Louis Armstrong learning French...

Satchmo tries to learn the lyrics of 'That's My Desire' in French. Recorded in New York City, June 17th, 1969.

At home in Corona, Queens – Satchmo (under the weather), his wife Lucille and friends Claudine and Louis Panassie, experimenting the new Stereo Tape Recorder which Lucille had Installed for Satch in his Den.

On May 16, 1969, Louis and Lucille were visited by their friends from France, Louis Panassié and his wife Claudine, in America, to set up the filming for what would eventually become the documentary 'L’Adventure du Jazz'. The Panassies wanted to scope out the location and see if Armstrong would be up to answer some questions about New Orleans and to sing a bit of 'That’s My Desire' on camera.

One month later, on June 17, 1969, Louis and Claudine returned to Corona to film Louis in his backyard. The bad news is the finished film 'L’Adventure du Jazz' has never been available in the home video or streaming era, but the good news is Louis Panassie himself uploaded immortal footage to YouTube of Claudine teaching Armstrong to sing 'That’s My Desire' in French! Here’s the clip (and Louis wore the pink shirt Panassie requested)...