Arbeitsblatt: Reading Louis Armstrong

Louis Armstrong Louis Armstrong is an American jazz legend. Armstrong is born in 1901 in New Orleans, Louisiana. He grows up in rough section of New Orleans, with little to eat and few clothes to wear. As boy, Armstrong falls in love with jazz music. He decides to be musician but has no money to buy an instrument. When Armstrong is about twelve years old, something happens that changes his life. On New Years Eve, 1913, when Armstrong is celebrating, he fires gun into the air. An angry police officer arrests him and he is sent to reform school for boys. Fortunately, the schools musical director recognizes Armstrongs talent and teaches him to sing and play the cornet. After he is released from the boys home, he works as labourer by day and plays with local bands at night. He borrows horn until he has money to buy one. By 1918, Armstrong is playing with good black bands around New Orleans. In 1922, he moves to Chicago to play with Creole Jazz Band, legend in jazz circles. In 1923, Armstrong divorces his first wife to marry Lillian Hardin, who recognizes his musical talent. The next year, they move to New York and Armstrong joins the Fletcher Henderson Band. In 1925, Armstrong goes back to Chicago. Between 1925 and 1928, he records the Hot Five series of jazz records. Many people think this is the best jazz ever recorded. Armstrong becomes role model for many jazz players. Louis Armstrong is not only famous for playing the cornet and singing. He also plays the trumpet and composes his own songs. He covers different areas of jazz and other styles like Dixieland, Swing, traditional pop or scat. Armstrong is one of the first truly popular AfricanAmerican entertainers. His talent and personality allows him access to the upper class of American society which is actually not possible for black men at this time. In the early 1930s Armstrong starts to travel all over the United States and Europe and soon becomes one of the most famous men in America. His popularity and his success grows in the 1950s and 1960s. His 1964 record, Hello, Dolly, and the 1968 song, What Wonderful World both become number one hits. Armstrong is married two more times, in 1938 to Alpha Smith and in 1942 to Lucille Wilson. He has no children. He dies in 1971 in New York. Vocabulary review Choose the word(s) with the closest meaning to the underlined words in the following sentences. 1. Armstrong grows up in rough section of New Orleans. a) big apartment building b) troubled area c) rich neighbourhood 2. Wile celebrating on New Years Eve, Armstrong fires gun into the air. a) burns b) shoots c) throw 3. After he is released, he works as labourer by day and plays music at night. a) studies b) gets older c)is allowed to go free 4. He moves to Chicago to play with the Creole Jazz Band, legend in jazz. circles. a) school b) something very famous c) radio show 5. The Creole Jazz band is legend in jazz circles. a) round b) cities c) groups of people with the same interests 6. Armstrong is role model for many jazz players. a) singer b) movie star c) an excellent example Match the words on the left with the correct meaning on the right. 1. instrument 2. labourer 3. local 4. recognize 5. talent 6. record 7. popular 8. commercial 9. arrest 10. reform a) someone who does physical work b)change c) take by the police d) liked by many people e) something used for producing musical sounds f) natural ability g) in or of the area h) keep for future use by putting on tape, film, etc. i) business j) know Writing Choose one question you want to write about! 1. What makes Louis Armstrong so special? Think about where he comes from and at what time he lives. 2. What makes the world for you wonderful world?