"Hi, pops"--high C's--"swingin' that jive right around?"--more high C's--"How's about passin' the muggles?"--with still more high C's interspersed with some fine ideas.
The above is a rough condensation of what one Louis Armstrong now at the Southland with his band has done for jazz. "Satchmo'" has given jazz a colorful lexicography all its own, and even more important has exercised tremendous influence on the music itself.
As far as the slang goes, no one knows how much of it Louis really did start and how much of it was river boat and Harlemese. But the fact remains that a great many of his early records contained the slang that musicians use today. You won't hear musicians talking about "licorice sticks" (a jitterbug term for clarinet) whereas you will hear them talking about "gage" and "tea" (two terms for marijuana).
As far as musical influence goes, every trumpet player in the country copies Louis to some extent. The best "solo" Harry James ever played, "Just a Mood" was lifted note for note from one of the old Louis records. Bunny Berigan, Roy Eldridge, and the whole crowd not only copy his ideas, but try unsuccessfully to imitate his phrasing, the secret of Louis' greatness. Father Hines learned some of it from him and started the "trumpet" style piano from which present piano-men get their ideas. Louis can take three notes and make them mean more than fifty by anybody else. The reasons are his magnificently emotional tone and his ability to phrase so simply and sincerely that the notes take on meaning and life. They cease to be mere technical cadenzas or glissandos and become a pattern that conveys an idea. It is for developing this idea of emotional simplicity, of taste in playing, and of making a solo and ideas contained within it a unified whole that Louis is acclaimed as the papa of most good jazz in this country.
And don't believe that Louis has forgotten how to play the marvelous horn he used to, that he no longer does anything but blow high C's; the reason for this misapprehension is that in general Louis isn't playing as great jazz as he was ten years ago--for the very good reason that he was just about making jazz at the time and peaks like that are impossible to stay on. Now the critics listen to him and compare him to his greatest period and say that it isn't as good. Of course not--but despite occasional of-nights, his playing is still a great deal better than anybody else's. For samples of Louis at his greatest, get "I Can't Give You Anything But Love, baby" or any of the Earl Hines-Armstrong series of duets.
In regard to the present band backing Louis, it is an excellent outfit. Jay Higgenbothem (trombone) is one of the greatest, Pops Foster (bass) removes all walls and other obstacles when he starts swingin', and Red Allen (trumpet) offers excellent opportunity for comparison with Louis with his fast technical style.
And if you think that Louis' playing is something he just happened to pick up on trumpet, listen to some of his vocals--things like "Nobody Knows De Trouble I've Seen" (Decca)--and despite the complete absence of anything even resembling the usual human singing voice, you'll get an idea of simplicity and sincere, deep emotion that'll make the Clinton-Shaw-Dorsey school of riffing look extremely sick.
Notes between the notes: Tommy Reynolds, playing at the Parker House next Wednesday, showed up as having quite a good band in his battle of music with Red Norvo a short time ago... Casa Loma's new album for Decca is supposed to be excellent, with Louis setting in as guest trumpet player on "Rockin" Chair"... Court decisions get more complicated with one judge in New Orleans recently handing down a decision to the effect that "the aforesaid plaintiff does have a solid band in the true New Orleans style, and should therefore he paid his wages."
