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85-707: The velodrome is also used as an event hall for concerts and occasional basketball games. On 21 March 1959 Louis Armstrong performed in the Kuipke, and in 2014, it was the location for the live shows of the Flemish version of The Voice . The first velodrome in Citadel Park  [ nl ] in Ghent was built in 1927 to accommodate the Six Days on a fixed location in the city center. The building previously served as

170-406: A greenhouse and was renamed Sportpaleis Gent . Because of its short track and unusually steep gradient, it was nicknamed "Kuipke" (English: Little Tub) . On 12 November 1962 the building was destroyed by fire, after which a second velodrome was opened on the same location in 1965. The new cycling track kept its original size of 167 m and steep bankings, and was officially renamed "Kuipke". During

255-743: A 12-month period starting in November 1925, this quintet produced twenty-four records. Armstrong's band leading style was easygoing, as St. Cyr noted: "One felt so relaxed working with him, and he was very broad-minded ... always did his best to feature each individual." Among the Hot Five and Seven records were "Cornet Chop Suey", "Struttin' With Some Barbecue", "Hotter Than That", and "Potato Head Blues", all featuring highly creative solos by Armstrong. According to Thomas Brothers , recordings such as "Struttin' with Some Barbeque" were so superb, "planned with density and variety, bluesyness, and showiness", that

340-892: A better dynamic range was not invented until 1926. Initially, because Armstrong's playing was so loud, Oliver could not be heard on the recording when he played next to Oliver. Armstrong had to stand 15 feet from Oliver in a far corner of the room to remedy this. Lil Hardin , whom Armstrong would marry in 1924, urged Armstrong to seek more prominent billing and develop his style apart from the influence of Oliver. At her suggestion, Armstrong began playing classical music in church concerts to broaden his skills and dressing more stylishly to offset his girth. Her influence eventually undermined Armstrong's relationship with his mentor, especially concerning his salary and additional money that Oliver held back from Armstrong and other band members. Armstrong's mother, Mayann Albert, came to visit him in Chicago during

425-399: A brief trumpet solo. Then, the main melody is introduced by sobbing horns, memorably punctuated by Armstrong's growling interjections at the end of each bar: "Yeah! ..."Uh-huh"..."Sure"..."Way down, way down." In the first verse, Armstrong ignores the notated melody and sings as if playing a trumpet solo, pitching most of the first line on a single note and using strongly syncopated phrasing. In

510-450: A cappella groups is to simulate an instrumental rhythm section, often alongside a vocal percussionist or beatboxer . Some notable vocal bass artists are Tim Foust , Adam Chance , Bobby McFerrin , Al Jarreau , Reggie Watts , Alvin Chea , Joe Santoni , Avi Kaplan , Matt Sallee , Chris Morey , Geoff Castellucci . Many hip hop artists and rappers use scat singing to come up with

595-456: A duet on Hoagy Carmichael's " Rockin' Chair " they then recorded for Okeh Records . Armstrong's manager, Joe Glaser, changed the Armstrong big band on August 13, 1947, into a six-piece traditional jazz group featuring Armstrong with (initially) Teagarden, Earl Hines and other top swing and Dixieland musicians, most of whom were previously leaders of big bands. The new group was announced at

680-749: A father, they fed and nurtured Armstrong. In his memoir, Louis Armstrong + the Jewish Family in New Orleans, La., the Year of 1907 , he described his discovery that this family was also subject to discrimination by "other white folks" who felt that they were better than Jews: "I was only seven years old but I could easily see the ungodly treatment that the white folks were handing the poor Jewish family whom I worked for." Armstrong wrote about what he learned from them: "how to live—real life and determination." His first musical performance may have been at

765-590: A few records but otherwise struggled. Sidney Bechet became a tailor, later moving to Paris, and Kid Ory returned to New Orleans and raised chickens. Armstrong moved to Los Angeles in 1930 to seek new opportunities. He played at the New Cotton Club in Los Angeles with Lionel Hampton on drums. The band drew the Hollywood crowd, which could still afford a lavish nightlife, while radio broadcasts from

850-423: A focus on his vocal career. His popularity brought together many black and white audiences. Armstrong returned to New York in 1929, where he played in the pit orchestra for the musical Hot Chocolates , an all-black revue written by Andy Razaf and pianist Fats Waller . Armstrong made a cameo appearance as a vocalist, regularly stealing the show with his rendition of " Ain't Misbehavin' ." Armstrong's version of

935-599: A hero's welcome, and saw old friends. He sponsored a local baseball team called Armstrong's Secret Nine and had a cigar named after him. However, Armstrong was on the road again soon. After a tour across the country shadowed by the mob, he fled to Europe. After returning to the United States, Armstrong undertook several exhausting tours. His agent, Johnny Collins's erratic behavior and his own spending ways left Armstrong short of cash. Breach of contract violations plagued him. Armstrong hired Joe Glaser as his new manager,

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1020-528: A kind of musical parity" and are "at times so close in timbre and so inextricably interwoven within the music's fabric as to be nearly indistinguishable." Dick Higgins likewise attributes scat singing to traditions of sound poetry in African-American music. In West African music , it is typical to convert drum rhythms into vocal melodies; common rhythmic patterns are assigned specific syllabic translations. However, this theory fails to account for

1105-482: A large audience. He began scat singing (improvised vocal jazz using nonsensical words) and was among the first to record it on the Hot Five recording " Heebie Jeebies " in 1926. The recording was so popular that the group became the most famous jazz band in the United States, even though they had seldom performed live. Young musicians across the country, black or white, were turned on by Armstrong's new type of jazz. After separating from Lil, Armstrong started to play at

1190-466: A memoir called Louis Armstrong + the Jewish Family in New Orleans, LA., the year of 1907 , describing his time working for the Karnoffsky family. Armstrong writes about singing "Russian Lullaby" with the Karnoffsky family when their baby son David was put to bed and credits the family with teaching him to sing "from the heart." Curiously, Armstrong quotes lyrics for it that appear to be the same as

1275-444: A musician. Armstrong found a job at a dance hall owned by Henry Ponce, who had connections to organized crime. He met the six-foot tall drummer Black Benny , who became Armstrong's guide and bodyguard. Around the age of 15, he pimped for a prostitute named Nootsy. However, that relationship failed after she stabbed Armstrong in the shoulder, and his mother choked her nearly to death. Armstrong briefly studied shipping management at

1360-446: A reputation at " cutting contests ", and his fame reached band leader Fletcher Henderson . Armstrong moved to New York City, where he became a featured and musically influential band soloist and recording artist. By the 1950s, Armstrong was a national musical icon, appearing regularly in radio and television broadcasts and on film. Armstrong's best known songs include " What a Wonderful World ", " La Vie en Rose ", " Hello, Dolly! ", " On

1445-790: A rough neighborhood known as The Battlefield, on the southern section of Rampart Street . At the age of six, Armstrong started attending the Fisk School for Boys, a school that accepted black children in the racially segregated school system of New Orleans. Armstrong lived with his mother and sister during this time and worked for the Karnoffskys, a family of Lithuanian Jews , at their home . Armstrong helped their sons Morris and Alex collect "rags and bones" and deliver coal. In 1969, while recovering from heart and kidney problems at Beth Israel Hospital in New York City, Armstrong wrote

1530-454: A song a flavor." Morton also once boasted, "Tony Jackson and myself were using scat for novelty back in 1906 and 1907 when Louis Armstrong was still in the orphan's home." Don Redman and Fletcher Henderson also featured scat vocals in their 1925 recording of "My Papa Doesn't Two-Time No Time" five months prior to Armstrong's 1926 recording of "Heebie Jeebies." It was Armstrong's February 1926 performance of "Heebie Jeebies," however, that

1615-526: A time, he was a member of the Lil Hardin Armstrong Band and worked for his wife. Armstrong formed Louis Armstrong and his Hot Five and recorded the hits " Potato Head Blues " and "Muggles". The word "muggles" was a slang term for marijuana , something Armstrong often used during his life. The Hot Five included Kid Ory (trombone), Johnny Dodds (clarinet), Johnny St. Cyr (banjo), Lil Armstrong on piano, and usually no drummer. Over

1700-470: A tough mob-connected wheeler-dealer who began straightening out his legal mess, mob troubles, and debts. Armstrong also began to experience problems with his fingers and lips, aggravated by his unorthodox playing style. As a result, Armstrong branched out, developing his vocal style and making his first theatrical appearances. Armstrong appeared in movies again, including Crosby's 1936 hit Pennies from Heaven . In 1937, Armstrong substituted for Rudy Vallee on

1785-532: A trumpet soloist. His resonant, velvety lower-register tone and bubbling cadences on sides such as "Lazy River" greatly influenced younger white singers such as Bing Crosby. The Great Depression of the early 1930s was especially hard on the jazz scene. After a long downward spiral, the Cotton Club closed in 1936, and many musicians stopped playing altogether as club dates evaporated. Bix Beiderbecke died, and Fletcher Henderson's band broke up. King Oliver made

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1870-556: A well-publicized stand for desegregation in the Little Rock crisis . He could access the upper echelons of American society at a time when this was difficult for Black men. Armstrong is believed to have been born in New Orleans on August 4, 1901, but the date has been heavily debated. Armstrong himself often claimed he was born on July 4, 1900. His parents were Mary Estelle "Mayann" Albert and William Armstrong. Mary Albert

1955-484: A world-wide hit with the song " Scatman (Ski Ba Bop Ba Dop Bop) " in 1994. Vocal improviser Bobby McFerrin 's performances have shown that "wordless singing has traveled far from the concepts demonstrated by Louis Armstrong, Gladys Bentley, Cab Calloway, Anita O'Day, and Leo Watson." Vocal bass is a form of scat singing that is intended to vocally simulate instrumental basslines that are typically performed by bass players. A technique most commonly used by bass singers in

2040-521: A year, making many recordings and appearing in more than 30 films. Scat singing Originating in vocal jazz , scat singing or scatting is vocal improvisation with wordless vocables , nonsense syllables or without words at all. In scat singing, the singer improvises melodies and rhythms using the voice solely as an instrument rather than a speaking medium. This is different from vocalese , which uses recognizable lyrics that are sung to pre-existing instrumental solos. Though scat singing

2125-438: Is considered the turning point for the medium. From the 1926 recording of "Heebie Jeebies" arose the techniques that would form the foundation of modern scat. In a possibly apocryphal story, Armstrong claimed that, when he was recording "Heebie Jeebies" with his band The Hot Five , his sheet music fell off the stand and onto the ground. Not knowing the lyrics to the song, he invented a gibberish melody to fill time, expecting

2210-481: Is improvised, the melodic lines are often variations on scale and arpeggio fragments, stock patterns and riffs , as is the case with instrumental improvisers. As well, scatting usually incorporates musical structure . All of Ella Fitzgerald 's scat performances of " How High the Moon ", for instance, use the same tempo , begin with a chorus of a straight reading of the lyric, move to a "specialty chorus" introducing

2295-750: Is often cited as the first modern song to employ scatting, there are many earlier examples. One early master of ragtime scat singing was Gene Greene who recorded scat choruses in his song "King of the Bungaloos" and several others between 1911 and 1917. Entertainer Al Jolson scatted through a few bars in the middle of his 1911 recording of "That Haunting Melody." Gene Greene's 1917 "From Here to Shanghai," which featured faux-Chinese scatting, and Gene Rodemich 's 1924 "Scissor Grinder Joe" and "Some of These Days" also pre-date Armstrong. Cliff "Ukulele Ike" Edwards scatted an interlude on his 1923 "Old Fashioned Love" in lieu of using an instrumental soloist. One of

2380-754: The DownBeat Jazz Hall of Fame , the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame , and the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame , among others. Armstrong was born and raised in New Orleans . Coming to prominence in the 1920s as an inventive trumpet and cornet player, he was a foundational influence in jazz, shifting the focus of the music from collective improvisation to solo performance. Around 1922, Armstrong followed his mentor, Joe "King" Oliver , to Chicago to play in Oliver's Creole Jazz Band. Armstrong earned

2465-700: The Roseland Ballroom , with arrangements by Don Redman . Duke Ellington's orchestra went to Roseland to catch Armstrong's performances. During this time, Armstrong recorded with Clarence Williams (a friend from New Orleans), the Williams Blue Five, Sidney Bechet , and blues singers Alberta Hunter , Ma Rainey , and Bessie Smith . In 1925, Armstrong returned to Chicago largely at the insistence of Lil, who wanted to expand his career and income. In publicity, much to his chagrin, she billed Armstrong as "The World's Greatest Trumpet Player." For

2550-559: The Sunset Café for Al Capone 's associate Joe Glaser in the Carroll Dickerson Orchestra, with Earl Hines on piano, which was renamed Louis Armstrong and his Stompers. However, Hines was the music director, and Glaser managed the orchestra. Hines and Armstrong became fast friends and successful collaborators. It was at the Sunset Café that Armstrong accompanied singer Adelaide Hall . During Hall's tenure at

2635-441: The bop era of the 1940s, more highly developed vocal improvisation surged in popularity. Annie Ross , a bop singer, expressed a common sentiment among vocalists at the time: "The [scat] music was so exciting, everyone wanted to do it." And many did: Eddie Jefferson , Betty Carter , Anita O'Day , Joe Carroll , Sarah Vaughan , Carmen McRae , Jon Hendricks , Babs Gonzales , Mel Torme and Dizzy Gillespie were all singers in

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2720-457: The "Russian Lullaby", copyrighted by Irving Berlin in 1927, about 20 years after Armstrong remembered singing it as a child. Gary Zucker, Armstrong's doctor at Beth Israel hospital in 1969, shared Berlin's song lyrics with him, and Armstrong quoted them in the memoir. This inaccuracy may be because he wrote the memoir over 60 years after the events described. Regardless, the Karnoffskys treated Armstrong exceptionally well. Knowing he lived without

2805-529: The "best vocal improviser jazz has ever had," and critics since then have been in almost universal agreement with her. During this 1930s era, other famous scat singers included Scatman Crothers —who would go on to movie and television fame —and British dance band trumpeter and vocalist Nat Gonella whose scat-singing recordings were banned in Nazi Germany . Over the years, as jazz music developed and grew in complexity, scat singing did as well. During

2890-444: The 1940s due to changes in public tastes. Ballrooms closed, and competition from other types of music, especially pop vocals, became more popular than big band music. Under such circumstances, it became impossible to finance a 16-piece touring band. A widespread revival of interest in the 1940s in the traditional jazz of the 1920s made it possible for Armstrong to consider a return to the small-group musical style of his youth. Armstrong

2975-461: The 1970s renewed interest in bop scat singing, and young scat singers viewed themselves as a continuation of the classic bop tradition. The medium continues to evolve, and vocal improvisation now often develops independently of changes in instrumental jazz. During the mid-1990s, jazz artist John Paul Larkin (better known as Scatman John ) renewed interest in the genre briefly when he began fusing jazz singing with pop music and electronica , scoring

3060-607: The CBS radio network and became the first African American to host a sponsored national broadcast. After spending many years on the road, Armstrong settled permanently in Queens, New York, in 1943 with his fourth wife, Lucille. Although subject to the vicissitudes of Tin Pan Alley and the gangster-ridden music business, as well as anti-black prejudice, Armstrong continued to develop his playing. Bookings for big bands tapered off during

3145-599: The French song " C'est si bon " at the Hotel Negresco during the first Nice Jazz Festival . Armstrong was present and loved the song. On June 26, 1950, he recorded the American version of the song (English lyrics by Jerry Seelen ) in New York City with Sy Oliver and his Orchestra. When it was released, the disc was a worldwide success, and the song was then performed by the greatest international singers. Armstrong

3230-603: The Moon " live in Berlin, she quotes over a dozen songs, including " The Peanut Vendor ," " Heat Wave ," " A-Tisket, A-Tasket ," and " Smoke Gets in Your Eyes ." Improvisational singing of nonsense syllables occurs in many cultures, such as diddling or lilting in Ireland, German yodeling , Sámi joik , and speaking in tongues in various religious traditions. Although Louis Armstrong 's 1926 recording of " Heebie Jeebies "

3315-657: The RCA ribbon microphone , introduced in 1931, which imparted warmth to vocals and became an intrinsic part of the " crooning " sound of artists like Bing Crosby . Armstrong's interpretation of Carmichael's " Stardust " became one of the most successful versions of this song ever recorded, showcasing Armstrong's unique vocal sound and style and his innovative approach to singing songs that were already standards. Armstrong's radical re-working of Sidney Arodin and Carmichael's " Lazy River ", recorded in 1931, encapsulated his groundbreaking approach to melody and phrasing. The song begins with

3400-404: The Six Days of Ghent in November 2006, Spanish cyclist Isaac Gálvez died after colliding with Dimitri De Fauw and subsequently crashing in the balustrades. This article about a Belgium sports venue is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Louis Armstrong Louis Daniel Armstrong (August 4, 1901 – July 6, 1971), nicknamed " Satchmo ", " Satch ", and " Pops ",

3485-856: The Sunny Side of the Street ", " Dream a Little Dream of Me ", " When You're Smiling " and " When the Saints Go Marching In ". He collaborated with Ella Fitzgerald , producing three records together: Ella and Louis (1956), Ella and Louis Again (1957), and Porgy and Bess (1959). He also appeared in films such as A Rhapsody in Black and Blue (1932), Cabin in the Sky (1943), High Society (1956), Paris Blues (1961), A Man Called Adam (1966), and Hello, Dolly! (1969). With his instantly recognizable, rich, gravelly voice, Armstrong

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3570-463: The arrangements were probably showcased at the Sunset Café. His recordings soon after with pianist Earl "Fatha" Hines , their famous 1928 " Weather Bird " duet and Armstrong's trumpet introduction to and solo in " West End Blues ", remain some of the most influential improvisations in jazz history. Young trumpet players across the country bought these recordings and memorized his solos. Armstrong

3655-531: The club connected with younger audiences at home. Bing Crosby and many other celebrities were regulars at the club. In 1931, Armstrong appeared in his first movie, Ex-Flame . He was also convicted of marijuana possession but received a suspended sentence. Armstrong returned to Chicago in late 1931 and played in bands more in the Guy Lombardo vein, and he recorded more standards. When the mob insisted that he get out of town, Armstrong visited New Orleans, had

3740-437: The credit away, since I know better. The first man that ever did a scat number in history of this country was a man from Vicksburg, Mississippi, by the name of Joe Sims, an old comedian. And from that, Tony Jackson and myself, and several more grabbed it in New Orleans . And found it was pretty good for an introduction of a song." Lomax : "What does scat mean?" Morton : "Scat doesn't mean anything but just something to give

3825-513: The custody of his father and his new stepmother, Gertrude. Armstrong lived in this household with two stepbrothers for several months. After Gertrude gave birth to a daughter, Armstrong's father never welcomed him, so Armstrong returned to his mother, Mary Albert. Armstrong had to share a bed in her small home with his mother and sister. His mother still lived in The Battlefield, leaving Armstrong open to old temptations, but he sought work as

3910-404: The cut to be thrown out in the end, but that take of the song was the one released: "I dropped the paper with the lyrics—right in the middle of the tune. . . And I did not want to stop and spoil the record which was moving along so wonderfully . . . So when I dropped the paper, I immediately turned back into the horn and started to scatting . . . Just as nothing had happened . . . When I finished

3995-466: The early 1920s. Armstrong lived luxuriously in his apartment with his first private bath. Excited to be in Chicago, Armstrong began his career-long pastime of writing letters to friends in New Orleans. Armstrong could blow 200 high Cs in a row. As his reputation grew, Armstrong was challenged to cutting contests by other musicians. Armstrong's first studio recordings were with Oliver for Gennett Records on April 5–6, 1923. They endured several hours on

4080-472: The early New Orleans jazz scene. ) In this manner, soloists like Louis Armstrong became able to double as vocalists, switching effortlessly between instrumental solos and scatting. Scat singing also resembles the Irish/Scottish practice of lilting or diddling, a type of vocal music that involves using nonsensical syllables to sing non-vocal dance tunes. Scat singing can allow jazz singers to have

4165-405: The early female singers to use scat was Aileen Stanley , who included it at the end of a duet with Billy Murray in their hit 1924 recording of " It Had To Be You " (Victor 19373). Jazz pianist Jelly Roll Morton credited Joe Sims of Vicksburg, Mississippi , as the creator of scat around the turn of the 20th century. In a conversation between Alan Lomax and Jelly Roll Morton, Morton recounted

4250-554: The era. Hughes wrote many books that celebrated jazz and recognized Armstrong as one of the leaders of the Harlem Renaissance's newfound love of African-American culture. The sound of jazz, along with musicians such as Armstrong, helped shape Hughes as a writer. Just like the musicians, Hughes wrote his words with jazz. Armstrong changed jazz during the Harlem Renaissance. As "The World's Greatest Trumpet Player" during this time, Armstrong cemented his legacy and continued

4335-408: The existence—even in the earliest recorded examples of scatting—of free improvisation by the vocalist. It is therefore more likely that scat singing evolved independently in the United States. Others have proposed that scat singing arose from jazz musicians' practice of formulating riffs vocally before performing them instrumentally. (The adage "If you can't sing it, you can't play it" was common in

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4420-588: The heart of good old New Orleans ... It has given me something to live for." Borrowing his stepfather's gun without permission, Armstrong fired a blank into the air and was arrested on December 31, 1912. He spent the night at New Orleans Juvenile Court and was sentenced the next day to detention at the Colored Waif's Home. Life at the home was spartan. Mattresses were absent, and meals were often little more than bread and molasses. Captain Joseph Jones ran

4505-414: The high complexity of scatting at the same time, in harmony. An example is their version of " It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing) ." The Boswell Sisters' "inventive use of scat singing was a source for Ella Fitzgerald ." As a young girl, Fitzgerald often practiced imitating Connee Boswell's scatting for hours. Fitzgerald herself would become a talented scat singer and later claimed to be

4590-410: The history of scat: Lomax : "Well, what about some more scat songs, that you used to sing way back then?" Morton : "Oh, I'll sing you some scat songs. That was way before Louis Armstrong's time. By the way, scat is something that a lot of people don't understand, and they begin to believe that the first scat numbers was ever done, was done by one of my hometown boys, Louis Armstrong. But I must take

4675-456: The home like a military camp and used corporal punishment. Armstrong developed his cornet skills by playing in the band. Peter Davis , who frequently appeared at the home at the request of Captain Jones, became Armstrong's first teacher and chose him as the bandleader. With this band, the 13-year-old Armstrong attracted the attention of Kid Ory . On June 14, 1914, Armstrong was released into

4760-521: The idiom. Free jazz and the influence of world musicians on the medium pushed jazz singing nearer to avant-garde art music. In the 1960s Ward Swingle was the product of an unusually liberal musical education. He took the scat singing idea and applied it to the works of Bach, creating The Swingle Singers . Scat singing was also used by Louis Prima and others in the song " I Wan'na Be Like You " in Disney's The Jungle Book (1967). The bop revival of

4845-401: The last half of 1928, he started recording with a new group: Zutty Singleton (drums), Earl Hines (piano), Jimmy Strong (clarinet), Fred Robinson (trombone), and Mancy Carr (banjo). Armstrong made a huge impact during the 1920s Harlem Renaissance . His music touched well-known writer Langston Hughes . Hughes admired Armstrong and acknowledged him as one of the most recognized musicians of

4930-858: The late 1910s. He traveled with the band of Fate Marable , which toured on the steamboat Sidney with the Streckfus Steamers line up and down the Mississippi River. Marable was proud of Armstrong's musical knowledge, and he insisted that Armstrong and other musicians in his band learn sight reading . Armstrong described his time with Marable as "going to the University" since it gave him a wider experience working with written arrangements . In 1918, Armstrong's mentor, King Oliver , decided to go north and resigned his position in Kid Ory's band; Armstrong replaced him. Armstrong also became

5015-502: The local community college but was forced to quit after being unable to afford the fees. While selling coal in Storyville , he heard spasm bands , groups that played music out of household objects. Armstrong listened to the early sounds of jazz from bands that played in brothels and dance halls, such as Pete Lala's, where King Oliver performed. Early in his career, Armstrong played in brass bands and riverboats in New Orleans, in

5100-637: The medium in his 1935 opera Porgy and Bess . Following the success of Armstrong's "Heebie Jeebies," a number of popular songs featured scat singing. In June 1927, Harry Barris and Bing Crosby of bandleader Paul Whiteman 's " The Rhythm Boys " scatted on several songs including " Mississippi Mud ," which Barris had composed. On October 26, 1927, Duke Ellington 's Orchestra recorded " Creole Love Call " featuring Adelaide Hall singing wordlessly. Hall's wordless vocals and "evocative growls" were hailed as serving as "another instrument." Although creativity must be shared between Ellington and Hall as he knew

5185-483: The opening of Billy Berg's Supper Club. This smaller group was called Louis Armstrong and His All-Stars and included at various times Earl "Fatha" Hines, Barney Bigard , Edmond Hall , Jack Teagarden, Trummy Young , Arvell Shaw , Billy Kyle , Marty Napoleon , Big Sid "Buddy" Catlett , Cozy Cole , Tyree Glenn , Barrett Deems , Mort Herbert , Joe Darensbourg , Eddie Shu , Joe Muranyi and percussionist Danny Barcelona . On February 28, 1948, Suzy Delair sang

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5270-425: The record I just knew the recording people would throw it out . . . And to my surprise they all came running out of the controlling booth and said—'Leave That In.'" Armstrong's "Heebie Jeebies" became a national bestseller and, consequently, the practice of scatting "became closely associated with Armstrong." The song would serve as a model for Cab Calloway , whose 1930s scat solos inspired George Gershwin 's use of

5355-486: The rest of his life. Playing second cornet to Oliver in Oliver's Creole Jazz Band in the black-only Lincoln Gardens on the South Side of Chicago, Armstrong could make enough money to quit his day jobs. Although race relations were poor, Chicago was booming. The city had jobs for blacks, who made good wages at factories, with some left for entertainment. Oliver's band was among Chicago's most influential jazz bands in

5440-706: The rhythms of their raps. Tajai of the group Souls of Mischief states the following in the book How to Rap : "Sometimes my rhythms come from scatting. I usually make a scat kind of skeleton and then fill in the words. I make a skeleton of the flow first, and then I put words into it." The group Lifesavas describe a similar process. Rapper Tech N9ne has been recorded demonstrating exactly how this method works, and gangsta rapper Eazy-E used it extensively in his song " Eazy Street ." Some writers have proposed that scat has its roots in African musical traditions . In much African music, "human voice and instruments assume

5525-1122: The same improvisational opportunities as jazz instrumentalists: scatting can be rhythmically and harmonically improvisational without concern about the lyric. Especially when bebop was developing, singers found scat to be the best way to adequately engage in the performance of jazz. Scatting may be desirable because it does not "taint the music with the impurity of denotation." Instead of conveying linguistic content and pointing to something outside itself, scat music—like instrumental music—is self-referential and "d[oes] what it mean[s]." Through this wordlessness, commentators have written, scat singing can describe matters beyond words. Music critic Will Friedwald has written that Louis Armstrong's scatting, for example, "has tapped into his own core of emotion," releasing emotions "so deep, so real" that they are unspeakable; his words "bypass our ears and our brains and go directly for our hearts and souls." Scat singing has never been universally accepted, even by jazz enthusiasts. Writer and critic Leonard Feather offers an extreme view; he once said that "scat singing—with only

5610-472: The scat chorus, and then the scat itself. Will Friedwald has compared Ella Fitzgerald to Chuck Jones directing his Roadrunner cartoon —each uses predetermined formulas in innovative ways. The deliberate choice of scat syllables is also a key element in vocal jazz improvisation. Syllable choice influences the pitch, articulation , coloration, and resonance of the performance. Syllable choice also differentiated jazz singers' personal styles: Betty Carter

5695-421: The second stanza, he breaks into an almost entirely improvised melody, which then evolves into a classic passage of Armstrong's scat singing. As with his trumpet playing, Armstrong's vocal innovations served as a foundation for jazz vocal interpretation. The uniquely gravelly coloration of his voice became an archetype that was endlessly imitated. Armstrong's scat singing was enriched by his matchless experience as

5780-561: The second trumpet for the Tuxedo Brass Band . Throughout his riverboat experience, Armstrong's musicianship began to mature and expand. At age 20, he could read music. Armstrong became one of the first jazz musicians to be featured on extended trumpet solos, injecting his own personality and style. Armstrong also started singing in his performances. In 1922, Armstrong moved to Chicago at the invitation of King Oliver, although Armstrong would return to New Orleans periodically for

5865-427: The side of the Karnoffskys' junk wagon. Armstrong tried playing a tin horn to attract customers to distinguish them from other hawkers. Morris Karnoffsky gave Armstrong an advance toward purchasing a cornet from a pawn shop. Later, as an adult, Armstrong wore a Star of David given to him by his Jewish manager, Joe Glaser, until the end of his life, in part in memory of this family who had raised him. When Armstrong

5950-488: The singers scat variations on the word "avocado" for much of the recording. In addition to such nonsensical uses of language, humor is communicated in scat singing through the use of musical quotation . Leo Watson, who performed before the canon of American popular music, frequently drew on nursery rhymes in his scatting. This is called using a compression. Similarly, Ella Fitzgerald's scatting, for example, drew extensively on popular music. In her 1960 recording of " How High

6035-515: The song became his biggest-selling record yet. Armstrong started to work at Connie's Inn in Harlem, chief rival to the Cotton Club , a venue for elaborately staged floor shows, and a front for gangster Dutch Schultz . Armstrong had considerable success with vocal recordings, including versions of songs composed by his old friend Hoagy Carmichael . His 1930s recordings took full advantage of

6120-400: The sounds of swing-era big bands with which she performed, while Vaughan's mimics that of her accompanying bop -era small combos. Humor is another important element of scat singing. Bandleader Cab Calloway exemplified the use of humorous scatting. Other examples of humorous scatting include Slim Gaillard , Leo Watson , and Bam Brown's 1945 song "Avocado Seed Soup Symphony," in which

6205-544: The style of performance he wanted, Hall was the one who was able to produce the sound. A year later, in October 1928, Ellington repeated the experiment in one of his versions of " The Mooche ," with Getrude "Baby" Cox singing scat after a muted similar trombone solo by Joe "Tricky Sam" Nanton . During the Great Depression , acts such as The Boswell Sisters regularly employed scatting on their records, including

6290-482: The summer of 1923 after being told that Armstrong was "out of work, out of money, hungry, and sick"; Hardin located and decorated an apartment for her to live in while she stayed. Armstrong and Oliver parted amicably in 1924. Shortly afterward, Armstrong was invited to go to New York City to play with the Fletcher Henderson Orchestra, the top African-American band of the time. He switched to

6375-421: The train to remote Richmond, Indiana , and the band was paid little. The quality of the performances was affected by a lack of rehearsal, crude recording equipment, bad acoustics, and a cramped studio. These early recordings were true acoustic , the band playing directly into a large funnel connected directly to the needle making the groove in the master recording. The much improved Electrical recording system with

6460-587: The trumpet to blend in better with the other musicians in his section. Armstrong's influence on Henderson's tenor sax soloist, Coleman Hawkins , can be judged by listening to the records made by the band during this period. Armstrong adapted to Henderson's tightly controlled style, playing the trumpet and experimenting with the trombone. The other members were affected by Armstrong's emotional style. His act included singing and telling tales of New Orleans characters, especially preachers. The Henderson Orchestra played in prominent venues for white patrons only, including

6545-464: The venue, she experimented, developed, and expanded her scat singing with Armstrong's guidance and encouragement. In the first half of 1927, Armstrong assembled his Hot Seven group, which added drummer Al "Baby" Dodds and tuba player Pete Briggs while preserving most of his original Hot Five lineup. John Thomas replaced Kid Ory on the trombone. Later that year, Armstrong organized a series of new Hot Five sessions, which resulted in nine more records. In

6630-528: Was 11, he dropped out of school. His mother moved into a one-room house on Perdido Street with Armstrong, Lucy, and her common-law husband, Tom Lee, next door to her brother Ike and his two sons. Armstrong joined a quartet of boys who sang in the streets for money. Cornetist Bunk Johnson said he taught the eleven-year-old to play by ear at Dago Tony's honky tonk. In his later years, Armstrong credited King Oliver. Armstrong said about his youth, "Every time I close my eyes blowing that trumpet of mine—I look right in

6715-409: Was also an influential singer and skillful improviser. He was also skilled at scat singing . By the end of Armstrong's life, his influence had spread to popular music. He was one of the first popular African-American entertainers to "cross over" to wide popularity with white and international audiences. Armstrong rarely publicly discussed racial issues, to the dismay of fellow African Americans, but took

6800-584: Was an American trumpeter and vocalist. He was among the most influential figures in jazz . His career spanned five decades and several eras in the history of jazz. Armstrong received numerous accolades including the Grammy Award for Best Male Vocal Performance for Hello, Dolly! in 1965, as well as a posthumous win for the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1972. His influence crossed musical genres, with inductions into

6885-459: Was featured as a guest artist with Lionel Hampton's band at the famed second Cavalcade of Jazz concert held at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles, produced by Leon Hefflin Sr. , on October 12, 1946. Armstrong also led a highly successful small-group jazz concert at New York Town Hall on May 17, 1947, featuring him with trombonist/singer Jack Teagarden . During the concert, Armstrong and Teagarden performed

6970-402: Was from Boutte, Louisiana and gave birth at home when she was about 16. Less than a year and a half later, they had a daughter, Beatrice "Mama Lucy" Armstrong (1903–1987), who Albert raised. William Armstrong abandoned the family shortly after that. Louis Armstrong was raised by his grandmother until the age of five, when he was returned to his mother. Armstrong spent his youth in poverty in

7055-413: Was inclined to use sounds like "louie-ooie-la-la-la" (soft-tongued sounds or liquids) while Sarah Vaughan would prefer "shoo-doo-shoo-bee-ooo-bee" ( fricatives , plosives , and open vowels ). The choice of scat syllables can also be used to reflect the sounds of different instruments. The comparison of the scatting styles of Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan reveals that Fitzgerald's improvisation mimics

7140-556: Was now free to develop his style as he wished, which included a heavy dose of effervescent jive, such as "Whip That Thing, Miss Lil" and "Mr. Johnny Dodds, Aw, Do That Clarinet, Boy!" Armstrong also played with Erskine Tate 's Little Symphony, mostly at the Vendome Theatre. They furnished music for silent movies and live shows, including jazz versions of classical music, such as " Madame Butterfly ", which gave Armstrong experience with longer forms of music and with hosting before

7225-435: Was the first jazz musician to appear on the cover of Time magazine on February 21, 1949. He and his All-Stars were featured at the ninth Cavalcade of Jazz concert also at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles produced by Leon Hefflin Sr. held on June 7, 1953, along with Shorty Rogers , Roy Brown , Don Tosti and His Mexican Jazzmen, Earl Bostic , and Nat "King" Cole . Over 30 years, Armstrong played more than 300 performances

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