All That Jazz: Louis Armstrong

Before this class, all that was familiar to me about Louis Armstrong was his distinctive, grainy singing voice (usually in a duet with Ella Fitzgerald) and his famous trumpet skills. But when we talked about jazz music in class, we watched a video clip in which another jazz artist referred to Armstrong as the most important and talented jazz musician of all time. After I heard that statement, I wanted to know more about Louis Armstrong’s life and career. As I began to research Armstrong’s biography, I was greatly impressed with the resilient optimism that permeated his life as well as his huge influence upon the entire jazz genre.

Louis Armstrong was born in 1901 to a very poor family in New Orleans. His father abandoned Louis at a young age, and his mother was unstable, leaving him to be raised by various relatives. Despite his rough childhood, Louis maintained a surprisingly optimistic view of his youth:

“Every time I close my eyes blowing that trumpet of mine, I look right in the heart of good old New Orleans...It has given me something to live for.”

Later in Louis’ career, other musicians often copied his style and technique, and I think this must have been in part because of his incredible virtuosity with the trumpet and also because of his magnanimous personality. He was always experimenting with different pulses and rhythms—a signature of improvisation that can still be heard in jazz music today. With his innovations, Armstrong raised the bar musically for other musicians in his genre, not only for jazz trumpet but also for jazz vocals.

Although there have been many critics that have denounced Armstrong for catering too much to a white audience and somehow abandoning the authenticity of jazz music, it is undeniable that Armstrong was a powerful force in shaping the entire jazz genre. The fact that there are several bands today that are dedicated to preserving and honoring Armstrong’s musical style, such as the Louis Armstrong Society, speaks of his beloved and honored status in the history of American music.