Louis Armstrong didn't just play jazz, he invented the idea of the modern soloist, turning collective New Orleans ensemble playing into a showcase for one voice, one horn, one towering musical personality. His scratchy, joyful singing voice was as influential as his trumpet, teaching generations of vocalists that swinging a phrase mattered more than hitting it straight. Nearly a century later, popular music is still speaking a language he invented.

the sound in question

1928

West End BluesLouis Armstrong