RIP Danny Barcelona,

[Janice Brooks]

Hawaii-born Danny Barcelona, the drummer with Louis Armstrong's All-
Stars band, died Sunday due to complications from cancer in his
adopted home of Monterey Park, Calif. He was 77.

Born in Waipahu, Barcelona had his own sextet, the Hawaiian Dixieland
All-Stars, when he was in his early 20s. The band toured the islands
and Japan. (His musical contemporaries include Gabe Baltazar and Frank
and Bobby Kamano.)

In 1956 his good friend Trummy Young, who was playing trombone and
singing with Armstrong, introduced the 27-year-old Barcelona to the
jazz great, his daughter Dana Barcelona-Bonner said.

Armstrong promptly invited Barcelona to join his All-Stars, and for
the next 15 years, Barcelona traveled the world with the band, even
behind the Iron Curtain. Highlights of his career included an African
tour in the 1960s during which Barcelona amazed Rhodesian drum masters
with his rhythmic skills, as well as playing for more than 130
recording sessions and soundtracks, including Armstrong's hit singles
"Hello Dolly" and "It's a Wonderful World."

Referred to affectionately as "the little Hawaiian boy" by Armstrong,
Barcelona remained a member of Armstrong's group until it disbanded in
1971, after Armstrong's death on July 3.

Barcelona-Bonner said her father returned to Hawaii and was active in
the Honolulu music scene, becoming a fixture onstage at the Hilton
Hawaiian Village for several years, playing with good friends Bernie
Halmann and Melveen Leed. He also worked for many years at Harry's
Music Store and the Easy Music Center.

Barcelona and his wife, Dee, moved to Monterey Park in 1979, where
they lived until his death Sunday.

He is survived by his wife of more than 50 years, daughters Dana
Barcelona-Bonner and Jodi Barcelona, brother Jose ("Sonny") Barcelona,
five grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Services are pending.

[Mike Neer]

I've got some great video of Danny with Louis Armstrong. Must have led quite a life.

[John Cisco]

Truman Capote wrote a mind boggling, day by day, account of their trip to the Soviet Union in the height of the cold war. He went with Louis Armstrong and the band as reporter for one of the magizines.....maybe The New Yorker or Saturday Evening post. He chronicles the band and performances in a country where there was no food and some of the harshest winters in the world. It is a great read. I'll look for it but if anyone finds it let me know.