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Louis Armstrong’s Birthday, Muggles and Star of David ~ New on the Bryan William Brickner Blog
Muggles 7 December 1928
Celebrating
Louis Armstrong’s Birthday and honoring his life, author Bryan W. Brickner notes
Earl Hines and Armstrong’s 1928 Chicago recording of Muggles, named after one
of pot’s nicknames. Brickner
has a 1997 political science doctorate from Purdue University and is the author
of The Promise Keepers (1999), Article the first of the Bill of Rights (2006),
and The Book of the Is (2013).
In Louis Armstrong’s Birthday, Muggles and Star of David, new on the Bryan William Brickner
Blog, Armstrong’s legacy is noted through his work and the way he lived;
utilizing quotes from the 2001 tribute, From Lincoln Center – Louis
Armstrong: Master Interpreter, Brickner echoes the praise of Ed Bradley (of
60 Minutes fame) to highlight Armstrong’s Chicago music-making days and
the 1928 song Muggles.
“Earl
Hines and Armstrong recorded Muggles in Chicago, 7 December 1928,” commented
Brickner, “which meant cannabis was legal and alcohol was illegal. When things
switched ~ pot became illegal in 1937 and alcohol prohibition was repealed in
1933 ~ Armstrong never understood what all the cannabis fuss was about.”
“In
the Lincoln Center program,” Brickner continued, “as the evening discussed Armstrong,
his music, and his cannabis use, they only talked about it in a general way; Bradley
did tell the story of Muggles and the song was performed by trumpeter Nicholas
Payton and pianist Eric Reed.”
“Also,
Armstrong wore a Star of David from his childhood,” Brickner noted; “he wore it
in remembrance of something he learned while growing up in New Orleans: basically,
how to live peacefully and well.”
“Many
talents he had,” closed Brickner, “and he helped lots of people with his music
and character: Happy Birthday Louis ~ and thank you.”
The Bryan William Brickner Blog is an ongoing resource for the political science of
constitutions and the biological science of receptors.
The
Book of the Is: A book on bridges (2013) is available at online retailers.
