<P> Armstrong was born and raised in New Orleans . Coming to prominence in the 1920s as an `` inventive '' trumpet and cornet player , Armstrong was a foundational influence in jazz , shifting the focus of the music from collective improvisation to solo performance . Around 1922 , he followed his mentor , Joe `` King '' Oliver , to Chicago to play in the Creole Jazz Band . In the Windy City , he networked with other jazz musicians , reconnecting with his friend , Bix Beiderbecke , and made new contacts , which included Hoagy Carmichael and Lil Hardin . He earned a reputation at `` cutting contests '' , and moved to New York in order to join Fletcher Henderson 's band . </P>
louis armstrong is considered the father of jazz because
shifting the focus of the music from collective improvisation to solo performance