Floyd Levin (born September 24, 1922) is a jazz historian who has been published in many magazines, including Down Beat, Jazz Journal International and American Rag. He has received several awards for his work, including the Leonard Feather Communicator Award, given annually by the Los Angeles Jazz Society. He is the author of "Classic Jazz : A Personal View of the Music and the Musicians" which chronicles his first-hand encounters with many jazz musicians such as: Benny Carter, Barney Bigard, Artie Shaw, and Louis Armstrong. Down Beat is an American magazine devoted to jazz. ... Bennett Lester Carter (August 8, 1907 – July 12, 2003) was an American jazz alto saxophonist, trumpeter, composer, arranger, and bandleader. ... Albany Leon Barney Bigard (March 3, 1906 _ June 27, 1980) was an American jazz clarinetist. ... Artie Shaw Arthur Arshawsky (May 23, 1910 – December 30, 2004), better known as Artie Shaw, was an accomplished jazz clarinetist, composer, bandleader, and writer. ... Louis Daniel Armstrong (July 4, 1900[1] – July 6, 1971) (also known by the nicknames Satchmo for satchel-mouth and Pops) was an American jazz musician. ...