Louis Armstrong

Feetlebaum - you sound like a music buff. Is it true that white audiences clap ON the beat and black audiences clap OFF the beat? (I hope that's not a racist comment, you can never tell these days.)

Louis was pure New Orleans - sorry - N'Orleans - they have a way of handling rhythm down there! His singing, exactly as with his trumpet playing, was relaxed - his attack the merest smidginette behind the beat.

Yes that's Louis When I rang the rheumatologist to make an appointment for DH his song came up on the phone, while waiting - and that's in France.

Did he do 'It's a Wonderful World'? I think it was him. My ma-in-law had it played at her funeral.

To me, it's his warmth of personality that comes over in his playing, and his singing. It seems that everyone who met him felt the same - I wish I could have done.

Well, I'm definitely no music buff but I loved Satchmo. What a voice. Again, speaking as a non-music buff, weren't many of our blues singers as well as bands like the Rolling Stones, heavily influenced by the black blues singers of America? Incidentally, music and sport seem to me the two things that can transcend racialism.

I don't know what it is about Satch. I studied singing for quite a few years, his voice sounded quite untrained, it wasn't clear and didn't really show any of the primary characteristics of a good singer, but he was unique.

I couldn't tell you why, but his is one of my favorite voices of all time.

I too remember seeing Louis Armstrong at the Empress Hall, Earls Court. This was the first time an American jazz band had come to the UK after years of being banned by the American Federation of Musicians, so it was a really special event. HOWEVER, the promoters obviously didn't realise how popular Satch would be - as they filled out the programme with a large lady singer, Velma Myddleton and a one-legged tap dancer! That was Peg-leg Bates, who I believe died only recently. Louis and the All-stars performed on a stage that revolved throughout the show... memories!

Armstrong practically invented modern vocal styling - before him there was nothing so relaxed and inventive - Bing Crosby was the first white performer to pick up on it. His classic early recordings are still able to amaze us, numbers like West End Blues - pure magic.

Fili In the States in Louis Armstrong's time, there was still the memory that black people were the ones who had been slaves and therefore considered an under-race for being enslaved (yes, a ridiculous circular concept) They were also the ones who did much of the physical work, so were often strong muscular specimens. So they had to be "kept in their place" as one would a big unthinking draught animal, so that they didn't turn on their captors.

It takes a long time for the traditional view that one set of people has of another set to change.

Neither do I understand it Fili but it is true as Anniebach said, there is still in 2015 those who are racist. Some are closet racist. And surprisingly not all are the type of skinhead thugs you associate with the BNP

Do not get it. White or black. What's the difference? )

Nat King Cole was never accepted socially. Sammy Davies Jnr the same

Many white people still hate black people in 2015

I wonder why white people then hated black people so much =_=

I thought it was interesting that he was the first black jazz musician to cross over the colour divide, and be accepted socially by whites. A barrier which was very strong in America.
In fact many black jazz musicians came over to Europe to play, where the prejudice wasn't so strong, especially in France (eg Sydney Bechet.)

I was never so keen on his singing but his musicianship was astounding. What a guy!

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Armstrong - Just read his biography, extraodinary man

I saw Satchmo playing at Wembley when I was 10. 58 years later it's still one of the high points!

Good record. Always loved Louis and his voice. Unique musician.

Yes, and it's so clear, like a live recording. I don't know how they do it.

Wonderful. Isn't it great that you can now listen to archive DID on iPlayer? I love it.

Amazing musician and such a wonderful deep voice

A brilliant musician