“If you have to ask yourself what jazz is, you will never know.”- Louis Armstrong (Boujut, Michel) Louis Armstrong was a man who certainly knew what jazz is, without ever having to ask. For much of the 20th century, Louis Armstrong was a central part of the American jazz/swing scene and influenced (directly or indirectly) all musicians who came after him ("Louis Armstrong"). This great man does not receive the recognition he deserves for his incredible contributions to the canon of American music (Boujut, Michel). Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong was born on August 4, 1901 in a very poor neighborhood of New Orleans, Louisiana (“Louis Armstrong”). His father worked in industry, doing manual labor, and his mother often turned to prostitution to support her children. When his parents separated, Louis was placed in the care of his grandmother (“Louis Armstrong”). A few years later, Louis' parents attempted to get back together; although it didn't work out, the couple had a daughter, Beatrice (Boujut, Michel). For the next five or six years, Louis divided his time between school and church, as well as the youth club where he learned to sing. He also spent time frequenting local honky-tonks, where he began learning from artists to play the cornet (Boujut, Michel). He remained in school until fifth grade, when he began doing odd jobs to support his family. After a while he became close to a Jewish family, the Karnofskys. He often dined at their house and they encouraged him to sing (“Louis Armstrong”). In 1913, Louis joined the New Year celebrations and things did not go well. He fired a gun into the air and was promptly taken to the Colored Waif's Home for Boys, a detention home (“Louis Armstrong”). He joined the band at home and soon began to become very good on the cornet. Eventually, he became the leader of the band: a very proud moment for the young Armstrong (Boujut, Michel). When he was released from home, he began to gain a reputation as a blues musician ("Louis Armstrong"). Joe "King" Oliver, one of New Orleans' best cornet players, took Louis under his wing and acted as his mentor (Boujut, Michel). Please note: this is just an example. Get a customized document from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Louis occasionally played as a substitute alongside King Oliver in Kid Ory's band, one of New Orleans' most popular swing bands. At first he had to continue doing manual labor, such as hauling coal, but soon he was able to support himself only with music ("Louis Armstrong"). He played at honky-tonks, parties and, later, on riverboats during the summer.