60 years ago, Louis Armstrong captivates Prague on European tour
At the height of his career in the 1960s, jazz legend Louis Armstrong embarked on a tour across eastern Europe. Czechoslovakia was both the first and longest destination for the American trumpeter and singer. In March 1965, he spent 10 days in Prague, performing nine sold-out concerts at Lucerna with his band, the All Stars. The feat was unusual for the famed musician’s career and stands out as one of the memorable moments of Prague in the 1960s.
In March 1965, Louis Armstrong, nicknamed Satchmo, visited Prague during a period of reform in Communist Czechoslovakia, particularly in the cultural sector.
Many believed the country was finally emerging from isolation, and his concert at Prague's Lucerna Ballroom became a significant cultural event as a result. The performance concluded with Armstrong expressing his gratitude to the audience and remarking that he was pleasantly surprised by the Czech's deep passion for jazz.
“On behalf of the All Stars and myself, we want you to know that we had a very pleasant week here in Prague. To be playing to such a wonderful audience and meet so many fine people and to know that there are so many jazz clubs in Prague, we were very happy about that. And we want you to know that we’re leaving tomorrow, and as long as we live there’ll always be not only a memory, but it will be right here in our hearts.”
Despite the geopolitical tensions at the time, Armstrong's visit was not particularly influenced by politics, but it remains one of the iconic moments of Prague in the 1960s.
The acclaimed musician and translator Lubomír Dorůžka shared his experience of being Armstrong's guide throughout his tour with Radio Prague:
"Yes, Louis Armstrong played nine concerts here, which was quite unusual - he never stayed as long in a city. And Lucerna was packed all the time. I was serving as his guide practically for those 10 days.
"We went to Prague Castle, too, we visited a gallery there with pictures of all the Czech kings and counts and nobility. There was a girl guide who spoke decent English and she explained everything to him, and all the names. So he turned to me and said, she knows 'em all! [laughs] Then it went on and on, and there were a lot of other names that he didn't know, of course. And he turned to me again and said, why the hell don't they have George Washington here?! [laughs]"
When asked about what Armstrong was like, Dorůžka recalled that the famed musician lived up to his positive reputation:
"Certainly. But of course, all the people that came here were rather cautious. Because these were the socialist, the communist countries, and probably they were warned by their managers or somebody. He was very polite and tried to please everybody, but you could see that he was keeping on his guard."
