Useless to say what this piece represent in jazz music, what I mean is to consider the Louis performance compared to the many that recorded this; the difference is paradossal!
This is as good a reason as any why Miles Davis said, "You can't do anything on a horn that Louis Armstrong hasn't done." Meanwhile, Johnny Dodds never got enough acclaim.
This is to my mind the most exciting solo Louis ever played. It's high wire stuff and you will him to get through safely. We needn't have worried of course. How is music like this forgotten now?
I play trumpet, and its just a high Bb, not particularly hard to play, What amazes the trumpet player in me is his phrasing. Just rich in tone and flowing melodies that create lines of motion that just seem as if they a perfectly put together. A true trumpeter that will live on in the minds of modern Jazz players for many years to come.
This is actually as great a classic piece as any, ever. The best of jazz from the hearts, minds and souls of jazz greats is superb art, and Louis was above the greats and beyond category. I can Imagine (just a fantasy) that Bach, Beethoven, Bizet, all the souls with drive, imagination. respect, would praise him for what he did for musical art.
One of the greatest, for sure -- when the master was at the height of his technical powers. You can hear figures in Louis' solo that anticipate the renowned "West End Blues" cadenza. Dodds' spot is the perfect follow-up; together they formed a powerful one-two punch.