Louis Armstrong: The Jazz Great |
"We all do 'do, re, mi' but you gotta find the other notes yourself." - Louis Armstrong |
Louis Armstrong was one of the most well-acclaimed musicians of the Harlem Renaissance Era. From a very young age, Armstrong began performing with other band members in public settings, mainly clubs, parades and other low-key events that occurred in his hometown, New Orleans (Phylicia and Sari). His music career began to take off in 1922, when he was given the opportunity to play the second cornet in a Creole Jazz Band, and he would go on to leave his mark as one of the greatest jazz musicians in American history.
Due to the heavy impact he had on the American history of the jazz genre, Armstrong is referred to as the first great jazz soloist by many music scholars and critics today (Lewis). However, it is important to note that although Armstrong is mainly known for his jazz hits, his influence extended beyond jazz, as he impacted other music genres, such as pop, swing and rock. For instance, his performance of “Heebie Jeebies” (1926) introduced the genre of scat singing, which is the technique of vocal improvisation by using nonsensical syllables (Phylicia and Sari).
Armstrong’s vocal and performance improvisations were the qualities that helped him to stand out the most in the music industry. His innovative idea to passionately swing his body (while playing the trumpet) to the beat or rhythm of his song inspired, not only jazz soloists but also soloists in every music genre, to go beyond the orthodox and formal way of making music (Phylicia and Sari). His carefree and risky performance techniques led him to reinvent the way a quarter note is played on the trumpet, a musical technique that continues to be imitated by musicians from all genres (Payton).
Armstrong’s influence remains interwoven throughout all types of music genres. His unorthodox musical aura and his endless contributions to the music scene in America continue to inspire other musicians to think outside of the box and to be original when writing and performing music.
Due to the heavy impact he had on the American history of the jazz genre, Armstrong is referred to as the first great jazz soloist by many music scholars and critics today (Lewis). However, it is important to note that although Armstrong is mainly known for his jazz hits, his influence extended beyond jazz, as he impacted other music genres, such as pop, swing and rock. For instance, his performance of “Heebie Jeebies” (1926) introduced the genre of scat singing, which is the technique of vocal improvisation by using nonsensical syllables (Phylicia and Sari).
Armstrong’s vocal and performance improvisations were the qualities that helped him to stand out the most in the music industry. His innovative idea to passionately swing his body (while playing the trumpet) to the beat or rhythm of his song inspired, not only jazz soloists but also soloists in every music genre, to go beyond the orthodox and formal way of making music (Phylicia and Sari). His carefree and risky performance techniques led him to reinvent the way a quarter note is played on the trumpet, a musical technique that continues to be imitated by musicians from all genres (Payton).
Armstrong’s influence remains interwoven throughout all types of music genres. His unorthodox musical aura and his endless contributions to the music scene in America continue to inspire other musicians to think outside of the box and to be original when writing and performing music.
In the words of Nicholas Payton, Armstrong "changed the feel. It’s one thing to have your own feel, but it’s an entirely different thing to change the conception of what a quarter note feels like. I can’t think of anyone in recorded history who’s done that. And we’re still borrowing his quarter notes – the forward motion and the pulse of that, he changed feel forever."
Popular Songs by Armstrong:
What a Wonderful World
When the Saints
Ain't Misbehavin
Takes Two to Tango
Saint Louis Blues
Hello, Dolly!
Black and Blue
Down by the Riverside
You Little Rascal
What a Wonderful World
When the Saints
Ain't Misbehavin
Takes Two to Tango
Saint Louis Blues
Hello, Dolly!
Black and Blue
Down by the Riverside
You Little Rascal
Works Cited:
Lewis, Steven. “Louis Armstrong: The First Great Jazz Soloist.” Smithsonian, 2016, https://music.si.edu/story/louis-armstrong.
Payton, Nicholas. “On Louis Armstrong…” WordPress, 1 Aug. 2017. https://nicholaspayton.wordpress.com/2017/08/01/on-louis-armstrong-2/.
“The Harlem Renaissance.” Phylicia and Sari. Weebly, 2011, https://historyoftheharlemrenaissance.weebly.com/musicians.html.
Images Cited:
Behrens, Herbert. "Louis Armstrong." Wikimedia, 29 Oct. 1955, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Louis_Armstrong_(1955).jpg.
Lewis, Steven. "Trumpet owned by Louis Armstrong." Smithsonian, Sep. 2016, https://music.si.edu/story/louis-armstrong.
Payton, Nicholas. "On Louis Armstrong..." WordPress, 1 Aug. 2017, https://nicholaspayton.wordpress.com/2017/08/01/on-louis-armstrong-2/.
Videos Cited:
"Louis Armstrong Biography" Youtube, uploaded by 5 Minute Biographies, 27 July 2014, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8NeJyKE91o.
Lewis, Steven. “Louis Armstrong: The First Great Jazz Soloist.” Smithsonian, 2016, https://music.si.edu/story/louis-armstrong.
Payton, Nicholas. “On Louis Armstrong…” WordPress, 1 Aug. 2017. https://nicholaspayton.wordpress.com/2017/08/01/on-louis-armstrong-2/.
“The Harlem Renaissance.” Phylicia and Sari. Weebly, 2011, https://historyoftheharlemrenaissance.weebly.com/musicians.html.
Images Cited:
Behrens, Herbert. "Louis Armstrong." Wikimedia, 29 Oct. 1955, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Louis_Armstrong_(1955).jpg.
Lewis, Steven. "Trumpet owned by Louis Armstrong." Smithsonian, Sep. 2016, https://music.si.edu/story/louis-armstrong.
Payton, Nicholas. "On Louis Armstrong..." WordPress, 1 Aug. 2017, https://nicholaspayton.wordpress.com/2017/08/01/on-louis-armstrong-2/.
Videos Cited:
"Louis Armstrong Biography" Youtube, uploaded by 5 Minute Biographies, 27 July 2014, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8NeJyKE91o.