Jazz music is perhaps one of the most famous genres in the world, being based on African American roots being implemented in the art of performance through improvisation and instrumentation. The Jazz Age was home to many transcending artists due to its world renowned changing culture, as different sounds of music clashed and combined to allow subgenres to come to fruition. One of the most famous of these artists is Louis Armstrong. Louis Armstrong was born on July 4, 1900, in New Orleans, Louisiana, a city known for its rich and immense culture of music, art, and more. These roots allowed Armstrong to develop the sound of jazz by experimenting with new elements throughout his career (“Louis Armstrong”). He combined his unique, raspy voice with …show more content…
flamboyant performances and extraordinary instrumentation to create a truly beautiful cultivation of sounds that would inspire generations to come. Louis Armstrong, one of the most famous and successful jazz artists of all time, influenced the genre of jazz by transcending the aspects of vocals, instrumentation, and the overall genre of jazz.
One of the most transcending and experimental aspects of Armstrong’s music was his raspy and scorch voice, a sound formerly unforeseen to the masses in the genre of jazz. He combined his unique voice with the immense influence that he experienced from the vibrant New Orleans streets, full of character paired along with violence, prostitution, and pimps as he lived in a poverty-ridden neighborhood (Olsen). The blend of these aspects allowed for Armstrong to show the world of music a refreshing and significant voice, leaving his impact on the world forever. Around 1925, he developed what is called scat singing. This was a type of singing that favored syllables over words, allowing for an authentic and improvised sound (“Louis Armstrong”). This allowed for Armstrong to grow on the sound of the new, growing genre of jazz and implement his specific style to fit into the style of vocal performance. The influence was directly felt in the genre, as other artists began to adapt to …show more content…
the style and elaborate on it. Armstrong found the perfect sound with King Oliver’s band, combining intricacy and the contrast between voices to give a unique and demanding sound. (Olsen). His pairing with other rising stars of the Jazz genre allowed for the audience to experience his contrasting vocals. The difference between his harsh and improvised vocals and the classic sound of King Oliver’s band allowed for the masses to experience the rawness and uniqueness of Armstrong’s sound. The raw sound, in its own, was extremely influential and transcending, as it quickly became a common feature of popular music that topped the charts (Armstrong 44). Along with this, Armstrong joined with other New Orleans Groups to create the “Hot Five” and “Hot 7” recordings that became influential to the growth of jazz (“Louis Armstrong”). His extremely popular recordings and songs allowed for the mainstream media and culture to appreciate his unique sounds. By developing onto his idiosyncratic voice that was uncommon at the time, Armstrong changed the meaning and content of vocal performance forever. Along with his unique vocals, Armstrong also influenced the instrumentation of Jazz through his demanding use of unique instruments that were formerly unutilized and put them into the spotlight.
At the forehand of his career, Armstrong utilized the cornet to compliment his rough and unfinished vocals (Teachout). Early New Orleans jazz consisted of the cornet, the trombone, clarinet, and other instruments playing coinciding parts (Olsen). In order to stay true to his roots, Armstrong persisted with this common instrumentation and did not experiment early on in his career. In 1925, Louis changed from the cornet to the trumpet, a change that would ultimately change the course of the genre of jazz as we know it forever (“Louis Armstrong”). The change from the cornet to the trumpet challenged the normalities of early jazz, influencing others to take leaps for themselves and experiment with new sounds. Throughout his career, Armstrong used the trumpet to pair along with his raw vocals, putting the instrumentation and the center of his performances (Olsen). Although this is true, Armstrong began to focus on more popular music rather than jazz music. This is a move that shocked many and lost Louis some of his original fans, but he shortly returned to his old style in the 1940s (Louis Armstrong). His move to appeal to the mainstream allowed for the genre of jazz to grow in ways never thought before, changing the sound while also adapting to the popular characteristics of music at
the time. Armstrong’s move allowed him to gain popularity on both spectrums of the music world, spreading his unique experimentation and focus on strong, captivating sounds to the masses (Teachout). By allowing himself to test out new instrumentation to pair along with the other aspects of his music, Armstrong influenced the use of instruments by inspiring other artists to use unorthodox sounds to compliment them through their music. Although attention is put onto the miniscule details of Armstrong’s music, the influence that is evident on the genre of jazz as a whole is unignorable. His captivating personality along with strong musical presence allowed for the growth of jazz to become evident throughout the mainstream. Louis improved his skill by playing with many Dixieland bands of the time, including the world famous band of King Oliver (“Louis Armstrong”). His work with existing groups and the creation of his own groups influenced upcoming jazz artists, allowing them to branch out and bring new, experimental groups into fruition. In addition, his growth and popularity allowed for the genre to grow and reach even more people than formerly thought. Due to the African American influence of the genre colliding with the racism of the time period, the genre of jazz and even other aspects of African American culture were locked to be confined to their communities. Although this is true, Armstrong’s growth allowed the genre to reach heights never thought of before. By the 1920s, word about Louis Armstrong had spread rapidly. He quickly became the face of the jazz genre and was regarded as the leading jazz musician of the day (“Louis Armstrong”). The rise of his popularity allowed for other upcoming artists to experience what he was putting out into the world. Armstrong’s mainstream growth and influence inspired young African Americans and others alike to experience with their own types of music and also for many new people to expand the genre of jazz through their own unique forms of experimentation. Louis Armstrong’s influence throughout mainstream culture and the genre of jazz is evident. Throughout his entire career, Armstrong transformed the genre throughout his unique use of different aspects of specifics of the jazz music. Through his performance, Armstrong demonstrated unique and flamboyant acting to interest the listener and audience (White). Armstrong influenced the instrumentation of jazz by changing the traditional instruments of jazz, such as the cornet, to the trumpet. His use of the trumpet allowed for the genre to take a shift into a more powerful and captivating sound. Armstrong’s influence on the vocals of jazz are evident through his unique use of harsh and raw vocals. His raspy voice allowed for different voices to surface on the course of the rise of the genre, as the normal smooth voice now had a counterpart. Armstrong’s influence on the entire genre of jazz and the culture of jazz is shown through his use of musical groups to grow his influence along with him rising above the racism of the time period to bring African American culture to the masses. Louis Armstrong, one of the most influential artists of the Jazz Age, influenced many different aspects of jazz through his unique use of different elements of the genre.
Louis has being the most prominent trumpet player in history. His trumpet playing techniques significantly impacted all other instrument players who came after him and emulated his techniques in all other instruments. His style and innovative perspective of jazz changed all the forthcoming jazz singers who had a lot to learn from him, including Bix who learnt a lot from Louis Armstrong. Two of his most famous hit sounds were “What a Wonderful World” as well as “Hello Dolly” among others. The emotions attached to his music is what attracted most people and led to the spread of his music. The charm present in the music was also adored and enjoyed by
Developed in the early 1940's, Bop had established itself as vogue by 1945. It's main innovators were alto saxophonist Charlie Parker and trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie. In this stage in jazz, improvisation differed immensely. Bebop soloists engaged in harmonic improvisation, often avoiding the melody altogether after the first chorus. Usually under seven pieces, the soloist was free to explore improvised possibilities as long as they fit into the chord structure. Popular and influential jazz artists include: Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis, & Cannonball Adderley. Armstrong is most known for his involvement in hot jazz as a trumpeter, but is especially renowned for his improvisation capabilities. Louis Armstrong, born August 4, 1901 right in the beginning stages of the jazz movement, was originally from New Orleans. Armstrong was a bandleader, soloist, comedian/actor, and vocalist. Another famous, Miles Davis, is what some consider to be the best trumpeter of the era. Davis was born on May 26, 1926 in Alton, Illinois. One unique thing about Davis was that he was taught to play without vibrato, which was incredibly contrary to the popular way of
When the United States were showing signs of economical growth, the unimaginable happen. When the 1929 stock market crash marked the day that the United States slowly crept into the Great Depression. The Great Depression caused nationwide panic. There was a decrease of production and the sale of goods. Many businesses started to collapse and close. Banks closed down since they took people’s money and invest in stocks. When the stocks crashed, banks went bankrupt and people lost their money and savings. Then there was a rise in unemployment and thousands of workers lost their jobs. Countless amount of people were homeless and they were trying their best to save their money. People were trying to figure out how to deal with their economic difficulties. During that time, people wanted to escape from their problems. They would watch movies and listen to music. At the time Jazz music was very popular. Jazz music had musical freedom and the songs show the way many people felt. It had the power to lift the gloomy spirits of the people affected. Jazz music has a style that appeal to many people, both young and old. One of the earlier Jazz
When it comes to jazz music, there is one name that everyone knows, whether they’ve never listened to jazz before or if they’ve listened to it their whole lives. That name is Louis Armstrong. Armstrong was one of the pioneers of jazz music, from his humble beginnings in one of New Orleans roughest districts, “the Battlefield”, to playing concerts for sold out crowds in Chicago and New York City, Louis left a massive impact on the way America listened to music for a long time. One of his premier tracks, “West End Blues”, left an impact on jazz music, which other musicians would try to emulate for years.
His “hot bop” style was heard in places like the Cotton Club and the Apollo Theatre. Everyone from all over the country would come to see him. Armstrong recorded such works as I’m in the Mood for Love, and You Rascal You (http://library.thinkquest.org/26656/english/music.html). Another famous person during this era was Coleman Hawkins, a saxophone player. Hawkins is recognized as the first great saxophonist of jazz.
Jazz music did not become successful on its own. Its huge success during the 1940’s and 1950’s is due to the talented jazz singers and musicians who contributed to music. One of the successful musicians who contributed to Jazz was Louis Jordan. Jordan was an African American singer, bandleader and best known for his amazing technique and style while playing the saxophone. What set Jordan apart from all the other Jazz singers of his time was his appearance; being a comedian before going into music helped him appeal a wider and a more diverse audience. Appealing a more diverse audience was especially important during a time where segregation was an ongoing problem. His success was also due to his amazing band, the Tympany Five. The band included
Armstrong changed much as a person and a musician. He worked very hard to become
Throughout history, and even today, music has shaped America’s culture, society, and even politics. One of the most outstanding and enduring musical movement has been from African American artists, ranging from bebop to jazz to hip-hop to rap. During the 1920’s , jazz artists stepped into the limelight and began their impact on American and even world history. Louis Armstrong was one of the most influential leaders during the Harlem Renaissance and his jazz legacy and impact of American history is everlasting. A master of his craft, Armstrong and his music heavily influenced America’s white and black populations from the 1920’s and up until his death.
His boisterous personality influenced many aspects of American culture, and his contributions and influence on Jazz are immeasurable. Nobody has done more for Jazz than Louis Armstrong, without question he is a Jazz legend (Friedwald). Armstrong excelled at everything he performed. A renaissance man of our time, his appreciation for music and life showed in his performances, and his talent showed his techniques and improvisation. Louis’s technique and improvisation on the trumpet set the standard for Jazz musicians (Friedwald). Fellow trumpeter Dizzie Gillespie credited Armstrong with this honor stating, “If it weren’t for him there wouldn’t be any of us.” This reputation would lend him to be referred to as Jazz royalty. With his trumpet and his scat singing he revolutionized Jazz. Though vocally limited, his understanding of how to use his voice beyond his natural abilities led to his perfection of scat (Edwards). Scatting allowed him to perfect his improvisational skill. Scatting, or scat singing would come to be known as the “House that Satch Built” and Armstrong the “Original Man of Scat.”
Louis Armstrong created a huge cultural shift that swept over America and changed music forever. It allowed for African-Americans to be a part of the music industry, and even contributed to women’s acceptance in music as well. African- Americans are now a vast majority of our musicians and artists, and are just as appreciated and idolized as white musicians. Louis Armstrong’s love for music and jazz still thrives today among his fans and fans of jazz in general. He is well-known and well-respected, and will never be forgotten in the music industry. Louis Armstrong changed music for the better, and will always be the king of jazz.
He was known as the Father of Jazz. He was most notable as an entertainer, however, he was a soloist that provided improvisations in regards to tunes. Louis Armstrong's “What a Wonderful World” is the first song that comes to many minds when discussing jazz. He is also well known for his scat singing, However, he also had a political side. In his song “What Did I Do To Be So Black and Blue,” Armstrong talks about the color of his skin as a bad thing and how blacks were treated. In World War II he fulfilled by performing for the soldiers during a recording
In addition, the enthusiasm and sense of humor in stage performance of Armstrong is the main reason for the popularity of jazz music. Many young people started to like jazz after hearing his songs or seeing his shows. He was a jazz musician appeared in various media, and even today, Armstrong 's music often emerged in radio and concert programs list.This makes the name of Armstrong remain forever in the development of jazz music and the hearts of
African-American culture was spread through several artistic forms and mediums through the decades that the Harlem Renaissance took place in. One of the biggest and arguably the most important forms that Black culture was spread in was the form of music. During this era, music was an indispensable form of artistic expression that conveyed the thought and feeling of the Black people occupying Harlem and the surrounding areas. Music was an important art form at the time as “No aspect of the Harlem Renaissance shaped America and the entire world as much as jazz. Jazz flouted many musical conventions with its syncopated rhythms and improvised instrumental solos. Thousands of city dwellers flocked night after night to see the same performers”. This music created by the African-Americans in Harlem transformed the negative outlook of many into a positive one or one of some understanding toward the Black populus. This introduction of Jazz and Blues into the society of the era gave birth to several influential and pivotal artists such as Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong. This popularized the Jazz and Blues music genres and brought major notoriety to African-American bringing much needed change in the perceptions of Black
Armstrong was one of the early jazz musicians who were born in New Orleans, Louisiana. Though, many African American Jazz musicians play music on the streets of New Orleans, but there is not any known record of their music. Armstrong was one of those early jazz musicians who moved to Chicago where later he played and developed a historic jazz style called improvision. Louis Armstrong is well known as a soloist performer of his cornet or trumpet. Louis Armstrong uses improvising technique where he can compose music while he is solo with his trumpet and create smooth and depth melodies.
The Harlem Renaissance was an African American progression amidst the 1920s and mid 1930s that was possessed in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City. It began after World War I completed in 1918, African Americans started heading off toward the Northern urban communities wanting to make tracks in an opposite direction from the narrow minded people and its treatment in the South. From the bigot people beating and killing of minorities to hordes lynching various colored people. They got distinctly exhausted on remaining noiseless and started focusing their sentiments into their composed work. The improvement of the "New Negro" amid the Harlem Renaissance symbolized freedom and the last disgrace of slavery(Carroll).The Renaissance offered the way to different capable