LA VIE EN ROSE

LIVIN and LOVIN with LOUIS ARMSTRONG

Wordsarecompletelyinadequatewhenattemptingto
conveythespiritofLouisArmstrongtoanyoneunfamiliar
withhisgenius.ItisfarbettertolearnaboutArmstrong,
alsoknownasSatchmo,Pops,PapaDip,throughhismusic.
Andyet,todefinehisaccomplishmentsolelythroughmusic
istooverlookthetotalityofhisuniquecontributionstothe
world.Thereismuchtodiscoverwhenwewidenourfocus.
Throughhisstory,wecanexaminehowtechnologycanbe
usedtodocumentchangethroughthelensofasingle
personslife.Hislongcareerspansthetimelineof
developingmedia:printmedia,photography,sound
recordings,radioandtelevisionbroadcasting,andfilm.
Eventodayhislegacyisspreadthroughdevelopingnewmedia.WithInternetaccess,any
studentcangettheirdailydoseofSatchmothroughiTunes,YouTube,Facebook,orTwitter.

Satchmousedeverymeanspossibletocreateandcommunicate,andhewastrulyapioneer
exploringnewtechnologies.Armstrongwasconstantlyrecordinghisstory,firstwithpen
andpaper,nextusingwithhistrustytypewritertowritememoirs,essaysandletters.He
tooktoluggingaroundareeltoreeltaperecorderontour.Hetuckedscissorsandscotch
tapeinhispocketstomakecollageswheneverhehadasparemoment.Heamasseda
personalcollectionof1,600recordings,650homerecordedtapesinhanddecoratedboxes,
5,000photographs,and86scrapbooks.HewasoftenthefirstAfricanAmericanperformer
tobreakthroughracialbarriersinradioprograms,animatedshorts,earlysoundies,
televisionshows,commercialadvertisements,andinfulllengthfeaturefilmsinatime
whenpeopleofcolorcouldnotwalkthroughthefrontdoorofmanypublicestablishments,
sitinthefrontofthebus,orgotoanintegratedschool.

Withoutproofpositive,hislongcareerwouldappeartobenothingshortofmiraculous.
BornonAugust4th,1901inNewOrleans,Armstrongspenthischildhoodlivinginextreme
poverty,surroundedbyviolenceintheroughestpartoftown.Atsix,littleLouisformeda
vocalquartetandbegansingingonstreetcornersfortips.Hegotajobworkingonajunk
wagon,playingatinhorntodrawcustomers.Attheageof11,hefiredapistolinthestreet
tocelebrateNewYearsEveandwassenttotheColoredWaifsHomeforBoys,wherehe
learnedhowtoreadmusicandeventuallybecomingthebandsleadcornet.Mentoredby
JoeOliver,oneofthefinesttrumpetplayersinNewOrleans,Louisbecomesaskilled
entertainer,playinginUptownRedLightDistrictsaloonsandexcitingDowntown
audiencesasanorchestralsoloistaccompanyingsilentmovies.At18,heblewhishorn
fromthedecksofriverboatstravelingtheMississippi.In1922,hefollowedhismentorJoe
OlivertoChicagointhetimeoftheGreatMigration,movingtoNewYorkin1924,taking
theCitybystormwithhisvirtuosity.HetouredAmericausingeverypossiblemodeof
transportationcar,train,boat,andplane.Eventuallyhisfamegrewtothepointthathe
becameknownasAmericasAmbassadorSatch.UponhisdeathonJuly6,1971,more
than30,000mournerstraveledtopaytheirrespectstoamanthatbroughtpurehappiness
totheworld.
WehopethatyouwillenjoylearningmoreaboutthestorybehindthestoryofLouis
Armstrongthroughhismusic.

1. CHIME BLUES
JoeOliverwasArmstrongsmentorandwasknownKingOliverfromNewOrleans.This1923
CreoleJazzBandpiececontainsArmstrongsfirstrecordedsolo.

2. LA VIE EN ROSE
This1950ArmstrongrecordingofFrenchsingerEdithPiaf'ssignaturesong,LaVieEnRose,isone
ofthemorerecentexamplesofSatchmostimelessappeal.Inthe2008animatedmovieWALLE,
thissongwasusedtogreateffectbyPixaranimators,underscoringthecomicallovescenes
betweenadisinterestedEVAandaheadoverheelsinloveWALLE.

3. MELANCHOLY BLUES
This1927recordingbyLouisArmstrongandhisHotSevenisoneofthemusicalselectionsthatcan
befoundonTheGoldenRecord,aphonographrecordmadeofgoldplatedcopperincludedonthe
twoVoyagerspacecraftlaunchedin1977.Therecords,containingsoundandimagesselectedbya
NASAcommitteeheadedbyCarlSagan,portraythediversityoflifeandcultureonEarth.The
handwritteninscriptionontherecords:Tothemakersofmusicallworlds,alltimes."When
Armstronggothisfirstphonographin1918,heusedittolistentotherecordingsofIrishtenorJohn
McCormackandthegreatItaliantenor,EnricoCaruso.

4. WEST END BLUES

VeryfewworksofartinanygenrehaveattainedthestatusthattherecordingsLouisArmstrong
madebetween1925and1928withtheHotFiveandtheHotSevenhaveinjazz.Thisisthemusic
thattaughtmusicianshowtospeakthejazzlanguageandshowedlistenershowtounderstand
whatwas,atthetime,anaudaciouslynewartform.Fewwereactuallyawareoftherevolutionary
natureoftheserecordingswhentheyweremadebecausetheyweresoclearlycouchedinthe
vernacularoftheblues.linernotesfromKenBurnsJazz

5. POTATO HEAD BLUES

This1927recordingbyArmstrongandhisHotSeven,illustratesArmstrongsinventivenessasboth
musician/composer.WithhisHotFiveandHotSevenrecordings,heinventedtheimprovisedjazz
solo.BeforeArmstrong,Dixielandwasthestyleofjazzthateveryonewasplaying.Thiswasastyle
thatfeaturedcollectiveimprovisationwhereeveryonesoloedatonce.Armstrongdevelopedthe
ideaofmusiciansplayingduringbreaksthatexpandedintomusiciansplayingindividualsolos.His
brilliant,inventiveplayingbecameasymboloftheenergyandfreedomofthe'jazzage'theriotous
preDepressionAmericaoftheRoaringTwenties.

6. CHINATOWN, MY CHINATOWN
ThissongwasrecordedbyLouisArmstrongandHisOrchestrain1931,andwasoneofArmstrongs
earlyhits.ChinatowninNewOrleansdevelopedwhenChineselaborers,importedforworkonthe
upriverplantationsafteremancipation,foundtheworkunsuitableandmigratedtothecity.
ChinatownwaslocatedafewblocksawayfromLouisArmstrongschildhoodneighborhood,which
wascolorfullyknownbymanynamessuchasStoryville,BackOTown,theRedLightDistrict,orthe
Battlefield.Theplacewherejazzwasbornwasextremelydiverse,hometoAfricanAmericans,
ChineseAmericans,ItalianAmericans,andJewishAmericans.
7. HEEBIE JEEBIES
Thistune,recordedin1926byLouisArmstrongandHisHotFive,introducedthemusicalinvention
ofscatsinging,vocalimprovisationwithrandomsoundsandsyllables.Scatsinginggivessingers
theabilitytosingimprovisedmelodiesandrhythms,tocreatetheequivalentofaninstrumental
solousingtheirvoice.PopularlegendhaditthatArmstrongimprovisedandbeganscattingwhen
hismusicsheetsfelltothefloorwhilerecordingthesong.Whilethisstoryisprobablynottrue,he
wasthepersonwhopopularizedscatwiththisrecordingthatleftmusiciansandlisteners
astoundedwithhisinventiveness.

8. ST. LOUIS BLUES

In1925,ArmstrongbackedQueenoftheBluesBessieSmithonaslowrenditionofW.C.HandysSt.
LouisBlues.AmericancomposerHandy,whousedfolkmelodiesfromtheSouthinhisformal
compositions,isoftenreferredtoastheFatheroftheBlues.Handywrotethissongin1914using
atangolikerhythm.Hisobjectivewas"tocombineragtimesyncopationwitharealmelodyinthe
spiritualtradition."In1929,Armstrongsorchestrapicksupthetempoandswingstheblues,
turningHandyscompositionintoahugehitrecord.Thissongisoftenreferredtoasthejazzmans
Hamlet,andbothofArmstrongsversionswereinductedintotheGrammyHallofFame.

9. BLACK AND BLUE

BlackandBlueisaFatsWallersongwrittenfora1929Broadwaymusical,HotChocolates,which
hadanallblackcast.Thesongwhenfirstsungwasaboutadarkskinnedwomanwhohaslosther
mantoalighterskinnedrival.ThesongasrecordedbyArmstrongbecameananthemofprotestof
againstracialdiscrimination.AuthorRalphEllisonwasmovedsomovedbyArmstrongsplayingof
thesong,thathereferencesthesongintheopeningchaptersofhisbook,InvisibleMan.PerhapsI
likeLouisArmstrongbecausehe'smadepoetryoutofbeinginvisible.Ithinkitmustbebecause
he'sunawarethatheisinvisible.Armstrongrecordedthesongagainin1955,andthetimesgave
newweighttothesongsmeaning.ThealbumSatchPlaysFatswasrecordedelevenmonthsafter
thelandmarkU.S.SupremeCourtdecisioninBrownv.BoardofEducationofTopeka.Inthemonths
beforeandafter,therewereaseriesofbrutalmurdersofblacksinMississippiandelsewhere(most
famously,EmmettTill);andinDecember'55,RosaParkssparkedtheprimeactivephaseofthecivil
rightsmovementbyrefusingtogiveupherbusseat.Twoyearslater,Armstrongspokeoutagainst
PresidentEisenhower'sreluctancetoactwhenAfricanAmericanteenswerebarredfromCentral
HighSchoolinLittleRock,ArkansasandcancellinghisStateDepartmentsponsoredtourofRussia.

10. AIN'T MISBEHAVIN'

AintMisbehavinisa1929FatsWallertunethatwasfirstheardasanArmstrongWallerduetin
HotChocolates.TherecordingillustratesArmstrongtalentsasbothavocalandinstrumental
soloist.Withhisuniquesingingstyle,thegreatestsingerintheworldwithoutavoice
revolutionizedpopularsingingandbeganthetraditionofrecordingthepopsongsoftheday,
helpingtodefinetheGreatAmericanSongbook.LouisArmstrongandHisOrchestrawerelargely
responsiblefortheriseinpopularityofswingjazzduringthe30sand40s.

11. MY SWEET HUNK O' TRASH

Asayoungteen,BillieHolidaylearnedhowtosingbylisteningtorecordingsbyLouisandBessie
Smith.BillieandLouisworkedtogetheronthe1946motionpicture,NewOrleans.Thisduet,"My
SweetHunko'Trash,"wascomposedbyJamesP.Johnson,kingofHarlemstridepiano.Armstrong
oftenturnedhisperformancesintoadlibbedconversations,differentfromthestiffwayduetshad
beenperformedinthepast.LikeArmstrong,LadyDaysvoiceandwayofdeliveringasongare
completelyunique.
12. LET'S CALL THE WHOLE THING OFF
Withherbeautiful,sweetsound,youmightneverguessthatEllaFitzgerald'searlydayswereas
grimasBillieHoliday's.Growingupinpoverty,Ellawashomelessbrokeandalonebeforeshegot
herbigbreakin1934,winninganamateurcontestattheApolloTheaterinHarlemattheageof15.
EllawentontobecomeknownasTheFirstLadyofSong.Together,theEllaandPopsrecorded
manyclassictunes,includingthis1937classicbyGeorgeandIraGershwin,firstwrittenforFred
AstaireandGingerRogersinthemovieSwingtime.

13. DUKE'S PLACE

DukeEllingtonandLouisArmstrongrecordedasinglerecordtogetherin1961,andthehistoric
eventisfondlyknownasTheGreatSummit.Duketinklestheivories,whileArmstrongsingsthe
vocalsonDukesPlace.The1941song,alsoknownasCJamBlues,isaimprovisationalnumber
setinthekeyofC.Thelyrics,Baby,takemedowntoDukesPlacewereaddedin1950.Dukehad
thistosayaboutSatchmo:"IfanybodywasMr.Jazz,itwasLouisArmstrong.Hewastheepitomeof
jazzandalwayswillbe.HeiswhatIcallanAmericanstandard,anAmericanoriginal."

14. MACK THE KNIFE

MacktheKnifeoriginallyappearedin1928sBerlinproductionofTheThreepennyOpera,a
musicaldramacomposedbyKurtWeillwithlyricsbyBertoltBrecht.Withthis1954English
translationoftheGermanlyricsbyMarcBlitzstein,thesongbecameahitintheUnitedStateswith
Armstrongs1956rendition.SanFranciscojazzmanTurkMurphytookaflatfeeof$300tocreate
thearrangementforArmstrongsrecording,becauseneitherLouisnorTurkimaginedthatthesong
wouldbecomeahit.LouisleftforEuropeanshortlyaftertherecordingsessionandreturnedhome
todiscoverthatthatsongsurprisinglyhadbecomeahitwithoveronemillioncopiessold.Inorder
torelearnthesong,LouisandTurkwenttoabarwithajukeboxandusedastackofnickelstoplay
thesongoverandover,becausenoonehadacopyofthescore.

15. NOW YOU HAS JAZZ

ItisadelighttoseeBingCrosbyandLouisArmstrongsingthisColePortersong,writtenforthe
1956movieHighSociety.Crosbywasthemostpopularperformerintheearly20thcenturyandwas
inthewordsofesteemedjazzcriticGaryGiddins,"thefirstwhiteperformertoappreciateand
assimilatethegeniusofLouisArmstrong."Whenaskedin1950whohadinfluencedhimmost,Bing
replied,"I'mproudtoacknowledgemydebttotheReverendSatchelmouth.Heisthebeginningand
theendofmusicinAmerica.Andlongmayhereign."ArmstrongwasoneofthefirstAfrican
Americanentertainerstobefeaturedonfilmwithtopbilling,performinginoverthirtymovies.

16. HELLO, DOLLY

Writtenforthe1964Broadwaymusical,HelloDollywasoriginallysungbyLowellHighSchool
alumniCarolChanning.Armstrongsrecordedversionwasmadetopromotetheshow.Itwasquite
asurprisewhenOl'Satchmoat62knocked"Can'tBuyMeLove"bytheBeatlesoutofthenumber
onespot,whenHelloDollytoppedoftheUSBillboardHot100.WhenArmstrongwasaskedabout
hisnew#1song,hereplied,"ItsurefeelsgoodtobeuptherewiththoseBeatles."LouisArmstrong
receivedaGrammyforthesongin1964forBestVocalPerformance,Male,andhealsoperformed
thesongwithBarbraStreisand)inthepopular1969film.

17. WHEN IT'S SLEEPY TIME DOWN SOUTH

Whenit'sSleepytimeDownSouthbecameLouisArmstrong'sthemesong,andheplayeditatevery
concert.Louisfirstheardthesongaround1930and"carrieditinmytrunkforayearbefore
recordingit."ThissongisaboutthesenseoflongingforhomefeltbythethousandsofAfrican
AmericanswholefttheSouthlookingforgreateropportunity,headinguptoChicagoduringthe
GreatMigration.
18. RUSSIAN LULLABY
WhenLouiswasaboyof6inNewOrleans,heworkedfortheKarnofskys,afamilyofRussian
Jewishancestry.Thefamilytookcareofhimandgavehimhisfirstjob,sellingoddsandendsfroma
junkwagon.TheKarnofskysloanedhimthemoneytobuyhisfirstcornet,andtheypraisedhis
talents.TheycouldseeIhadmusicinmysoul,Armstrongsaid.Theyreallywantedmetobe
somethinginlife.Andmusicwasit.Inhismemoirs,LouisrecallshowhelearnedYiddish,gaineda
lifelongloveofJewishhomecooking,andhisintroductiontoJewishmusic.HeworeaStarofDavid
allhislifeingratitudetothisfamily.LouiswrotethatMrs.KarnofskysangaRussianlullaby
wheneversheputherbabytobed.Weallwouldsingtogetheruntilthelittlebabywoulddozeoff
whenIreachedtheageofelevenIbegantorealizeitwastheJewishfamilywhoinstilledinme
singingfromtheheart.RussianLullaby,writtenbyJewishAmericansongwriterIrvingBerlin,
featuresbassistArvilleShaw.

EverynightyoullhearherCroon
ARussianLullaby
JustalittlePlaintiveTune
WhenBabyStartstoCry
RockabyemyBaby
Somewheretheremaybe
ALandthatsFree
ForyouandMe
AndaRussianLullaby.

19. THAT'S MY HOME

LouiswasawelltraveledrepresentativeoftheUnitedStates,travelingtoSouthAmerica,Europe,
Asia,Australia,andAfrica.Hetaughttheworldtoswing,performinganaverageof300concerts
eachyear.ArrivinginGhanain1956,hisband,TheAllStars,weregreetedattheairportbyacrowd
of10,000andplayedforacrowdof100,000people.AmbassadorSatch,notedthat,"There'scats
everywhere,y'know!"Throughmusic,Armstrongalwayssharedthespiritandhisloveforhis
hometown.OneofthehighlightsofhislifewasreturningtoNewOrleansasKingoftheZulusfor
the1949MardiGrasParade.Butuponseeingthediscriminationandsegregationinhishometown,
Mr.Armstrongleftdisgustedwiththeinjustice,vowingnevertoreturn.Hefinallydidreturnin
1965,afterpassageoftheCivilRightsAct,triumphantlyplayingwithanintegratedbandinthe
city'sJazzMuseum.ArmstrongandhiswifeLucillespenttheremainderoftheirlivesinaworking
classneighborhoodinQueensinNewYorkCity.TheirhomeisnowpreservedastheLouis
ArmstrongHouseMuseum.

20. WHEN THE SAINTS GO MARCHING IN

In1938,LouisArmstrongandHisOrchestrafirstrecordedasongArmstronghadplayedasachild.
ThesongwasWhentheSaintsGoMarchinInandthatfirstArmstrongrecordingofthetune
transformedthepiecefromatraditionalgospelhymntoajazzstandard.LouisArmstrongrecalled
hearingthesongfrequentlyasachild,bothasasoberhymnandasajoyousrompduringthe
secondlineparadesthatgatheredafterafuneral.ThesongisstillassociatedwiththecityofNew
Orleans.

21. BOY FROM NEW ORLEANS

NewlyricswerewrittentothetuneofWhenTheSaintsGoMarchingInforthisautobiographical
songoutliningtheeventsofLouisArmstrongslife,fromthetimethatIwasborntothispresent
day.Towardstheendofhislife,heusedthissongtosharehisstoryandthankhisfansfora
wonderfullife.
WhilethesongsaysthathewasbornonJuly4,1900,aNewOrleansbaptismalregistryrecordshis
realbirthdayasAugust4,1901.ArmstrongsfamilyancestrywastracedinaCityHallregistry
labeled''Acts,Jan.July1818,MarcLafitte,Notarywhichoutlinesthousandsofpropertytransfers,
includingthesaleandpurchaseofslaves.OnMay18,1818,aslaveownernamedAntoineTurcas
purchasedDanielWalker,32,fromRichmondforabout$600,asubstantialpriceatthetime.Walker
hadason,alsonamedDaniel,whomarriedCatherineWashington,whowasauctionedoffwithher
motherandsisterfromaplantationinMississippiandbroughttoNewOrleans.Catherineand
DanielWalkerhadadaughternamedJosephinewholatermarriedEphraimArmstrong.Theyhada
sonnamedWillie,thefatherofLouisArmstrong.CatherineWalker,Louis'sgreatgrandmother,
attendedthebaby'sbaptismin1901asasponsor.Louisspendsthefirstyearsofhislifelivingwith
hispaternalgrandmother,JosephineArmstrong.Aftertheageof5,Louisandhisyoungersister,
Beatrice(nicknamedMamaLucy)wereraisedbytheirmother,MayAnn,inatworoomhouseinthe
BackOTownsectionofNewOrleans.

22. DO YOU KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO MISS NEW ORLEANS?

"DoYouKnowWhatItMeanstoMissNewOrleans"wasfirstheardinthe1947movieNewOrleans,
withBillieHolidaysingingvocalsandLouisArmstrongplayingthetrumpet.Presently,thesonghas
acquiredanewlayerofmeaningwiththedevastationofNewOrleansbroughtonbyHurricane
Katrina.

23. WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD

Popsenjoyedacareerofunparalleledlongevity,withhitsongsspreadoverfivedecades."Whata
WonderfulWorld"isasongwrittenbyBobThieleandGeorgeDavidWeisswrittenespeciallyfor
him,firstrecordedandreleasedasasinglein1968,amidstcivilrightsdemonstrationsandprotests
againsttheVietnamWar.Satchmowantedasongthatwouldpromotepositivefeelingsinthemidst
ofallthisstrife.Thesongsoldlessthan1,000copiesintheUS(TheheadofABCRecordsdisliked
thetuneandchosenottopromoteit),buttherecordwasahugesuccessintheUnitedKingdom,
reaching#1.TwentyyearslaterintheUS,thesongspopularitywithitsinclusionthe1987movie,
GoodMorning,Vietnam,andthesinglewasrereleasedin1988.Popsposthumoushitisnowa
belovedAmericanstandard.Louissharedhislifephilosophyinaspokenintroductiontothesong,
"AndallI'msayingis,seewhatawonderfulworlditwouldbeifonlywewouldgiveitachance.
Love,baby,love.That'sthesecret.Yeah."