Joseph Nathan Oliver (1881-1938) was a pioneer of the Jazz Age through his famed Creole Jazz Band. He was born and raised in Louisiana, where he frequented brass and dance bands. Performances under that official name began in Chicago circa 1922, with Oliver on the cornet and a series of protégés by his side. His style of "Hot Jazz" differed from the solos that preceded his work. Rather than having a single artist step forward to improvise a melody, he and his remarkable pupils preferred collective improvisation. Though it may be consuming at first, this cadence, or lack thereof, has the band members simultaneously melodies random tunes as they see fit. His monicker of King Oliver was fondly given by Louie Armstrong, his most acclaimed student. In fact, Armstrong's first cornet was entrusted to him by Oliver himself. …show more content…
Mutes are tools which cover the bell of an instrument, and alters the tone or pitch in some way. Physically, Oliver was distinct thanks to a childhood misfortune that marked him with a visible eye disfigurement. To avoid unfavorable judgement from audience members, he wore a derby hat pulled down low to disguise the imperfection. Altogether, Oliver and Armstrong attracted flocks of fans to their Lincoln Garden dance hall venue. In 1923, the group recorded one of their most renowned successes: "Dippermouth Blues." It was thus named based on Louie Armstrong's "dipper" nickname, which arose because of his peculiar blowing