Red Beans and Music: A Buster Holmes Inspired Playlist for Your Kitchen

Turn up the volume and put a pot of beans on the stove, I have an amazing Jazz Playlist for your kitchen so you can channel the spirit of Buster Holmes. This playlist features some of my favorite jazz classics from the era of Louis Armstrong, “Kid Sheik” Cola, and Preservation Hall.

Want to learn more about Buster Holmes? You can read my article about the King of Red Beans here.

Buster Holmes at his restaurant in 1981. (NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune)

There are restaurants, and then there are institutions—places that don’t just serve food but become a part of a city’s soul. Buster Holmes’ kitchen was one of those places. If you walked into his restaurant in the French Quarter, you’d find more than a plate of the best red beans and rice you could get for pocket change. You’d find a place humming with the sound of conversation, laughter, and—if you were lucky—the unmistakable sounds of New Orleans jazz.

Buster was a jazz enthusiast who welcomed musicians with cheap food, whiskey, and a space to unwind or jam after performing at Preservation Hall, which was just a few blocks away. You could bump into legends like Louis Armstrong or George “Kid Sheik” Cola. There are stories of impromptu performances and second-line parades starting inside the restaurant.

Buster was known for his generosity and often fed musicians whether they had the money or not. He understood that jazz and food in New Orleans both came from the same place—tradition, celebration, and struggle.

One of Buster Holmes legacies was his love of the music. That legacy is still alive in every pot of slow-simmered beans I make and in every note of the songs below that play through my speaker. His kitchen was proof that food and music aren’t just cultural expressions—they’re a way of life.

Let these songs fill your home with that same warmth and rhythm that once filled his restaurant with and let the music take you straight back to the heart of New Orleans. That’s where I’ll be as I take in the sounds and smells of this amazing Monday tradition in my own kitchen.

“Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans” – Louis Armstrong

“St. James Infirmary” – Preservation Hall Jazz Band

“Cap’s Blues” – George “Kid Sheik” Cola

“When the Saints Go Marching In” – Louis Armstrong & His All-Stars

“Big Butter and Egg Man” – Sweet Emma Barrett

“Tiger Rag” – Jelly Roll Morton

“Bourbon Street Parade” – Paul Barbarin

“Careless Love” – George Lewis

“Just a Closer Walk with Thee” – Mahalia Jackson & Louis Armstrong

“Iko Iko” – The Dixie Cups

“What a Wonderful World” – Louis Armstrong

“We Shall Walk Through the Streets of the City” – George “Kid Sheik” Cola

“St. Louis Blues” – Preservation Hall Jazz Band

“It Ain’t My Fault” – Dejan’s Olympia Brass Band

“Jazz Funeral” – Dejan’s Olympia Brass Band

If you have any favorite jazz songs that I don’t have on the list, please let me know in the comments below. If you enjoyed this playlist for your kitchen, please share it on social media!

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Red Beans and Eric

Eric Olsson is the food blogger of RedBeansAndEric.com. He publishes new recipes and interviews weekly. He has developed recipes and written articles for the famous Camellia brand in New Orleans, Louisiana. He has been mentioned in Louisiana Cookin‘ magazine and has had recipes featured in Taste of Home magazine – with his Creole Turkey recipe being runner up in their annual Thanksgiving recipe contest. He lives outside of Detroit, Michigan, with his wife and four children.