A strange mixture of genius, musician poet, snob and braggart, so our latest inductee into the Essential Collection was described by legendary record producer George Avakian.
Jelly Roll Morton or Ferdinand as his mother no doubt preferred to call him was born around 1890 in the home of jazz, New Orleans. He was learning his craft from a young age in bars and brothels but it wasn’t until 1926 that he secured a recording contract with the Victor Recording Company.
During a highly fertile and creative four year period he went on to record many of his most loved compositions, many of which are of course featured here!
We conclude with six cuts from 1939-1940 when he started to record again after a quiet period.
CD1
JELLY ROLL MORTON’S JAZZ BAND:-
1. London Blues
2: ST LOUIS LEVEE BAND:-
2. Soap Suds
3-18: JELLY ROLL MORTON’S RED HOT PEPPERS:-
3. Black Bottom Stomp
4. Smoke-House Blues
5. The Chant
6. Sidewalk Blues
7. Dead Man Blues
8. Steamboat Stomp
9. Grandpa’s Spells
10. Original Jelly Roll Blues
11. Doctor Jazz
12. Cannon Ball Blues
13. Hyena Stomp
14. Billy Goat Stomp
15. Wild Man Blues
16. Jungle Blues
17. Beale Street Blues
18. The Pearls
19 & 20: LEVEE SERENADERS:-
19. Midnight Mama
20. Mr Jelly Lord
21-24: JELLY ROLL MORTON’S RED HOT PEPPERS:-
21. Georgia Swing
22. Kansas City Stomps
23. Shoe Shiner’s Drag
24. Boogaboo
CD2
1 & 2: JELLY ROLL MORTON’S RED HOT PEPPERS:-
1. Shreveport
2. Mournful Serenade
3: JELLY ROLL MORTON & HIS ORCHESTRA:-
3. Deep Creek
4 & 5: JELLY ROLL MORTON (PIANO SOLOS):-
4. Seattle Hunch
5. Freakish
6-10: JELLY ROLL MORTON & HIS ORCHESTRA:-
6. Burnin’ The Iceberg
7. Courthouse Bump
8. Pretty Lil
9. Sweet Aneta Mine
10. New Orleans Bump
11-14: JELLY ROLL MORTON & HIS RED HOT PEPPERS:-
11. Sweet Peter
12. Jersey Joe
13. Mississippi Mildred
14. Mint Julep
15 & 16: JELLY ROLL MORTON TRIO:-
15. Smilin’ The Blues Away
16. Turtle Twist
17-20: JELLY ROLL MORTON & HIS RED HOT PEPPERS:-
17. Fussy Mabel
18. Ponchatrain
19. Low Gravy
20. Blue Blood Blues
21-24: JELLY ROLL MORTON’S NEW ORLEANS JAZZMEN:-
21. Climax Rag
22. Don’t You Leave Me Here
23. West End Blues
24. Ballin’ The Jack
25 & 26: JELLY ROLL MORTON’S SEVEN:-
25. Sweet Substitute
26. Panama
