I'll play with Gabriel. This Fall, his image will grace 150 million U.S. postage stamps, celebrating his lifetime as America's quintessential jazz composer and musician. During a press conference today at the Jazz Club Collection of the Louisiana State Museum, New Orleans Postmaster Philip Holland announced the highly coveted Louis Armstrong stamp will be issued in New Orleans. The official first day of issue, September 1, kicks off the Postal Service's month-long American Music Stamp Festival. Here on the streets of New Orleans we can still hear the traditional sounds of the many cultures that made jazz America's greatest artistic contribution to the world.
Jazz is one of three indigenous American art forms.
Evolving from a blending of African, Caribbean, Latin and European rhythms and the musical styling of its composer-musicians, it speaks of American culture, in particular, the African American experience. It was on the streets of New Orleans that jazz evolved into a distinctive musical style. In the early part of the 20th century, the arrival of recorded music and jazz performances on New Orleans riverboats helped spread jazz to the rest of the country. We welcome this exciting and historic event to New Orleans. The Louisiana Music Commission began its observance, 'New Orleans' Jazz Centennial' in January and has initiated a month long tribute to Louis Armstrong.