Wynton Marsalis: A Brief Biography

The reading I will focus on this week is an article written by the journalist Kays Gary for the Charlotte Observer in June 1956. In the reading, Gary recalls his time spent with Elvis Presley during an interview with the local press before an early performance in North Carolina. Although Elvis was evidently being very flirtatious and open with his young female fans on the afternoon of the interview, his attitude towards the media is notably more hostile, with the singer remarking that “them critics don’t like to see nobody win doing any kind of music they don’t know nothin’ about” (p. 19). This bitter response to the criticism faced by Presley after his appearance on the Milton Bearle Show appears to indicate that Elvis believed rock and roll to have a high cultural value that made it inaccessible and unintelligible to certain groups of people (in this specific instance, journalists). However, when asked why he does what he does, Presley retorts with the disappointingly honest line that he performs for the money and would be willing to abandon rock and roll should a new style become more lucrative (p. 20).

"Satchmo," "Pops," and "Ambassador Satch" were names for an outstanding jazz artist that inspired many. He was one of the most important musicians in jazz. He helped to transform the traditional New Orleans style into a completely different form of jazz. Louis Daniel Armstrong was born on August 4, 1901, in New Orleans, Louisiana in a very poor neighborhood. His father, a laborer, abandoned the family when he was young, and his mother was an irresponsible single parent. She left Armstrong and his sister in the care of their grandmother(Source C). Armstrong was taken out of school in fifth grade to begin working. On New Year's Eve in 1912, Armstrong fired his stepfather's gun in the air during a celebration and was arrested. He was then sent

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. Armstrong was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, in 1901, even though he sometimes said later in his life that he was born on July 4, 1900. He was raised by his mother and grandmother after his father, who was a factory worker, left the family while Armstrong was still a child. His family was very poor, and as a child Armstrong worked many odd jobs to help support the family. Armstrong was surrounded by music while working and playing in the streets of New Orleans. Since he could not afford an instrument, he learned to sing and joined a vocal quartet that sang on street corners for a little extra money. After shooting a gun on New Year’s Eve, Armstrong was arrested and was sent to a juvenile detention center. There he met Peter Davis, the music instructor at the juvenile center.

Tin Pan Ally in time would be the place to fine popular music that was wrote by immigrants. Tin Pan Ally was just a name given to the place where the Offices of the publishers in New York (Broadway). The places where just row houses that still stand today but as homes and not music publishers. The style of music that was heard coming the offices at the time was more of classic sound up to the mid-20s. For Tin Pan Ally to become a place for music to live and grow so one day it can be institution where music icons like George Gershwin would make music for Broadway (Broadway).

Duke Ellington was a jazz author, conductor, and entertainer amid the Harlem Renaissance. During the developmental Cotton Club years, he explored different avenues regarding and built up the style that would rapidly bring him overall achievement. Ellington would be among the first to concentrate on melodic shape and sythesis in jazz. Ellington composed more than 2000 pieces in his lifetime.

“I’ve always been drawn to gospel music and the roots of African American music. It’s the foundation of rock and roll.” Hozier, an Irish musician, was right when he claimed that Gospel music laid the foundation for rock and roll, but how did gospel get such an influential role? What figures popularized gospel so that it became a known genre of music worldwide? Who transformed the once tame church music into the emotional music that is now heard? While gospel may have started with other musicians, Thomas Dorsey changed and defined gospel as we know it today. Through the Pilgrim Church, the National Convention of Gospel Choirs, and Dorsey’s song, “Precious Lord, Take My Hand,” Thomas Dorsey became the “Father of Gospel.”

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. The history, popularity and influence of jazz on human culture make it the seminal American art form.

Claude T. Smith is a well known name in the wind band world. He has composed over 112 wind band works, Emperata Overture being his first and, arguably, best known work. This overture is in ABA form and features many soloists.

Jazz is most often thought to have been started in the 1920s as this explosive movement, but that is in fact not the case. Starting in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century many African American musicians have started to explore their taste in improvising, and where better to do that than New Orleans (Anderson). Before the 1920s these jazz musicians have already been going around sharing the unique sound, but up until then, jazz had remained majorly in New Orleans. Interestingly during this period, a common jazz band would consist of a cornet, a clarinet, a trombone, and a rhythm section when at this period of time the clarinet is not commonly associated with being a jazz instrument, it moved into being the saxophone rather. A big

Elvis Presley was not a remarkable singer when he started out. For many years, he worked diligently with his work to try to get his music heard by other people. His success finally came when people gave him a chance. Elvis later received a slew of awards for his musical works. Although most people see Elvis Presley as only a great singer, Elvis created a style of music that led to the music we have today.

CounChances are that you’ve heard a couple of songs from Hank Williams Jr. in your lifetime. But if you don’t know who he is, he is a very notable country singer from Paris, Tennessee. Some of his songs include: Family Tradition, A Country Boy Can Survive, All My Rowdy Friends, and Born To Boogie. These aren 't his only songs, but these are some of his popular ones. While being born in Louisiana, he later moved to Paris and that is where his wife and kids lived. He has many homes, but this is considered his main home.

I was the greatest jazz artist ever seen in the world.I also got the grammy of lifetime achievement award.Then I got the grammy award for the best instrumental composer.And I got the grammy for the hall of fame.I got the Gemon

On May 26,1926, Miles Davis the son of Dr. Miles Dewey Davis, Jr. and Cleota Mae Davis, was brought into this world. Shortly after Miles was born his family moved to St. Louis. He was then raised in the eastern portion in a black middle class family. Miles had an older sister named Dorothy and a younger brother Vernon. The Davis family enjoyed everything little thing about music and what it was worth. Cleota Davis, Miles mother, was a very

Did you know that Jimi Hendrix in a short time frame became the most famous guitarist in America 1963. He was always on fire he sang about 43 songs. He loved to be a songwriter. When he sang songs that made him happy so he always sang cause that made him happy the most. From 1966 to 1970 He played over 600 shows, many of them festivals that he headlined. He was like on fire as the background. In 1945 his father was discharged with honor from the U.S Army. 1992 he was awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. 1971 he got nominated for Grammy Award. 2000 he won the Grammy Award. That is all of the achievements that he got in the 1960s. Those are the only awards that I know he got. “Music is a safe kind of high.” This means that his music is safe but it is kind.

Imagine standing off set and hearing the song you wrote blaring over speakers, everyone dancing to the music directed by the choreographer. “76 trombones led the big parade...” Well, this is what it was like for Meredith Willson. Meredith Willson is an amazing musician. Meredith Was a very interesting man. He had a lot of important times in his life. He had some of his childhood, The Music Man, And a lot of other interesting facts.