St. Louis Blues

When Bessie Smith stepped into Columbia's New York studio to record W.C. Handy's definitive composition, she was joined by a 23-year-old cornet player named Louis Armstrong. The room was tense, but the two massive talents ultimately elevated each other. Armstrong played muted, brilliantly improvised answering phrases that perfectly danced around Smith's majestic, booming vocal delivery. Fred Longshaw provided a mournful, steady pulse on the parlor organ. It remains one of the most historically significant recordings of the 1920s, perfectly marrying the regal power of classic blues with the inventive brilliance of early jazz.