[Holiday, Billie. (1915–1959) & Armstrong, Louis. (1901–1971)]
"The Birth of the Blues" - Original 1947 Concert Program
A rare original program from the Billie Holiday-Louis Armstrong "Birth of the Blues" concert, at Boston's Symphony Hall on April 18, 1947. Program features a photo essay about Armstrong, halftone photographs and biographies of the performers, including the young Velma Middleton (shown doing the splits!), Joe Garland, and Leslie Scott, a discography, and period advertisements. 16 pp. Heavy wear to the front and back wrappers with some large tears and losses; tape repairs to the spine; pencil marks on the front wrapper. Overall in very good condition. 9 x 12 inches (22.8 x 31 cm).Armstrong and Holiday's appearance in Boston came at the height of their fame, but just as both their lives were about to change. As public tastes changed and it became more difficult to book Armstrong's large touring band, he returned to playing with a smaller group: in August 1947 his big band was dissolved and effectively replaced by his six-piece band "Louis Armstrong and His All Stars." Meanwhile, Holiday would be arrested for possession of narcotics on May 16, 1947, leading to a year of incarceration.
From the collection of the legendary Boston jazz promoter Fred Taylor (b. 1930), known for booking jazz clubs Paul's Mall and Jazz Workshop in the 1960's–70's. The musicians he invited to Boston included many greats of the era, such as John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Muddy Waters, and Dizzy Gillespie, as well as young performers Bruce Springstein, Billy Joel, and Earth, Wind and Fire. He was the first to book the young Bob Dylan to play in Boston, and also staged Miles Davis' comeback show in 1981. The Music Museum of New England writes: "If you are a jazz musician who’s played in Boston anytime over the past half-century, it’s a good bet you got the gig because of Fred Taylor." (15662)
Program, unsigned Jazz