Rulers of Jazz

12" Wooden Ruler made in U.S.A. of American-grown basswood. A combination of African-American musical traditions, European harmonic language and West African rhythms, jazz is a uniquely and unambiguously American art form. The dates listed are the artist’s birth and death years. We also list the instrument that the player was best known for. Just because we have focused mostly on early jazz players doesn’t mean we don’t recognize that there are some terrific younger players and composers working today. Jazz lives! The “head” image is of New Orleans’ favorite son Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong (1901-1971), a virtuoso trumpet and cornet player with a sophisticated improvisation technique and a gravelly voice. The illustration was influenced by the many photographs made of Armstrong by his friend Jack Bradley, which can be seen in the Louis Armstrong House Museum in Queens, New York.