March 7, 2014
(Louis Armstong, Singer/Trumpet player)
Who is Louis Armstrong? Louis Armstrong is one of the most well-known jazz musicians of the 20th century. He was an icon to many people around the world. From his song "Star Dust" to his most famous one "What A Wonderful World, he inspired many people.
Origin:
Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong was born on August 4th, 1901. He was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. Armstrong was not born rich. He was born the opposite actually. He was born in the poor part of New Orleans. It was so poor, people would call it "the battlefield". His childhood wasn't all rainbows and flowers. His father was a factory worker and left his family once Louis Armstrong was born. Armstrong's mother turned to prostitution. This left him with his grandmother (mother's mother). Louis wasn't able to finish school. He had to begin working in the fifth grade. In 1912, Armstrong was arrested. He was sent to a home for troubled boys and there he was taught music and instantly fell in love. By 1918, Louis Armstrong was married to a prostitute, adopted a mentally disabled child, and was one of the most famous cornet players of Louisiana. On July 6th, 1971, Louis Armstrong died.
Purpose:
The reason Louis Armstrong was original to jazz in the 1920s was because of the way he played. His musical presence, technical mastery, and imaginative abilities surprised jazz musicians of the 1920's. He was so incredible. He then became their principle model, leaving a huge print on the music. He played with an originality and passion in his musical inventions which inspired listeners and other musicians. Probably his most significant contribution was that he single-handedly turned jazz from an ensemble to a soloist's music. He became the model for virtually all jazz musicians. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2VCwBzGdPM
Value:
Louis Armstrong was an icon to people for many reasons. One big reason was because the pain that Louis Armstrong endured in his 70 years of life, was unreal. He took that pain and put it into his music. He knew he had problems in his life, he knew that many others had worse problems, but that didn't stop him. He knew he had a purpose. He knew that his purpose was to play music and to entertain the world. He knew that his purpose was to do the one thing he loved, play music. He not only did it for himself, but for the world to see. He wanted to show everyone that no matter what happens, it gets better. He showed them to express themselves. He showed them to be unique.
Limitations:
Louis Armstrong wasn't the only big jazz player in the 1920's. There were multiple others. Some include Charles Bolden, Fats Waller, etc. Many jazz players aren't as well known as Louis Armstrong. Their voices weren't as expressed as Louis Armstrong's was. Louis Armstrong was unique, one of a kind. That also means that many others were unique and one of a kind. Their voices just were't heard as much. Louis Armstrong was both mainstream and unique to the 1920s. He was defiantly more unique because his voice is something beautiful. It's something that cannot be copied. Louis Armstrong is one of a kind.
Citations:
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