Louis Armstrong and His Hot Seven - Potato Head Blues

1927 strikes again! “Potato Head Blues” was the pinnacle of dixieland jazz and Louis Armstrong’s lengthy stop time trumpet solo near the end of the song effectively ended the first period of jazz history. Every note (and every rest) has a purpose and his style had something no one else had - something that would soon be called “swing.” His natural syncopations and entrances just behind the beat were both more interesting and more danceable than your average dixieland band. Despite his long career after this song, he never topped this solo.

Louis Armstrong’s instrumental prowess (along with the talents of jazz musicians like Sindney Bechet and Bix Beiderbecke - but with Louis the head of the class) helped place the individual jazz musician above the full ensemble. By the swing era of the 30s, many jazz songs were written with just a “head” (played by the full band) followed by space to highlight talented individual performers within the band.

I don’t post “Potato Head Blues” just because of its influence, however. I post it because I have no problem calling it the best song of the 1920s. It’s that good.