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Louis Armstrong: Jazz
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Louis Armstrong was the first great trumpet soloist in jazz. His unmistakable trumpet and vocals, while not as “hot” or improvisational in latter years, continued doing what he loved most, making people happy.
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Armstrong is considered by some to have essentially invented jazz singing. Ethel Waters precedes his scatting on record in the 1930s according to Gary Giddens and others (See Ken Burns' Jazz CD Set liner notes). He had an extremely distinctive gravelly voice, which he deployed with great dexterity as an improviser, bending the lyrics and melody of a song for expressive purposes. He was ... greatly skilled at scat singing, or wordless vocalizing. Billie Holiday and Frank Sinatra are just two singers who were greatly indebted to him. Holiday said that she always wanted Bessie Smith's 'big' sound and Armstrong's feeling in her singing.
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For the next few years, Armstrong toured Eastern Europe, Canada, and Las Vegas, performed annually at the Newport Jazz Festival, and gave a concert for President John F. Kennedy. During this period, he recorded with Duke Ellington, and his 1964 hit "Hello Dolly" reached the top of the charts in the United States and England, effectively replacing the Beatles in the number one spot. In the United Kingdom, his recording of "What a Wonderful World" ... rose to the top of the charts.
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With the advent of the long-playing record, Louis has a first-time opportunity to record full-length tracks of many of the old favorites, much longer than the three or four minutes traditionally allotted for a "single". This marathon session produced a number of singles -- generally with the song edited to fill two sides -- and two LPs, "New Orleans Days" and "Jazz Concert".
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As a virtuoso trumpet player, Armstrong had a unique tone and an extraordinary talent for melodic improvisation. Through his playing, the trumpet emerged as a solo instrument in jazz and is used widely today. He was a masterful accompanist and ensemble player in addition to his extraordinary skills as a soloist. With his innovations, he raised the bar musically for all who came after him.
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