The 1920s were a time of victory, freedom, and widespread growth of jazz. World War I had just ended and many Americans felt free and ready to party. This has led to an increase in the number of people attending bars and nightclubs. One of the most famous names in jazz is Louis Armstrong, who became a big hit at nightclubs like the Cotton Club. Armstrong was ordered to perform "(What Did I Do To Be So) Black and Blue" by a New York gangster, Dutch Schultz. His version of "Black and Blue" became one of the most popular versions of this song. Louis Armstrong's version of the song depicts 1920s jazz very well because of its use of breaks and riffs. For example, his repetition of the phrase “Black and Blue.” Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay However, his style differed from the upbeat, fast-paced jazz that many were accustomed to in the 1920s. Louis Armstrong introduced a more bluesy approach to jazz that brought about a change in the late 1920s. This can be seen through " (What Did I Do To Be So) Black and Blue” as the song has a different style than the jazz many were accustomed to. It uses blue notes, a blues chord progression, call and response, improvisation, and a repetitive lyrical structure. These characteristics differed from traditional jazz and it attracted the interest of many, but not only, Americans. While Armstrong was in Ghana as the United States Ambassador, he performed several songs for the 100,000 citizens in attendance at his concert. During the concert, numerous riots broke out, resulting in police using batons on the audience. Out of sympathy for the people, Armstrong played “Black and Blue.” “He evoked the feeling of struggle within a people who were emerging with optimism from decades of colonialism but who were not yet free, this feeling of shared struggle was mutual. Among the scenes captured by the film crew was a photo of Nkrumah as Armstrong sang “Black and Blue.” The Prime Minister had tears in his eyes. » Armstrong's version of the song "Black and Blue" was not the only version of the song. One of the earliest performances of the song was written by Fats Waller and sung by Edith Wilson. This version of the song was written as a jazz piece. It was an example of underground jazz using two singers and a piano. The original meaning of this version was the unfair treatment of African Americans. At the time this was written, racism was still prevalent and Waller wanted to shed light on the restricted rights and privileges African Americans had compared to other races in the United States. Many restaurants, jobs, swimming pools, and even water fountains and restrooms were racially segregated. This unfair advantage led African Americans to get harder jobs, with more hours and less pay. However, Louis Armstrong took a very different approach to the song in his version. He stripped down the lyrics and added his own touches to the instrumentals. He tried to take a more humorous approach to the song due to where he played his music. He played clubs where mostly rich white people were there, and they didn't want to hear about the oppression of African Americans when they were trying to relax and party. “In Hot Chocolates, Razaf's lyrics were preceded by a verse in which a dark-skinned woman complains about prejudice/.