Jazz: Louis Armstrong, Coleman Hawkins and Bix Beiderbecke (Essay Sample)

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Introduction
Jazz is one of the most respected music genres in the American music industry. The art form was first developed towards the end of the nineteenth century, a time when there was a mix of slave folk songs and the European-American music. The rhythm in which these songs were played resulted to the emergence of different jazz historic times including ragtime, then later Dixieland, which was followed by Big Band. Big Band is considered by many as the modern jazz music. There have been drastic changes in the jazz music brought about by artists’ new influence over the 20th century period. New styles like be-bop, fusion, funk, hard-bop and cool jazz have been established over time. There have been several artists behind the success of such phenomena. The paper focuses on Louis Armstrong and the contributions he made to the jazz music (Levin and Mark, 3).
Louis Armstrong, who lived between 1901 and 1971, is known to be one of the greatest Jazz artists of his time. Louis, born in New Orleans, Louisiana a poor section that was branded the battlefield. He had several nicknames, including Satchmo, Pops and also the ambassador of Satch as he later became a bandleader, trumpeter, soloist, singer, comedian and a film star. He became a prominent all-star genius in the 1920’s impacting numerous music artists with his unique vocals and trumpet style. Armstrong had admirable technical skills, and a wonderfully quick, innovative mind in the field of music that still dominate the industry up to date. Just like most of the other early jazz musicians, Armstrong came from a humble background. He was enrolled in school at the age of twelve upon arrest after firing his step father’s gun in the air just before the New Year. At the school, Louis learned to play the cornet. Louis began dreaming about music in 1914 when he was released from the home where he was serving his arrest term. At the age of fourteen, he got accustomed to listening to bands in clubs like the Funky Butt Hall. He got his first real cornet from Joe Oliver, a man who also instructed him about the instrument. Joe was a great music mentor to Louis, and he often used him as a sub in events. Armstrong would later replace Joe in his band, Kid Ory, which was the most famous in New Orleans. He then became a devout artist, spending most of his time playing his cornet, in parties, funeral marches, dances and other functions especially in small bars that hosted musical artists (Pinfold & Mark, 8).
Louis impacted significant soloists among them Coleman Hawkins and Bix Beiderbecke. He changed a social music into craftsmanship and a spot where an artist, despite their race or topography could discover a voice. Armstrong was a great source of influence as both a vocalist and an instrumentalist, and his popularity came in handy at a period when jazz music was still undeveloped. Through his innovations, Louis proved that improvised music was important and could be durable just like written music. He also established the blues as a harmonic foundation when individuals took it as a mere fashion. Through his efforts and accomplishments, Armstrong innovations established jazz music that prized personal expression more than just technique. He is known for the introduction of a vocal style of jazz that uses scat, loose wording with lines that had a great influence on vocalists like Billie Holiday. Louis’ creation of masterworks by Tin Alley music was a depiction that jazz had a room for expansion both commercially and musically. He also introduced the swing rhythm in jazz. Louis significant contributions came in a means that defied the traditional ideas on art and they also helped in placing the American music level with Russian and European music (Whyton and Tony, 10).
Despite the bleak beginnings, Armstrong had a long and productive musical career. His peak period in the 1920s saw him help spearhead bop and fusion, styles he never liked. He composed dozens of songs that are up to date considered jazz standards. The nickname Ambassador Satch was earned by the fact that he frequently toured several parts on the globe to perform. Marked as one of the greatest celebrities in the twentieth century, Louis performed in close to 300 concerts every year. His fame never took the better part of him unlike most of the artists, Louis remained humble and lived a moderate life. He did change not only the face of jazz music but also penned a few autobiographies including Swing that music, and Satchmo. Some of his music include all of me, Baby it's cold outside, a kiss to build a dream on, and dream a little dream of me. Much of his music had a theme of love (Pinfold & Mark, 28).
Armstrong recorded close to thirty-six times with Henderson in a period of about one year. At this time, he had an influence on Redman’s arrangement and made the band adopt blues as part of their music as he increased the fame of the band beat. Louis also set the pace for another individual in the band and other bands as well. After transiting from the Henderson’s Armstrong went to Chicago where he played in the pit orchestra, a band that played intermission music. In Chicago, he recorded around sixty-five times with the hot five and seven. The recordings that were very imperative marked the transition from polyphony to the displaying of soloists. The recording also marked the following; the shift from accompaniments to improvisation, the introduction of full chorus solos from breaks and a turn to single-theme choruses of blues and pop songs from the numerous ragtime looking strains (Levin and Mark, 2).
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Armstrong impact is greatly felt from the generation of soloists he created. Before his growth in the industry, bands had a tradition that reflected their leaders’ abilities. He defied the odds and changed this tradition through the inspiration of young musicians from both the white and black races. He selected young lads that had a passionate interest in music, and with him at the center stage of things; jazz became much universal than it was before. Some artists emulated this revolution in 1929; composers also followed suit by making use of soloists. His recordings in the 1920s set a new pace for jazz music. Despite not being as famous as most of the white musicians, every of his new release was waited for with regard by the other jazz musicians. His recording with Russell, "I can’t Give You Anything but love" showed his prowess as a jazz-based singer of pop tunes. Armstrong's life was...