Beattie Casely-Hayford, the secretary of the Arts Council.
These two somehow had been able to bring together Chiefs and representatives from all regions
of Ghana and work out a seating plan that seemed to satisfy everyone. The Armstrong
group was led to its place beneath a large umbrella.
"Then the entertainment began."
"Groups from each region, accompanied by their own drummers
and musicians, came into the arena and danced in front of
the visitors...The Americans watched, entranced. It was a
great and moving tribute to a black man from beyond the seas."
"Louis and Lucille Armstrong sat sweating in the heat but
loving it. They had Phillip Gbeho's small children perched
on their laps, and drank from the gourd bowls of palm wine
that were passed round. Edmond Hall sat quietly enjoying
himself: 'We spend all our lives going round the world
entertaining people,' he said in his gentle voice, 'but
this is the first time anybody ever entertained us.' " [page 239]
Then, when the last tribe had paid its tribute, Casely-Hayford introduced
"Mr. Armstrong, the great American musician." The band opened with Indiana,
but there was no response from the audience...they had never heard music
like this. Next, a number at a slower tempo...still no response.
"Then, away across the far side of the arena, a solitary
figure arose. It was an old, old man, with a stave, from
some northern tribe. Slowly, gravely, he advanced towards
the band, in a kind of shuffle, attuned somewhere deep in
his mind to the beat of the music. We waited. Was this the
catalyst that would fuse the cultures? It was not enough.
So an American took the initiative. Lucille Armstrong stood
up and went out into the arena to join the old man. Side by
side, under the bell of Armstrong's swinging trumpet they
slowly danced, as Lucille watched the old man's feet
shuffling in the dust, and matched his steps. She was an
odd but significant figure in her crisp New York dress,
dancing with the old tribesman in his cotton robe. This
was the turning point. As the American woman and the man
of Africa danced, more and more people from around the
arena got up and joined in." [page 240]
Photo of Lucille and The Elder
Shortly thereafter, Louis espied a women in the arena who reminded him of his mother. After finishing his number, he ran to James Moxon and told him what he had seen, saying "I know it now, Jim. I know I came from here, way back." Upon returning to James' house, Louis sent off a number of telegrams to friends in the United States explaining what he had seen.
That evening, the All Stars were the honored guests at the Prime Minister's reception,
after which they went to the Opera House for their final performance. The last
number of the evening, Black And Blue, was dedicated to Prime Minister Nkrumah:
Real Audio | WAV format.
Following the show Beattie Casely-Hayford presented gifts to the band and gave a short
speech of thanks.
After the concert, the Armstrongs and Raymond returned to James' house. Lucille
went to bed while the others listened to James' Hot Five records. Finally, James
and Robert retired leaving Louis alone in the living room listening to his
old recordings.
The final event was a brunch at Moxon's house, and most of the people who had
met the All Stars stopped in to say goodbye. Louis explained his dieting
techniques to James (20 stone) and left him with a lifetime supply of
Swiss Kriss. On the way to the airport the entire
group stopped for a while at Christiansborg Castle for a final moment of
relaxation before the flight. No farewell had been arranged at the airport
- it had not been necessary; a number of the bands and a large crowd from
Accra had already gathered to say goodbye.
"Perhaps the most celebrated - and certainly the most popular -
visitors the Gold Coast ever had stayed only two days." [page 215]
G. Giddins, Satchmo (New York: Doubleday, 1988). p. 156, 161.
N. Hentoff, Liner Notes, Satchmo The Great,Columbia Records, (CL 1077, 1956).
M. Jones & J. Chilton, Louis: the Louis Armstrong story 1900-1971, (New York: Da Capo Press, 1988), pp. 31-33.
M. Miller, ed., Louis Armstrong: A Cultural Legacy (Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1994). p. 89, 129.
R. Raymond, There's cats everywhere, y'know!, Black Star In The Wind (London: MacGiddon & Kee, 1960), pp. 197-249.
N.B.: The Satchmo The Great LP is also available as a (reasonably priced) Legacy Records CD, distributed by SONY (Columbia Jazz Masterpieces).
N.B.: The United Artists video, Satchmo The Great, has never been released. Excerpts have been seen here and there. If you are the President and/or CEO of United Artists, or work in the duplicating dept., please release on VHS cassette immediately. Thanks. If you are a Satchmo fan visit the MGM/UA site and bug them (Don't worry, the lion is not real). Thanks.
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