The Life of Louis Armstrong Louis Armstrong was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, in 1901. Born into poverty, Armstrong became one of the most influential jazz musicians in history. He began to play music at age eleven and met many musicians in the city. He sharpened his skills by playing with bands in brass band parades, dance halls, and on riverboats. Armstrong’s music began to feature elaborate trumpet solos, and he often dueled with other brass musicians in “cutting contests” to see who could play the most difficult tunes. However, his revolutionary style and ability were unmatched. He often chose to improvise while playing, rather than rely on a written musical score.

Armstrong also established a type of singing called scat—improvisational singing similar in style to his trumpet playing. Rather than sing real words, Armstrong would sing nonsense words. He recorded many songs with Ella Fitzgerald, another famous scat singer. His musical skill raised the profile of the trumpet in jazz music and encouraged musicians to improvise and to solo more. He led many to finally recognize jazz as a serious art form. Even the great musician Duke Ellington conceded, “If anybody was a master, it was Louis Armstrong.” Armstrong’s influence on jazz music, as well as other musical genres, remains evident in the music of today.

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"Louis Armstrong was considered by many to be the most influential jazz musician of all time."

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