Louis Armstrong > Reviews (1)

I love reggae music, especially Bob Marley, but if I am honest I also like a bit of Jazz, not any old Jazz though, when I say Jazz I mean Louis Armstrong.

Louis Armstrong a Jazz musician that will not be forgotten and an act that will never be followed, some Jazz musicians will try and follow in his footsteps but non will succeed, Louis was unique.

Who else could have that rough, gravel like voice that could become so famous, that famous smile and the twinkle in his eyes?

Louis Armstrong (satchmo) the name he was well known as.

Louis was born into a poor family from New Orleans on August 4th 1901.
Sent away to a reform school for two years that’s when and where he first learned to play the coronet.

After leaving reform school Louis was hired locally as a general dogsbody, but the music was in his bones and he frequently visited clubs. It’s there he met Joe Oliver who gave him his first coronet and more lessons on how to make that instrument play for you.

When 1917 came Louis was playing in local bars. In 1919 for two years he went and joined two different bands in St. Louis.

Louis went back to New Orleans in 1921 and played in various bands.
In 1922 after receiving a telegram from Joe Oliver, Louis went to join the Creole Jazz Band in Chicago.

This is were Louis first became a phenomenon; his style of music took Chicago by storm.
In February 1924 Louis married Lillian Hardin who thought that Louis could do better for himself and eventually persuaded him to leave Chicago and go to New York.

It’s there he played in the Fletcher Henderson's Orchestra and had several recording sessions with numerous famous Blues singers.

In 1925 Louis moved back to Chicago played with various people but, most importantly of all, recorded his first record under his name along with his band.

Louis and his band recorded songs until 1928.
Then Louis met up with a man who was to become his manager in the future, Joe Glaser.

Still playing in various bands and doing tours Louis name was becoming more popular by the day.

Then in 1931 Louis went to New Orleans this was the first time he had been back in 9 years since he left in 1922.

Louis was greeted as a super star, but, racism, separation from his wife and cancelled concerts all took their toll. It’s then Louis took off for England, he was a great success there and for the next three years he was doing the tours, playing all over Europe and the USA.

In 1935 he went back to the USA and he hired Joe Glaser as his manager and for the next ten years Louis toured around and became ultra famous.
During this time Louis met and married different women (4 in all including Lillian) and then came the 1940’s when music tastes changed. Sales dwindled and Joe Glaser decided to replace Louis orchestra with a smaller group, that group became one of the most popular groups in the history of Jazz, named Louis Armstrong Allstars.

For the next 20 years Louis and his group toured the world, having such famous records like Hello Dolly which knocked the famous Beatles off the top charts.

In 1968 Louis recorded the song What A Wonderful World which he sang with so much feeling, it was almost like a diary, how he’d seen trees of green, red roses too and how he’d seen them bloom, he sang about children playing and how he’d watched them grow, it was like as if he was reliving his life.
I think this song touched many a heart.

Louis health began deteriorating, but he still carried on recording and playing until the end, when he died in his sleep
On July 6th 1971 at his home in New York.

Just to finish off my review I will sing off a few first lines/ verses of famous songs sung by Louis.

1. I found my thrill on Blueberry Hill
On Blueberry Hill when I found you
The moon stood still on Blueberry Hill
And lingered until my dreams came true

2. I see trees of green, red roses too
I watch 'em bloom, for me and for you
And I think to myself, what a wonderful world.

3. When you're smilin' keep on smilin'
The whole world smiles with you
And when you're laughin' keep on laughin'
The sun comes shinin' through

4. Up a lazy river by the old mill stream
That lazy, hazy river where we both can dream
Linger in the shade of an old oak tree
Throw away your troubles, dream a dream with me

5. I said hello, Dolly,well, hello, Dolly
It's so nice to have you back where you belong
You're lookin' swell, Dolly

For all of the young Ciaors Louis sings nothing like eminem or Kylie Minogue but I bet at sometime in your life you’ve heard what a wonderful world.
Thanks all and Happy New Year.