Finalist for the 2015 Pulitzer Prize in Biography."Profoundly evocative and altogether admirablehellip;The writing and detail are so brilliant that I found the volume revelatory." mdash;Tim Page; Washington PostNearly 100 years after bursting onto Chicagorsquo;s music scene under the tutelage of Joe "King" Oliver; Louis Armstrong is recognized as one of the most influential artists of the twentieth century. A trumpet virtuoso; seductive crooner; and consummate entertainer; Armstrong laid the foundation for the future of jazz with his stylistic innovations; but his story would be incomplete without examining how he struggled in a society seething with brutally racist ideologies; laws; and practices.Thomas Brothers picks up where he left off with the acclaimed Louis Armstrongs New Orleans; following the story of the great jazz musician into his most creatively fertile years in the 1920s and early 1930s; when Armstrong created not one but two modern musical styles. Brothers wields his own tremendous skill in making the connections between history and music accessible to everyone as Armstrong shucks and jives across the page. Through Brotherss expert ears and eyes we meet an Armstrong whose quickness and sureness; so evident in his performances; served him well in his encounters with racism while his music soared across the airwaves into homes all over America.Louis Armstrong; Master of Modernism blends cultural history; musical scholarship; and personal accounts from Armstrongs contemporaries to reveal his enduring contributions to jazz and popular music at a time when he and his bandmates couldnrsquo;t count on food or even a friendly face on their travels across the country. Thomas Brothers combines an intimate knowledge of Armstrongs life with the boldness to examine his place in such a racially charged landscape. In vivid prose and with vibrant photographs; Brothers illuminates the life and work of the man many consider to be the greatest American musician of the twentieth century.
#4592683 in eBooks 2009-11-19 2013-08-16File Name: B00DN5VF94
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. An exciting new resource for actorsBy JVldquo;Singing on Stage" is a fascinating; inspiring and most comprehensive introduction to singing. Aimed specifically at actors; it offers numerous tips and practical ideas for anyone wishing to explore the world of singing. My voice has improved already after reading this book. Highly recommended.rdquo;