Louis Armstrong Influence

The 1920s was known as the Jazz Age, Francis Scott Fitzgerald said “it was an age of miracles, it was an age of art, it was an age of excess, and it was an age of satire".

The person I chose to do my project on is Louis Armstrong. I chose Louis Armstrong because I wanted to do my project on a singer as well as a musician. I chose him because he was one of the few people that I knew about, also because I did some research on him and listened to his music and I thought that he was interesting to write about. My main three things that I’m going to discuss about Louis Armstrong will be his life, his music and influence on others. I’m going to describe how and where Louis Armstrong’s grew up and how he started out his career as a trumpeter. I’m also going to write about how he went through life and how that affected him in the future. Lastly, I’m going to discuss with you how he had an influence on others. I’m going to explain how he impacted the world with his music and how that affected so many people to this day. Louis Armstrong made a great impact in the world and I’m going to teach you all about it.

after seven years of living with her he moved 18 blocks away to live with his mother

Louis Armstrong: The King of JAzz Known as the King of Jazz, Louis “Stachmo” Armstrong was one of the most important figures in early jazz. He was said to have defined jazz music. Only Charlie Parker comes close to having as much influence on jazz as Louis Armstrong.

Without hesitation, Louis Armstrong remains to be the musician who had a significant influence on jazz music. Armstrong did not only influence a transformation of jazz music but also the music had close impacts to the American culture and identity. It is easily persuaded that jazz music through Armstrong posited infinite changes to the American culture (Brothers 11). It is vital to understand Armstrong in regards to his familial background when determining the musician's influence on the American culture. Louis Armstrong was born in an extremely problematic family, a family that lived in deep poverty. This develops the idea that Armstrong himself was more than the publicly accepted fact that he was a dramatic trumpet player in New Orleans (Drowne & Huber 203).

On New Years Eve, 1912, Louis Armstrong was celebrating the New Year with his family. At midnight he fired off a round of gunshot, and was immediately arrested for firing a gun. He was sent to Colored Waif's Home for Boys. It was here that he was encouraged to refine his cornet skills and take

Louis Armstrong once said “If you ask what jazz is, you’ll never know.” Armstrong was conveying the message that jazz is whatever the performer makes of it, for there are no rules or restrictions on what the performer can do. Louis Armstrong was a famous jazz trumpeter from New Orleans who influenced the era of jazz tremendously throughout the years with his unique style, which included bringing in improvisation to pieces. The quote stated earlier can be applied to life, showing that in order to influence others or make a change, they have to experience it and make the experience their own. For instance, if somebody wants to be a teacher, it would be better for them to experience teaching first hand rather than just learning the effective teaching methods. “Satchmo”, one of Armstrong’s nicknames, had a loose idea of what jazz was, he made it his own and everybody loved the approach that he took. Louis Armstrong was an important figure in 1920’s American History as he tremendously influenced the jazz era by forming it into what it is today.

“Jazz music came to seem not merely an annoyance but a threat,” (“Roaring Twenties”). The 1920’s was when Jazz became a hit: it was being played in roadhouses, dance halls and places all over the country. It’s a very fast paced sound that was different than what people had heard of before. Louis Armstrong was a very well-known jazz musician during this time. He played the trumpet and was a very good jazz musician. He was in many bands, played in Broadway and traveled playing jazz for people (Wenning).

To be influential means to be well known, well liked or even disliked, and having an impact on society. If someone is influential many people remember them or commemorate them for something they have accomplished or done. These influential individuals have strengths and weaknesses and are remembered for both.

Louis Armstrong was born on August 4, 1901 in a poor area of New Orleans, Louisiana nicknamed “The Battlefield”. His father supported the family by working in a factory but he left soon after Armstrong was born. His mother then supported them by prostitution and leaving him with his grandmother. Armstrong left school in the fifth grade to work for a Jewish family by collecting junk and delivering coal. After firing a gun in the air as part of a New Year’s celebration in 1912, Armstrong was arrested. He was sent to the Colored Waif’s Home for Boys. It was there he first learned how to play the cornet and discovered his love for music. In 1914 the home let him go and he began to work odd jobs such as selling newspapers and hauling coal while continuing to play music. People began to recognize him as a great blues player and one of the best cornet players in town, Joe “King” Oliver began to mentor and teach Armstrong more about music. In 1918 he replaced a musician in Kid Ory’s band, which was the most popular band in New Orleans at the time. Because of this he was finally able to quit his odd jobs and focus all his attention to music. In 1919 Armstrong played on riverboats during the summer months with a band led by Fate Marable. He also encountered Bix Beiderbecke and Jack Teagarden while playing there and he had the opportunity to improve his music reading skills.

Elvis presley was a popular singer that took Rock-n-Roll to the next level in the 50’s. He had a lot of fun while performing . Elvis will earn the name king of Rock-n-Roll.

When we are faced with the question of which men and women in human history have overcome oppression to achieve great things, we often come up with names such as Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr. or Mother Teresa. What do all of those individuals have in common? During their lives, such individuals contributed greatly to social movements and encouraged society to be a more equal, open, and loving place. We often don’t think about people in other realms of society who have overcome oppression and have also changed facets of the society that we know today. One of these individuals is Louis Armstrong, aka Satchmo. Arguably one of the most influential trumpet players in all of Jazz music, Louis Armstrong appears to be a man who was able to accomplish fame with relative ease, when, in fact, Louis Armstrong faced many obstacles throughout his life that he had to overcome, before he was able to change the history of the music industry in our country.

Having grown up in New York City during the 50s and 60s, I am familiar with the influence of Latino music. The national music of the time for most Americans was the singing sensations of Frank Sinatra, Perry Como and many others. Jazz music was soulful, but dancing to it was not very exciting. The introduction of Latin American music into Harlem from Cuba created an avenue for the people of different cultures and races to come together for the appreciation of the music and dancing. The addition of African instruments created the rhythm to bring the music out in a way that the people could not resist. The beat of the drum, created the beat of the heart to move the feet.

Among the most popular and appreciated musicians of our time, Louis "Satchmo" Armostrong brought a musical presence, technical mastery, and imaginative genius that "so overwhelmed musicians of his day that he became their principle model, leaving an indelible imprint on the music" (Kernfield 27). When reviewing Armstrong's life work, his years with us can be divided into two aspects, his personal life and his music. While giving significant background of Armstrong's life, his paper will also introduce and explain the impact that he had on music and the world of jazz.

College may be one of the most important things in someone’s life. College is really the last step that someone takes on the long path to adulthood, but music in my opinion is what makes the world go round. Whether it’s classical or modern, the world would be deathly silent if it weren’t for music. Many people also tend to be inspired by their favorite musicians, either in their actions or the words they speak, we always try to be just like our favorite musician. Which in my opinion the most influential musician is John Lennon.