Page 92 - All About History - Issue 28-15

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LOUIS ARMSTRONG
Nationality: American
Born-died: 1901-71

Louis Armstrong’s
Brief unmistakable gravelly
Bio voice, creative
instrumental solos
and charismatic
performances helped him escape
the poverty of his childhood
and become a superstar. His
impact on American music – not
just jazz – was so profound
The Ray Miller Orchestra, the that Armstrong is listed in Time
first jazz band to perform at magazine’s ‘20 most influential
the White House in 1924 Americans of all time’.
Why was jazz music so important in the 1920s?

Nicky Owen, Cheam work, they brought their musical influences with Jazz also led to the development of dances such
Jazz music emerged at the turn of the 20th century them. Jazz evolved from ragtime, marches and the as the Charleston, which older generations saw as
in the melting pot of New Orleans, but by the blues and became a kind of cultural intermediary, risqué compared to the conservative waltzes they
1920s its influence had spread across the country as its popularity helped to bring people of different were used to.
as far as Chicago and New York. The popularity of races together. Young women in particular saw jazz clubs as
jazz music helped somewhat to change attitudes Many young people were fans of this exciting places where they could escape convention and
towards African Americans and women in the new music and it became a symbol of rebellion behave how they wanted to. Due to prohibition
United States. against tradition. With its upbeat tempo and at the time, many jazz bands performed in
As more African Americans moved away from unusual syncopated rhythms, it was completely speakeasies, so women could drink, dance, smoke
the South and into the northern cities looking for different to the music their parents listened to. and be more promiscuous.

Thisdayinhistory 23 July

1148 1632 1829 1903

O Crusaders reach Darayya O Leave la France O Typographer invented O Ford’s first sale
Crusadersontheirwayto About 300 colonists leave With the aim of speeding up The Ford Motor Company
attack Damascus prepare Dieppe to travel to New France correspondence, American sellsitsfirstcar,theModelA,
forbattleinthenearbyarea in North America. At its peak, inventor William Austin Burt to a dentist in Chicago. Henry
of Darayya. Their attempts New France stretched from patents his typographer machine, Ford later revolutionises the
totakethecityfailand Newfoundland to the Rocky a precursor to the typewriter. motorcar-manufacturing process
the Second Crusade is Mountains, and from Hudson Unfortunately, the machine is with the moving assembly line
abandoned soon after. Bay to the Gulf of Mexico. rather slow and does not sell well. to produce the famous Model T.

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