[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TU4BS7MUDFE[/youtube]

OffBeat‘s June issue hits the streets of New Orleans today, and includes a story on Freddie Keppard, the great early New Orleans jazz trumpeter.

Keppard ascended to the New Orleans jazz throne after Buddy Bolden disappeared from public view, but left the city for California in 1912. His spot in the limelight was taken by King Oliver, who of course begat Louis Armstrong. Keppard is, unfortunately, perhaps best known for turning down an offer to make the first jazz recording. That honor went instead to the Original Dixieland Jass Band.

In this video, a clip from the first episode of Ken Burns‘ Jazz series, Wynton Marsalis demonstrates Keppard’s “laughing” style of trumpet playing, and a narrator tells the story of his move to Los Angeles and then to Chicago before turning down his recording offer.