Birth-August 4, 1901, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, Death-July 6, 1971, New York City, New York, USA. It is impossible to overstate Louis 'Satchmo' Armstrong's importance in jazz. He was one of the most influential artists in the music's history. He was also more than just a jazz musician, he was an enormously popular entertainer and although other black jazz men and women would eventually be welcomed in the upper echelons of white society, Armstrong was one of the first. …showed first 75 words of 2663 total…

…showed last 75 words of 2663 total…e way musicians thought about their instruments and the way that they played them. There have been many virtuoso performers in jazz since Armstrong first came onto the scene, but nobody has matched his virtuosity or displayed a comparable level of commitment to jazz, a feeling for the blues, or such simple and highly communicable joie de vivre. Louis Armstrong was unique. The music world is fortunate to have received his outstanding contribution. ED PROW