|
Louis Armstrong, the great jazz trumpeter, with handkerchiefs to mop his brow
while playing |
Armstrong, Louis Daniel (1900-1971), American trumpeter,
is usually regarded as the first great jazz soloist.
Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, he learned to play the
cornet (his first instrument) in a boys' home there. In
Chicago in the early 1920s, he played with bands led by
trumpeter Joe 'King' Oliver and Fletcher Henderson. He
went on to lead his own groups.
Between 1925 and 1928 he
made some of his greatest recordings, with his Hot Five
and Hot Seven. His brilliant solo playing at this time
changed the course of jazz. Before then, the rule had been ensemble playing, in which no one instrument stood out. From then onwards, 'star' soloists took the leading part in jazz development Armstrong's best recordings include Cornet Chop Suey (1926), Potato Head Blues (1927) and West End Blues (1928). |