First, Louis Armstrong redefined the rhythmic conception of jazz by breaking free of the rigid nature of ragtime, creating an eight-note swing pattern, introducing syncopated rhythmic figures, and staggering phrases to create sounds that sounded always behind the beat. Secondly, he began to have more control over the shapes of the solos. He focused on allowing them to flow in a more relaxed way, whilst suggesting they have a sense of drama and create tension. Third, he possessed an imagination for the melody and embellished it so that other melodies could correspond to specific chord progressions. “West End Blues,” recorded by Louis Armstrong and His Hot Five, is a composition that powerfully brings together all these contributions along with the different solos and overall character of the piece (Harker, 2005, p. 76). All of these contributions helped make jazz what it is today, and we have Louis Armstrong to thank for that. After studying Louis Armstrong on a deeper level and truly examining his life, role and contributions to the world of jazz, it is astonishing to see how profound his impact was. I truly believe Wynton Marsalis couldn't have been more right when he said, “Louis Armstrong is jazz. It represents what music is all about