Here’s the High Sierra Jazz Band — recorded by Tom Warner at the March 2010 Monterey Dixieland Festival — performing their dazzling version of Louis Armstrong’s POTATO HEAD BLUES. The band is made up of Pieter Meijers, reeds, co-leader; Howard Miyata, trombone; Bryan Shaw, cornet; Bruce Huddleston, piano; Stan Huddleston, banjo, guitar; Charlie Castro, drums; Earl McKee, sousaphone. On this dazzling homage to Louis, the front line turns into a trumpet / cornet section. What I need to know (and will probably never find out at this late date) is which of Louis’s Chicago or New Orleans pals apparently had a head that resembled a potato and was thus immortalized? Whose physiognomy inspired this hot tune?
I wish I could have this performance on my clock radio — music to wake anyone up in the best way!
P.S. Tom Warner’s YouTube channel is “tdub1941,” a cornucopia of good things.
