Jazz and the State Department

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Hi all--I wasn't sure where to post this thread...

I'd like to find more info. about State sponsored jazz tours. I know Louie Armstrong and Dizzy Gillespie both toured in this context, and I'm wondering who else did.

Did these tours continue through the cold war, or was it for a more limited amount of time? Who else toured? Also, what are good sources to learn more about this?

Thanks in advance, Jon.

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Uh, I just read in the Giddins book on Louis Armstrong about his State Department tour, where he criticized the U.S. for its poor race relations. That was in '56. Was Dizzy Gillespie's tour before or after this? I'll bet it's written about in his autobio "To Be or Not to Bop," but I haven't found a copy of that yet...

[sidewinder]

I seem to recall reading in Mike Zwerin's book mention of him touring with Earl Hines and Bud Johnson to the countries of the former communist block back in the 1970s.

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Astoundingly, I forgot about the Elolington tours! I think the "Far East" one, at least, was Sate Department sponsored indeed.

Thanks guys.