HISTORY OF JAZZ
Jazz is a music genre formulated and born in New Orleans and engaged America in its tunes from the early 19th Century up until the late 20th Century. Developed by the African American community, it was influenced by its previously popularized styles in the US: blues and ragtime. The sound became more informal and syncopated, creating the tunes that we call jazz. As it became popular, it branched off into different types, such as bebop, cool jazz, free jazz, fusion, smooth jazz, and modern jazz.
ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: LOUIS ARMSTRONG
Louis Armstrong, Born August 4, 1901, was a very influential figure in the jazz music genre. Born and raised in New Orleans, Armstrong grew up around the tones of Jazz, taking on the role of playing trumpet and the cornet during his early adult life, then later moving to New York City to focus more on his music career and solo performance in Jazz. From there, he gained lots of popularity and traction in America, and by the 1950s he became a national music mogul, appearing in live performances as well as television shows. His most popular songs are “What a Wonderful World”, “La Vie en Rose”, and “Dream a Little Dream of Me”.
ARMSTRONG’S IMPACT
Armstrong’s unique, distinct, rich, and raspy voice allowed him to become popular, and his influence continued to spread to popular music. He performed and excelled in scat singing as well as improvising during his jazz performances. By the end of his life, he was considered one of the first popular African American performers to enter the wide popularity of music with white and international audiences, also creating space to address social issues such as desegregation. Armstrong was a man who trailblazed for other black artists in the future to enter the music and jazz industries.
