Louis Armstrong
Legendary jazz trumpeter
Louis Armstrong was an American jazz trumpeter and singer whose innovations in the 1920s helped define jazz as an art form.
His virtuosic improvisation, distinctive gravelly voice, and charismatic showmanship made him one of the most influential musicians of the twentieth century.
What a Wonderful World and Hello, Dolly! remain among his best-known recordings.
Often called Satchmo or Pops.
Famed trumpeter's nickname
- second lineSupporting vocal line
- DixielandEarly New Orleans jazz
- Crescent CityNew Orleans nickname
- French QuarterHistoric New Orleans neighborhood
Mississippi River · Bourbon Street · Mardi Gras · Creole · jazz funeral · hot jazz · riverboat · lagniappe
Suspended recreational seat
- improvisationSpontaneous, unplanned creation
- bebopFast, complex jazz style
- standardsAccepted levels of quality
- syncopationStressed unexpected beats
ensemble · soloist · bandleader · jam session · recording · arrangement · rhythm · melody
Nonsense-syllable jazz vocals
- gravellyContaining small stones
- raspyRough and grating
- baritoneMid-range male voice
- croonSing in soft tones
Hello Dolly · phrasing · warmth · timbre · distinctive · conversational · joyful · expressive
Valved wind instrument
- brassCopper-zinc metal mixture
- mouthpieceOne who speaks officially
- soloPerformance by one
- muteWithout voice or sound
high notes · embouchure · valves · fanfare · tone · phrasing · vibrato · attack
Early explorer or settler
- iconPictorial screen symbol
- ambassadorOfficial foreign representative
- influencePower to affect others
- trailblazerFirst to forge ahead
civil rights · innovator · hall of fame · genius · master · timeless · cultural icon · historical figure
Satchmo
Famed trumpeter's nickname
- second lineSupporting vocal line
- DixielandEarly New Orleans jazz
- Crescent CityNew Orleans nickname
French Quarter · Mississippi River · Bourbon Street · Mardi Gras · Creole · jazz funeral · hot jazz · riverboat · lagniappe · birthplace
swing
Suspended recreational seat
- improvisationSpontaneous, unplanned creation
- bebopFast, complex jazz style
- standardsAccepted levels of quality
syncopation · ensemble · soloist · bandleader · jam session · recording · arrangement · rhythm · melody · big band
scat singing
Nonsense-syllable jazz vocals
croon · Hello Dolly · phrasing · warmth · timbre · distinctive · conversational · joyful · expressive · interpretation
cornet
Valved wind instrument
- brassCopper-zinc metal mixture
- mouthpieceOne who speaks officially
- soloPerformance by one
mute · high notes · embouchure · valves · fanfare · tone · phrasing · vibrato · attack · range
pioneer
Early explorer or settler
- iconPictorial screen symbol
- ambassadorOfficial foreign representative
- influencePower to affect others
trailblazer · civil rights · innovator · hall of fame · genius · master · timeless · cultural icon · historical figure · inspiration
- 1920s IconsBabe Ruth, Charlie Chaplin, Al Capone, Charles Lindbergh, Duke Ellington
- louis
- 1920s Musicjazz, ragtime, Charleston, Dixieland, blues
- Decca RecordsBing Crosby, Bill Haley, Brenda Lee, Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn
- Early 20th Century MusiciansDuke Ellington, Bessie Smith, Enrico Caruso, Scott Joplin, George Gershwin
- Jazz ArtistsMiles Davis, John Coltrane, Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker
Louis Armstrongfree jazz
Formless avant-garde improvisation
Charlie Parker · Thelonious Monk · bebop · Dizzy Gillespie · John Coltrane
Louis ArmstrongMiles Davis
Charles Mingus · Malcolm X · Nina Simone · Muhammad Ali · Paul Robeson