Louis Armstrong :: Music, Jazz

Q5. Armstrong’s contribution was also significant in regards of racial justice. His development of instrumental, vocal, and stylistic techniques partnered with his breathtaking talent open doors to the acceptance of white Americans. (Tanenhaus, 19) This was made evident when after Ford Motor Company made attempts to release Armstrong from The Edsel Show prior to their profligate TV laugh of their new automobile line for his public outburst and statements on race. Ford’s plans backfired when Armstrong remained on the show and played alongside of Rosemary Clooney, Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, and Frand Sinatra no more than a short month after the controversy. With vast viewer popularity, white Americans made it apparent their unconditional love for him and his music. (Teachout, 334-335) Armstrong began making a step in racial acceptance that in that time had not been established yet. Q6. Lastly, through his contribution to early Jazz, he had a direct hand in developing the new field of academic jazz scholarship, although it had been extensively debatable on his contribution. (Teachout, 351) None the less, his talent formed a popularity that was surpassed by none even to the point that once in his career; he was more popular than the Beatles. (Teachout, 351) Undoubtedly, he was the first, if not the only to present Jazz to the public as a form of art. This changed the direction of Jazz to not just leaser listening music, but teachable and complicated talent. (Tanenhaus, 19) Q7. His contribution to jazz was primary made in early jazz music of the 1920s-1930s. (Teachout, 53,389) Though he received his first success as a teenager in 1914 when he took the place of King Oliver in the Kid Ory Band; (Raum 14) he had not yet made the impact on the stylistic and technical form as he did in the later years of his career. Q8. Armstrong’s contribution was made primarily in his home state of New Orleans and to the South with the exception of his travels out of the country to Japan, Egypt, Europe, and Africa. (McKissack, 22-23) In regards of where his impact was made beyond is undoubtedly to the progression of American as well as to jazz music itself. Q9. There are an immeasurable amount of people in Armstrongs life that helped him to succeed to his contribution but the contribution itself was souly because of Armstrong’s drive, talent and personality. If one were to choose who in Armstrong’s life played the biggest part, it would be back to where it all started, Peter Davis.