The Jazz Legacy Project: Louis Armstrong, Pops: The Father of Jazz

Louis Armstrong, Pops: The Father of Jazz

Put simply, all American music after 1930 came from Louis Armstrong. From his trumpet masterpieces during his early days in New Orleans and Chicago, to his mass appeal vocal hits such as Hello Dolly and What a Wonderful World, he fathered the sound of American Popular Music. This show features trumpeter, singer, and Armstrong scholar Michael Cruse.

Each program is roughly 90 minutes, with the goal of bringing the casual jazz listener inside the minds and music of the most influential and interesting American musicians of all time. The life and music of the artist/composer is entertainingly narrated by the drummer, Mr. Justin Varnes, and seminal jazz pieces are played to illuminate the narration. These are NOT tribute concerts in the sense that the musicians are trying to recreate the original performances, but instead to celebrate the essence and accomplishments of the particular artist.