Louis Armstrong: A Profile in Music #10

A new film on the greatest American musical pioneer is now streaming.

As I have noted here in the past, Louis Armstrong was the most important musical creator of the 20th century, not only for his chops and his jazz innovations but (less recognized) his early singing which influenced everyone who followed. Like so many of my generation, I never dug or appreciated “Satchmo” in my formative years, as his final hits, “Hello Dolly” and “Wonderful World” hardly hinted at his formative genius. I guess my introduction to the real “Pops” came via Ken Burns’ Jazz in 2001 and I plunged in headlong for many years, especially after my first visits to New Orleans. There’s a new doc about him that just started streaming (see trailer below), and everyone should see it, though it falls short in real capturing how his music and vocals in the late-1920s and early-1930s changed everything. Also below: the six minutes in Jazz that really got to me, my photo of Louis’s first horn from a museum in New Orleans, and a small selection of my favorite Louis songs. Enjoy, then subscribe, it’s still free.

The “West End Blues” segment from Jazz.

Trailer for the new doc:

His first horn:

“St. Louis Blues,” backing Bessie Smith. And then his own arrangement, perhaps the Recording of the Century.

“Tight Like This”

“Black and Blue”

One of the first guitar solos ever on record, on “Savoy Blues,” provided by Lonnie Johnson no less, in 1927.

“Ain’t Misbehavin’” (1929)

Also, invented scatting, a few years before this.

A little later, with Billie Holiday, who called Louis her greatest vocal influence.