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Louis Armstrong's influence on the 20th century
Louis armstrong how he helped shape the world of jazz
Jazz musicians influenced by Louis Armstrong
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In the 1920’s a man by the name of Louis Armstrong changed the world of Jazz and began to give this genre a more powerful meaning. Looking into one of the more influential people of the Jazz world, he was born in New Orleans where he learned how to play the instruments and evolved as a musician. Louis Armstrong had a rough life as a child, he used music as an escape in a way and did so by following his mentor as he grew up, King Oliver. He grew into the Jazz world quickly with his different style and transformed into a new era that would later be known as the “Swing Era”. Louis created a new type of music which had more rhythm to it than other songs at the time. He did so by mixing his new style with that of Fletcher Henderson.
Born on August 4, 1901, Armstrong was cared for by his grandmother in New Orleans until he started school, which he then moved in with his mom. At the age of seven, Louis was cared for by a Jewish family which had recently immigrated into the U.S. Armstrong began to sing in a street barbershop quartet while living with the family. His new parents got him his first instrument called the cornet (similar to that of a trumpet) which enabled him to venture further into the world of music. At the age of 12, he had a setback after getting into some trouble with the
Being in this band with Henderson helped Louis manipulate the sounds of the very difficult dance hall Jazz. This made the dance hall Jazz he was playing for more upbeat and rhythmic. The New Orleans sound that Louis had brought to the table was incorporated into the Rosewood Ballroom Jazz music on Broadway. After his performance, his unique talent made him heard and he became one of the best jazz soloist that Broadway had to offer. This allowed him to navigate jazz into the more rhythmic style known as
The music of jazz became an important aspect of American culture in the early 20th century. The crisp syncopation of ragtime and the smooth tunes of the blues seeped into American mainstream music through dance halls and saloons and later through ballrooms. Instruments like the piano, trumpet, trombone and clarinet became important and symbolized the “swing-feel” of jazz because of their capability to syncopate and improvise precisely. With the help of the booming recording industry, musical geniuses were discovered and their talent and contributions to the emergence of jazz spread throughout the entire country. Such musicians include composer, arranger and pianist Jelly Roll Morton who heavily influenced the development of early jazz by his unique piano style, his “invention” of musical notation for jazz, and his compositions that have become the core in the jazz repertory. Because the style was new and different and so successful in drawing in large audiences, musicians around the world tried to mimic it. Furthermore, Morton’s masterpieces were the first to show notation for complicated jazz music and thus, formed the basis for standard notation in jazz compositions today.
“His relaxed phrasing was a major change from the staccato style of the early 20’s and helped to set the stage for the Swing Era” (“Life & Legacy”). And as such a prominent artist, and in particular, jazz artist, Armstrong did not only change the perception of jazz and swing, but the views on African Americans and their culture. Armstrong and the Harlem Renaissance reflected black history and culture, and it became popular, even in white communities and clubs. Jazz as a whole genre helped further society’s views through the universal language of music, where any ethnicity could partake in it. And the revolution of jazz was lead by the stylings of Louis Armstrong. The duration of the jazz and swing era, lasting decades past the 1920s, symbolized the civil rights movement directly through the lyrics, sounds, and artists
Jazz is referred as “America’s classical music,” and is one of North America’s and most celebrated genres. The history of Jazz can be traced back to the early era of the 20th century of the U.S. “A History of Jazz” presents From Ragtime and Blues to Big Band and Bebop, jazz has been a part of a proud African American tradition for over 100 years. A strong rhythmic under-structure, blue notes, solos, “call-and response” patterns, and
The word “jazz” is significant to America, and it has many meanings. Jazz could simply be defined as a genre or style of music that originated in America, but it can also be described as a movement which “bounced into the world somewhere about the year 1911.”. This is important because jazz is constantly changing, evolving, adapting, and improvising. By analyzing the creators, critics, and consumers of jazz in the context of cultural, political, and economic issues, I will illustrate the movement from the 1930’s swing era to the birth of bebop and modern jazz. As the 1930’s began, the effects of the Great Depression still ravaged the United States, which in turn caused a dramatic change in the music industry.
It was said that he thought he was born on July 4, 1900 (Armstrong 7). While Louis was still an infant his father, William Armstrong, abandoned his family. He spent the first years of his life living with his Grandmother since at the time his parents were going through a separation. At age 5, he moved into a home with his mother and sister, Beatrice, whom he called Mama Lucy. He grew up in a rough section of New Orleans. They were incredibly poor and did not have enough money. He would work different jobs just to take care of his family. Louis would work anywhere that he would be able to find work. He would sing on the street, which would result in his nickname, Satchelmouth that would be shorten to Satchmo. His nickname was a result of him having a wide
In the 1920s a new kind of music rose in New Orleans. Different from the ballroom songs popular in that day, former slaves and their families created this new music called jazz, which spread like wildfire. Many artists influenced the growth of this great type of music including Frank Sinatra, Duke Ellington and Count Basie. Louis Armstrong played as one of these great men. Growing up in a poor section of the “Birthplace of Jazz”, Armstrong taught himself to play the trumpet, also known as the cornet. Louis Armstrong was the most influential jazz trumpet player to walk this earth due to his own created style of jazz including many songs that are still used today.
First, he redefined the rhythmic conception of jazz by getting rid of the stiff nature of ragtime, creating a swing eight-note pattern, introducing syncopated rhythmic figures, and staggering the phrases to make it seem as if he was always playing behind the beat. Second, he began to have more control over the forms of solos. He focused on allowing them to flow in a more relaxed manner, while suggesting that they have a sense of drama and build tension. Third, he possessed an imagination for melody and embellished it so that other melodies could match specific chord progressions. “West End Blues,” recorded by Louis Armstrong and His Hot Five, is a composition that powerfully brings all of these contributions together with the different solos and overall character of the piece (Harker, 2005, p. 76). All of these contributions helped make jazz what it is today, and we have Louis Armstrong to thank for that.
Louis Armstrong is a very popular Jazz artist, cornet, and trumpet player from the early and mid 1900’s. Some of Mr. Armstrong’s most popular songs were “What a Wonderful World”,” Mack the Knife”, and “Hello Dolly”. He has won a few awards throughout his life time including a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and a Grammy Award for Male Vocals Performance. Louis Armstrong passed away in 1971, but he had several songs released and won a few awards after his passing.
The 20th century was a big time period for America. It was especially big for the African-American community. Of this 100-year period, the 1920s was one of the biggest decades for African-Americans, as it was the decade where the Harlem Renaissance took place. Through the Harlem Renaissance, Black artists honed their talents in areas such as music, literature, visual arts, and dance. One of the greatest artists of “the Roaring 1920s” was Louis Armstrong, who was originally a musician from New Orleans, where jazz first began. Not only did Black people migrate from down south, musical styles such as jazz did as well, and Armstrong ultimately helped it become a nationwide trend.
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.
Some of the first New Orleans musicians were among the most stirring of all jazz
By the end of World War I, Black Americans were facing their lowest point in history since slavery. Most of the blacks migrated to the northern states such as New York and Chicago. It was in New York where the “Harlem Renaissance” was born. This movement with jazz was used to rid of the restraints held against African Americans. One of the main reasons that jazz was so popular was that it allowed the performer to create the rhythm. With This in Mind performers realized that there could no...
Also known as the Jazz Age and the Roaring Twenties, the American people felt that they deserved to have some fun in order to forget the emotional toll and social scars left from the war. The Jazz Age was appropriately named due to the illegal activities and good times, which included music, parties, and flapper girls. Jazz was a new style of music that originated out of the New Orleans area, where one of the greatest jazz musicians of all time – Louis Armstrong – began his career. The energy of jazz was a very new and almost uncomfortable style for the very traditional, rigid family of the 1920s. Young people in particular seemed to enjoy this new music the most, as it made them feel carefree. The energy of jazz was symbolic of the era’s trans...
Jazz music prospered in the 1940’s and 1950’s. Jazz was created by African Americans to represent pain and suffering and also represented the adversity that racial tension brought. (Scholastic) African American performers like Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie “Bird” Parker came to be recognized for their ability to overcome “race relati...
Louis Armstrong was known as the King of jazz, a trumpeter and singer who was one of the most influential figures in jazz music. Famous for his innovative methods of playing the trumpet and cornet, he was also a highly talented singer blessed with a powerful voice. Known for his skills on being able improvise, he would bend and twist the many lyrics and melody of a song with dramatic effect. As his popularity grew in the mid-20th century America when racism was more prevalent, he was one of the first African-American entertainers to be highly popular among both the white and the colored segments of the society. Fondly nicknamed Satchmo or Pops by his fans, he is often regarded to be the founding father of jazz as a uniquely American art form. Born into poverty in New Orleans, he had a very difficult childhood after his father abandoned the family. As a young boy, he