Louis Armstrong's trumpet has been at the helm of what jazz music represents. It is a metaphor for the brilliance of his sound reflecting the genius emerging from Black America.
He is the forefather of jazz trumpeteers, musicians, pop music - he has paved the way for us all!
Nick Payton states today’s popular trumpet’s sound is modeled after Louis Armstrong, and the rise of the trumpet in Jazz - see here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNTVID5pwIA
Consider a letter written by Herbert L Clarke to Binge in 1921, warning him about the rise of the trumpet. Clarke predicted it to be a fleeting trend.
In fact, this was directly connected to the rise of Louis Armstrong, his trumpet, and the birth of a new form of music.
Prohibition in 1920 provided a space for jazz to gain popularity in speakeasies. Prior to the 1920s, jazz transitioned from the bars and brothels, becoming associated with countercultural norms of society, popular songs, and dance spaces for young people. Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington were widely requested by white audiences, causing their popularity to skyrocket, and thus, jazz's presence within society broke social norms. There were 30,000 speakeasies in the Northeast, creating a massive under-the-table financial revenue stream and setting a culture that would thrive for generations.
There's an irony in jazz's journey from being associated with countercultural practices and illegal activities via speakeasies, to Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington being funded by the U.S government and positioned in the media as Ambassadors. This shift reflects the progression Jazz music has made since its inception. Musicians were positioned as Black geniuses from America, traveling around the world spreading joy through music. This was the foundation of American Pop culture.
As Bruce Harris mentioned, “Louis Armstrong left all of us an 'inheritance.'” It's akin to a father leaving a substantial inheritance to generations after him, with the expectation that the family will adopt that level of seriousness, making the most out of it and continually growing wealth for future generations, hence creating a cycle of growth.
Louis Armstrong was one of our first cultural icons. His feature on the cover of TIME magazine by 1950 is testament to his global impact. He embodied our modern version of superstardom and celebrity status. Louis Armstrong bridged worlds and represented Unity and Community, implanting Jazz as the music that unites us all, regardless of our backgrounds—much like UNESCO’s mission for International Jazz Day.
However, within the modern context, celebrity status means something completely different. The emphasis on individuality and self-sufficiency, along with the perception of Black people being cool for setting the latest trends, particularly in relation to hip-hop (a derivative of Jazz music in the Black American Music Tree), has somewhat eclipsed the days of Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington, and the model of Black genius in America.
Louis Armstrong’s music has touched us all, directly or indirectly. He is the musician to whom all Black forms of music owe a debt of gratitude for paving the way for American Pop Culture and Music, and for serving as a role model. The concept of inheritance comes to mind—Armstrong, the father, leaving music and work behind for all of us to inherit, cherish, and continue to grow for generations, just as he did. We are the "babies," and Louis is singing “I hear babies cry, I watch them grow, They'll learn much more, Than I'll ever know, And I think to myself, What a wonderful world. Yes, I think to myself, What a wonderful world…”