The smile that changed music forever — told by the man himself.
Louis Armstrong is one of the most recognizable figures in jazz, with his incomparable trumpet playing and beaming smile. This video profiles Armstrong from his humble beginnings in New Orleans through his career as America's Ambassador of Good Will. Film clips, vintage photographs and interviews with family, friends, fellow musicians and Armstrong himself are woven together to tell the story of this legendary personality.
Direction
Akomfrah's poetic montage elevates standard bio-doc format.
Editing
Armstrong's voice threading decades like a solo.
Production
Rare footage that makes you mourn what archives lost.
Director
John Akomfrah
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Akomfrah made this for BBC's 'Black Britain' series before his acclaimed Features — it's essentially his jazz phase.
Armstrong's 1931 Berlin concert footage here was buried for decades; Goebbels tried to suppress his popularity in Germany.
No ratings yet
Sign in to join the discussion — comments are spoiler-gated to your watch progress.
Discussion starters
GB
