"Potato Head Blues" has a walking bass line.

Question

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

Statement analysis begins with identifying the claim: 'Potato Head Blues has a walking bass line.'
Option 1: True. This would assert that the bass line features a steady, scalar, stepwise motion typical of a walking bass. In many early jazz recordings, a walking bass is a defining feature, but not all pieces employ it consistently throughout. While some parts of Potato Head Blues may imply movement in the bass, the overall texture of this Duke Ellington/Louis Armstrong era arrangement relies more on chordal accompaniment, ensemble phrasing, and syncopated horn lines rather than a continuous walking bass predominant throughout the tune.
Option 2: False. This aligns with the characterization that Potato Head Blues focuses attention on ensemble horn work and collective improvisation, with the bass not maintaining a strict, continuous walking line across the performance. The bass may outline chords or provide occasional, rhythmically varied support rather than a textbook walking bass pattern, which distinguishes it from later hard-swing or more strictly walking-bass-oriented pieces.
In evaluating the claim, it helps to recall that walking bass lines are common in many jazz traditions, but not universal in every classic recording. Some performances emphasize melodic lines and ensemble interactions over a continuous, even bass propulsion. Therefore, asserting that the track universally features a walking bass would oversimplify the arrangement and overlook the arranged texture and rhythm section choices of the recording.
Ultimately, the claim is not consistently supported by the recorded bass approach in Potato Head Blues, given its emphasis on horn ensemble interplay and phrasing, which does not center a persistent walking bass feel throughout the piece.

MUSIC-15A-43484-F25 Listening Quiz #3

"Potato Head Blues" has a walking bass line.

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