[Dixielandjazz] David Reese interviewed -- Armstrong house

[Robert Ringwald]

Louis Armstrong House Museum Hires the Historic Site's First Curator
by Henrick Karoliszyn
New York Daily News, October 4, 2012
The Louis Armstrong House Museum has named its first curator for the famous jazzman's
Corona home, museum officials announced this week.
David Reese formerly worked as curator for Gracie Mansion under four different New
York City mayors from Ed Koch to Mayor Bloomberg.
"I'm delighted to be working at the museum," said Reese, 59, who has also served
as resident director of Gunston Hall, the historic home of George Mason.
"I've always been a fan. When it comes to Louis Armstrong, he's a twofer -- that
voice and that trumpet are wonderful," Reese said.
The museum (LouisArmstrongHouse.org) opened in 2003 and since then a curator position
has been discussed, said Executive Director Michael Cogswell.
"This has been in our strategic plan for years now," he said. "We then had a competitive
national search and David was the oustanding candidate."
Reese said what attracted him to the house was the authenticity of all the furnishings.
Louis Armstrong and his wife, Lucille, bought the house, located at 34-56 107th St.,
in 1943. Satchmo lived there until his death in 1971.
"That is rare to see," Reese said of the furnishings. "There is no question -- everything
that is here was in the home when they were."
The position of curator at the museum is multi-faceted. Preservation of the site,
daily operations and capital projects will all be overseen by Reese, who Cogswell
said will improve the famed house.
"To have a museum professional of his caliber and to have him dedicated to the site
is a big step forward for us," Cogswell said.
Since his appointment on Aug. 7, Reese said he has already learned a tremendous amount
about Queens and its importance in jazz history.
"Queens is a very interesting place," he said. "There's lots people don't know about
it. It used to be the jazz capital. Benny Goodman, Dizzy Gillespie, Count Basie and
Louis Armstrong all lived here."
Perhaps the most famous Armstrong tune, "What a Wonderful World," derived from the
neighborhood of Corona where he lived, Reese said.
"He never had children of his own so he always played for all the kids on his block,"
he said. "'What a Wonderful World' is about them and where they lived. He never lost
touch with his working-class neighborhood."


-Bob Ringwald
www.ringwald.com
Amateur (ham) Radio Operator K6YBV
916/ 806-9551

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