Music of the 1920's
Musical Growth
With the end of the first world war brought new changes to the way music sounded and the way people listened to music. Radio stations started to pop up around the United States making music and news even more accessible to the common household. Also inventors came out new phonographs and gramophones called the Victrola and the Graphanola. Improvements were made to the microphone after the breakthrough of recording electrically. Because of the invention of the microphone new genres of music came about allowing singers to amplify while singing softly. The new technique of "crooning", whispering through speakers to each individual, was popular in the 1920's contrasting, yet equally as popular as the loud jazz and swing music.
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Musicians of the 1920's
Joe "King" Oliver
Joe "King" Oliver was the leader in the early 1920's. Not only was Oliver a great musician but his band was also the most popular band in the early 1920's. His band consisted of some of the greatest musicians of the 1920's including Louis Armstrong. When Oliver added Armstrong to his band, his bands popularity instantly grew due to the growing talent of Armstrong. Sadly, Oliver turned down a job offer from the popular night club, the Cotton Club, which resulted in his band's down fall and Oliver's struggle with finances. |
Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong started out mentoring under Joe "King" Oliver but eventually broke off from his band after he was encouraged to by his second wife. Louis had an extremely successful career as a musician. He was awed the jazz community with his revolutionary new sound and improvisation. He was considered the best jazz soloist on Broadway and he was the first "superstar" of jazz music. Armstrong influenced jazz music and improvising. |
Edward "Kid" Ory
Edward "Kid" Ory was known for playing the trombone in the 1920's. He was and has been considered the greatest trombonist in the 1920's and was in high demand by the people. He was the leader of the first African American band to be recorded in 1922. He had an extremely successful career. |