10 by Satch

10 by Satch

 New Black Eagle Jazz Band

Louis Armstrong was one of the most influential figures in the history of American music. With a career spanning five decades, he was a cross-genre sensation, a member of the Down Beat Jazz Hall of Fame, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and the Rhythm and Blues Hall of Fame. From “Hello, Dolly” to “Stompin’ at the Savoy” to “When the Saints Go Marching in”, everybody has a favorite tune by Satchmo. It’s no wonder he also received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. His music is still performed today by any jazz group that is serious about their art.

Now, it’s our turn. With an entire program devoted to the music of Satchmo.

The New Black Eagle Jazz Band brings faithful recreations of Armstrong’s music to the Berkshires, performing ten of his most notable numbers in this cabaret concert (dancing optional; to some, it will be inevitable), on Friday evening, Feb. 20, 2026, 7:30pm. Part of Pittsfield’s 10x10 Upstreet Arts Festival, the concert takes place in Proprietor’s Lodge music hall, on the shores of Lake Pontoosuc, 22 Waubeek Road, Pittsfield. Light snacks, charcuterie for all, are included in the ticket price; pub menu and dessert menus will also be available starting at 6:30pm. 

 For more than 50 years, from Symphony Hall to Singapore, the New Black Eagle Jazz Band has been delighting audiences worldwide with its infectious, soulful and uplifting style of traditional New Orleans jazz. Paying homage to the greatest musicians of the early jazz era, the band has also developed its own eclectic sound, incorporating spirituals, and 1920’s and 30’s popular music. They have played for Berkshires Jazz three times over the years, and we’re delighted to be welcoming them back.

Internationally acknowledged as one of America’s leading exponents of traditional jazz, the band has made scores of recordings of music by Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Jelly Roll Morton and others. The focus is on Louis Armstrong in this cabaret concert. All ten numbers (maybe more) were played by one of America’s original jazz ambassadors. And now, here’s your chance to hear that marvelous music performed by --as the New York Times wrote-- a band that is “… "so far ahead of other traditional bands... there is scarcely any basis for comparison".

As promised, members of our mailing list are the first to know. The City of Pittsfield will soon be announcing the lineup for the whole ten days of 10x10 Upstreet Arts Festival activities. You can beat the rush now, and click here for the box office link, or go to https://bit.ly/3LszWhW.  Advance seating is $45, plus a modest fee from the ticket provider; at the door, if any are remaining, tickets will be $50.