In order to analyze the impact that Louis Armstrong had on American jazz and the Civil Right’s Movement, there has to first be an understanding of the contributions of jazz to American culture. Jazz is a genre of music that was created in New Orleans by African Americans around the 1920’s. This form of music is based off of syncopation and improvisation, and comes in the style of dixieland, bebop, free jazz, and swing. Louis Armstrong, a famous jazz musician, had brilliant trumpet playing skills and a voice that made him widely popular across America, and well known by every race. Armstrong’s amazing abilities transformed jazz from being ensemble music into being a soloist art along with widely popularizing the use of scat. As a result …show more content…
Armstrong has more of a gravelly/rough tone in his singing voice, and showcased his agility with improvisation where he would change the flow of the songs. Before Louis Armstrong, jazz was highly orchestrated, or was more loosely structured like “dixieland” , where no one solo went on for an extended period of time. He took jazz from being a 2/4 beat, and made it 4/4 which made it easier for solos to take center stage during a performance. Louis Armstrong himself had a very charismatic stage presence that helped him connect with the audience directly and ease racial barriers. “ Armstrong was considered one of the first truly popular African-American entertainers to “cross over”, and whose skin color was secondary to his music in an America that was severely racially divided. “ (Cole …show more content…
He expanded the styles and forms of jazz so far to where it integrated Black and White people all across America. Armstrong spent his last couple of years still entertaining different types of audiences across the world, and died of a heart attack in New York City in 1971. Although there were many influential and innovative musicians, Louis Armstrong had more of an effect on the movement than anyone else. Armstrong’s commitment to producing new styles of jazz and sincere performances will represent music during the 20th century for years to come. “Louis Armstrong is jazz. He represents what the music is all about.” (Marsalis
Both players in tandem break away from the repeated strains to riff a short, yet complex, blues melody, before incorporating it into the undertones of the continuing song. Both players were able to command the band in a few measures, showing the trumpets true dominance over the band in that brief moment. Louis Armstrong later became one of the biggest names is jazz. He played with such virtuosity, and had the ability to span a wide range of notes. In addition, he also played in a smooth legato style, and was able to improvise flawlessly.
Jazz has shaped the world we know today. Jazz would have never been as popular without the help of the famous musicians: Jelly Roll Morton, Joe King Oliver, Sidney Bechet, Louis Armstrong, and Duke Ellington. These people helped spread the new genre through radio, railroads, and the records that they played. Where did this all start? The jazz age began in New Orleans where a certain King was born.
Armstrong performed all over the world in the 1950’s and 60’s, including throughout Europe, Africa, and Asia. At the age of sixty-three, he the oldest artist to hit number one on the pop chart of “Hello Dolly.” The life of Louis Armstrong came to an end on July 6, 1971. He died from a heart attack in Corona Queens. Since his death, Armstrong's music has continued to grow and will be always remembered his remarkable trumpeter and
In this paper, I plan to examine the influences that Miles Davis had on jazz. Starting with the bebop era, when his career first began, to his final collaboration released following his death. While in school Davis had learned how to play the trumpet, and following graduation he attended Julliard in New York. However, he dropped out of Julliard in 1945 in order join one of bebop’s pioneers, Charlie Parker. It was
For African Americans, jazz music, has always had a political undercurrent. Slave songs spoke of the “Israelites” enslaved by the Egyptians, such as in Go Down Moses, symbolising their own yearning for freedom. However, it took time for the assertion of the political message to develop in a more discernible way. Jazz’s status as a form of entertainment had effectively subdued the message for many years, because of the ostracisation of those involved and because of the early popularity of the white swing bands. The majority of jazz musicians were not political activists, rarely explicitly political in their work, however, they often expressed their political ideals, sometimes more subtley other times more overtly through their music.
In life, there are few things as organic as jazz music. With its raw sound and scrappy roots, one cannot help but feel life head-on whilst witnessing players produce such a sound right before their eyes. Its origins and arch are a product of the United States’ national culture and identity. Jazz exists not only as a deeply rooted form of art but as a cultural marker, particularly during its commercial peak in the first half of the 20th century. Its impact transcends borders, and it is one of the most beloved musical genres worldwide.
He was great at expressing his soul and love through his music, which was exactly what the black community had during
The Harlem Renaissance was a burst on African American’s expression of culture, arts, and writings throughout the 1920’s. It was in Harlem, New York, the movement allowed many African American poets, painters, musicians, authors and philosophers to express the beliefs in their people's culture. They wanted to be equal to white people so they showed that through their talents. Louis Armstrong was a key asset to the Harlem Renaissance due to his inspiring music and playing his instruments for African Americans people during this period. Louis Armstrong was a pivotal musician in the twentieth century, but it was his contributions and his role he made during the Harlem Renaissance movement that is most substantial.
The History of Pioneer Black Musicians Music Influence on that of Michael Jackson Michael Jackson was a great singer in his time and one of Americas’ prolific singers to ever grace the music scene. From the time he graced the music scene, he would go on to become a great singer that inspired other great singers during his period and in the future generation. Music has got a unique element that is so unifying and touching depending on the type of music one could be listening. In the history of the United States, black musicians from way back in the early days of singers such as James Brown, Prince, and Smokey Robinson have had an influence on the music culture. There are many genres today that can be traced from black musicians who popularized
Although he died, there was not another musician as popular as Louis Armstrong. Even years after he has passed, remakes of his songs when to the top of charts (Source A). Overall, Louis Armstrong has made the world we live in a more diverse and creative environment. He should be
In the 1920s the African American was starting in earnest to place his or her stamp on American culture as a whole. It is in the era the seeds of revolution were planted that would bear fruit in the Civil Rights era of the mid 20th century. As the African Americans in New Orleans did make jazz the African Americans in New York and Chicago made Jazz what it is today and it helped many people see that what they live in is not what the have to stay
Armstrong performed an astonishing 300 concerts per year on average (Harris). Through his expertise in jazz music Armstrong set the bar for all aspiring musicians, something great to learn from but hard to live up
Since its early roots in New Orleans, Jazz has been essential part of American culture through its role in showcasing and contributing to America’s complex history. Throughout the years, Jazz artists have used improvisation and individuality, which are essential traits of the music, to keep the music celebrated and popular around the world. However, only few artists have used Jazz music to support social movements and used to influence people’s lives. Unlike others, I believe John Coltrane, was one of the greatest saxophonist, who portrayed his individuality through his belief in spiritual power of music and using his improvisation to change music style while influencing social issues. Coltrane was a deeply spiritual man who believed music was a vehicle for the
James Baldwin’s “Sonny’s Blue’s” makes great use of different literary devices throughout the story. The author utilizes conflict, symbolism, and the narrator’s point of view to give the story a deeper meaning and significance to the story. Sonny’s Blue’s is about an older brother’s relationship and differences with his younger brother, Sonny.
Music is not only used to capture peoples hearing but it is used to power peoples minds through the power of an individuals voice. Music served a critical role in the African American’s lives, as it was used to uplift their spirits as well as providing them with hope and strength to fight for civil rights and overcome segregation between white superiority and the unfair treatment of the inferior black. Music was defined as the voice of the people that lived through the oppression of the civil rights movement. During the civil rights movement, there were many different types of music genres sung, dependent on the culture, this included spiritual music; gospel and even folk music, which was performed by musicians, singers and even people of any musical talents. Through this, it brought about the uniting of people to join together and sing songs that helped them go through the oppression of the civil rights movement.