RIP, Jelly Roll Morton (1885-1941)

Jelly Roll Morton, the first major arranger of jazz, died of heart failure and asthma on July 10, 1941, in Los Angeles, California. He is buried in the Calvary Cemetery in Los Angeles.

Morton claimed that he invented jazz, and while that claim is a stretch, he was certainly an important transitional figure between the stiff approach of ragtime and the flexibility and freedom of jazz. Critic Scott Janow points out that "Morton's accomplishments as an early innovator are so vast that he did not really need to stretch the truth."

In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons recommends two albums by Jelly Roll Morton: Jelly Roll Morton and His Red Hot Peppers, 1926-1927, Volume 3 (RCA France 731 059); and Jelly Roll Morton, 1923-1924 (Milestone M-47018, 2 LPs). These are available in vinyl only. There is a CD version of the latter album, but it omits the cuts from side 4 of the vinyl LP.

Jim Determan, who has updated Lyons's list of albums for CD, recommends instead the following titles:

• Jelly Roll Morton: The Jelly Roll Morton Centennial (Purchase at Amazon.com.)
• Jelly Roll Morton: 1926-1930 (Purchase at Amazon.com.)
• Jelly Roll Morton: Birth of the Hot (Purchase at Amazon.com.)
• Jelly Roll Morton: Rare Recordings of Piano Solos, 1923-1926 (Purchase at Amazon.com.)

Jelly Roll Morton plays "Hesitation Blues" here:

Robert
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Recent Links :: 9 June 2015

Louis Armstrong: At The Wonderful World of Louis Armstrong, Ricky Riccardi discusses Terry Teachout's play about Louis Armstrong, "Satchmo at the Waldorf."

Art Ensemble of Chicago: At Rifftides, Doug Ramsey shares a clip of the Art Ensemble of Chicago playing at the 1991 Berlin Jazzfest.

Anthony Braxton: Hrayr Attarian reviews Anthony Braxton's album, Trio And Duet, at All About Jazz. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Anthony Braxton: On June 4, his birthday, Anthony Braxton was the Jazz Musician of the Day at All About Jazz.

Anthony Braxton, Max Roach: New Jazz United shares a clip of Anthony Braxton and Max Roach playing "Birth." (The song is available on the album, Birth and Rebirth, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

Duke Ellington: Mick Carlon reviews the book, The Cambridge Companion to Duke Ellington, at JazzTimes. (Purchase the book from Amazon.com.)

Billie Holiday: At JazzTimes, Nate Chinen discusses the Billie Holiday centennial.

Jelly Roll Morton: According to JazzTimes, ASCAP will induct Jelly Roll Morton into the ASCAP Jazz Wall of Fame in June.

Art Tatum: New Jazz United shares a clip of Art Tatum playing "A Foggy Day" with the Buddy de Franco Quartet. (The song is available on the album, Art Tatum — Buddy de Franco Quartet, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

Robert
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Recent Links :: 22 October 2014

Louis Armstrong: According to Allan Kozinn at the New York Times, the Louis Armstrong House Museum has opened an exhibition of Armstrong memorabilia from the collection of one-time jazz club owner Jack Bradley, who amassed what is said to be the world’s largest private collection of Armstrongiana.

Louis Armstrong: At The Wonderful World of Louis Armstrong, Ricky Riccardi discusses the apocryphal story that, in the late 1950s, Vice President Richard Nixon unwittingly carried Louis Armstrong's marijuana stash across customs.

Clifford Brown: At All About Jazz, Victor L. Schermer interviews Don Glanden, the Division Head of Graduate Jazz Studies at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, about his documentary on Clifford Brown, "Brownie Speaks."

Chick Corea: At The Guardian, John Fordham reviews the Chick Corea album, Trilogy. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Bill Evans: In his October 18 Weekend Wax Bits, Marc Myers reports that Concord will release Bill Evans's The Complete Village Vanguard Recordings, 1961, in November. He also shares a video of Tony Bennett with Bill Evans. (Pre-order the album from Amazon.com.)

Dizzy Gillespie: On October 21, his birthday, Dizzy Gillespie was the Jazz Musician of the Day at All About Jazz.

Jelly Roll Morton: On October 20, his birthday, Jelly Roll Morton was the Jazz Musician of the Day at All About Jazz.

Annie Ross: At All About Jazz, John Ephland reviews the upcoming album Annie Ross: To Lady with Love.

Horace Silver: At All About Jazz, Marc Davis reviews the Horace Silver album, Six Pieces Of Silver. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Robert
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Happy Birthday, Jelly Roll Morton

Jelly Roll Morton, the first major arranger of jazz, was born on October 20, 1890 (based on his baptismal certificate), in New Orleans, Louisiana. Morton claimed that he invented jazz, and while that claim is a stretch, he was certainly an important transitional figure between the stiff approach of ragtime and the flexibility and freedom of jazz.

In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons recommends two albums by Jelly Roll Morton: Jelly Roll Morton and His Red Hot Peppers, 1926-1927, Volume 3 (RCA France 731 059); and Jelly Roll Morton, 1923-1924 (Milestone M-47018, 2 LPs). These are available in vinyl only. There is a CD version of the latter album, but it omits the cuts from side 4 of the vinyl LP.

Jim Determan, who has updated Lyons's list of albums for CD, recommends instead the following titles:

• Jelly Roll Morton: The Jelly Roll Morton Centennial (Purchase at Amazon.com.)
  
• Jelly Roll Morton: 1926-1930 (Purchase at Amazon.com.)
  
• Jelly Roll Morton: Birth of the Hot (Purchase at Amazon.com.)
  
• Jelly Roll Morton: Rare Recordings of Piano Solos, 1923-1926 (Purchase at Amazon.com.)
  

Jelly Roll Morton and his Red Hot Peppers play "Dead Man Blues" here. It is a good example of Morton's sense of collective improvisation.

Robert
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RIP, Jelly Roll Morton (1885-1941)

Jelly Roll Morton, the first major arranger of jazz, died of heart failure and asthma on July 10, 1941, in Los Angeles, California. He is buried in the Calvary Cemetery in Los Angeles.

Morton claimed that he invented jazz, and while that claim is a stretch, he was certainly an important transitional figure between the stiff approach of ragtime and the flexibility and freedom of jazz. Critic Scott Janow points out that "Morton's accomplishments as an early innovator are so vast that he did not really need to stretch the truth."

In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons recommends two albums by Jelly Roll Morton: Jelly Roll Morton and His Red Hot Peppers, 1926-1927, Volume 3 (RCA France 731 059); and Jelly Roll Morton, 1923-1924 (Milestone M-47018, 2 LPs). These are available in vinyl only. There is a CD version of the latter album, but it omits the cuts from side 4 of the vinyl LP.

Jim Determan, who has updated Lyons's list of albums for CD, recommends instead the following titles:

• Jelly Roll Morton: The Jelly Roll Morton Centennial (Purchase at Amazon.com.)
• Jelly Roll Morton: 1926-1930 (Purchase at Amazon.com.)
• Jelly Roll Morton: Birth of the Hot (Purchase at Amazon.com.)
• Jelly Roll Morton: Rare Recordings of Piano Solos, 1923-1926 (Purchase at Amazon.com.)

Jelly Roll Morton and his Red Hot Peppers play "Blackbottom Stomp" here:

Robert
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Recent Links :: 12 January 2014

Herbie Hancock: According to Jeff Tamarkin at JazzTimes, Herbie Hancock has been named the 2014 Norton Professor of Poetry at Harvard.

Ornette Coleman, James P. Johnson, Charles Mingus, Thelonious Monk, Jelly Roll Morton, George Russell: At Gramophone, Philip Clark discusses the intersection of classical music and jazz. Among his examples are:

• James P. Johnson's "Yamekraw." (The song is available on the album, The Original James P. Johnson: 1942-1945, Piano Solos, which can be purchased from Smithsonian Folkways.)
• Jelly Roll Morton's "Black Bottom Stomp." (The song is available on the album, Jelly Roll Morton: 1926-1930, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)
• Thelonious Monk's "Brilliant Corners." (The song is available on the album, Brilliant Corners, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)
• Charles Mingus's "Pitecanthropus Erectus." (The song is available on the album, Pithecanthropus Erectus, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)
• Ornette Coleman's "Forms and Sounds." (The song is available on the album, Forms & Sounds, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)
• George Russell’s "Concerto for Billy the Kid." (The song is available on the album, Jazz Workshop, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

Fats Waller: Jazz Lives shares a video of the Fats Waller tune, "Have a Little Dream on Me." (The song is available on the album, Have a Little Dream on Me, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

Robert
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Recent Links :: 22 October 2013

John Coltrane, Miles Davis: The radio program, In the Groove ... Jazz and Beyond, shares cuts from the John Coltrane Quartet and Miles Davis.

Duke Ellington: At Brain Pickings, Maria Popova discusses Tony Teachout's book, Duke: A Life of Duke Ellington. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Dizzy Gillespie: On his birthday, October 21, Dizzy Gillespie was the Jazz Musician of the Day at All About Jazz.

Jelly Roll Morton: On October 20, his birthday, Jelly Roll Morton was the Jazz Musician of the Day at All About Jazz.

Fats Waller: Jazz Lives shares a video of Fats Waller performing "I Believe in Miracles."

Robert
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Happy Birthday, Jelly Roll Morton

Jelly Roll Morton, the first major arranger of jazz, was born on October 20, 1890 (based on his baptismal certificate), in New Orleans, Louisiana. Morton claimed that he invented jazz, and while that claim is a stretch, he was certainly an important transitional figure between the stiff approach of ragtime and the flexibility and freedom of jazz.

In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons recommends two albums by Jelly Roll Morton: Jelly Roll Morton and His Red Hot Peppers, 1926-1927, Volume 3 (RCA France 731 059); and Jelly Roll Morton, 1923-1924 (Milestone M-47018, 2 LPs). These are available in vinyl only. There is a CD version of the latter album, but it omits the cuts from side 4 of the vinyl LP.

Jim Determan, who has updated Lyons's list of albums for CD, recommends instead the following titles:

• Jelly Roll Morton: The Jelly Roll Morton Centennial (Purchase at Barnes & Noble.)
  
• Jelly Roll Morton: 1926-1930 (Purchase at Amazon.com.)
  
• Jelly Roll Morton: Birth of the Hot (Purchase at Amazon.com.)
  
• Jelly Roll Morton: Rare Recordings of Piano Solos, 1923-1926 (Purchase at Amazon.com.)
  

Jelly Roll Morton and his Red Hot Peppers play "Dead Man Blues" here. It is a good example of Morton's sense of collective improvisation.

Robert
http://www.facebook.com/corejazz?sk=wall

RIP, Jelly Roll Morton (1885-1941)

Jelly Roll Morton, the first major arranger of jazz, died of heart failure and asthma on July 10, 1941, in Los Angeles, California. He is buried in the Calvary Cemetery in Los Angeles.

Morton claimed that he invented jazz, and while that claim is a stretch, he was certainly an important transitional figure between the stiff approach of ragtime and the flexibility and freedom of jazz. Critic Scott Janow points out that "Morton's accomplishments as an early innovator are so vast that he did not really need to stretch the truth."

Jelly Roll Morton and his Red Hot Peppers play "Blackbottom Stomp" here:

In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons recommends two albums by Jelly Roll Morton: Jelly Roll Morton and His Red Hot Peppers, 1926-1927, Volume 3 (RCA France 731 059); and Jelly Roll Morton, 1923-1924 (Milestone M-47018, 2 LPs). These are available in vinyl only. There is a CD version of the latter album, but it omits the cuts from side 4 of the vinyl LP.

Jim Determan, who has updated Lyons's list of albums for CD, recommends instead the following titles:

• Jelly Roll Morton: The Jelly Roll Morton Centennial (Purchase at Amazon.com.)
• Jelly Roll Morton: 1926-1930 (Purchase at Amazon.com.)
• Jelly Roll Morton: Birth of the Hot (Purchase at Amazon.com.)
• Jelly Roll Morton: Rare Recordings of Piano Solos, 1923-1926 (Purchase at Amazon.com.)

Robert

Recent Links :: 28 May 2013

• Louis Armstrong: Ricky Riccardi discusses a YouTube video featuring footage of Louis and the All Stars in Indiana in 1961 at The Wonderful World of Louis Armstrong.
• Miles Davis: On May 26, his birthday, Miles Davis was Jazz Musician of the Day at All About Jazz.
• Coleman Hawkins: An excerpt from Clifford Thompson's story "For Bean," about Coleman Hawkins, appears at All About Jazz. (The story is available in the book, Love for Sale and Other Essays, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)
• Woody Herman: David Brent Johnson discusses the bands of Woody Herman in the 1940s in an episode of "Night Lights" at Indiana Public Media.
• Jelly Roll Morton: According to Brilliant Corners, the Duplex Mystery Jazz Hour at WZBC 90.3 is starting a new series, "I Know the Name, But Why Should I Care?," the first episode of which features Jelly Roll Morton.
• Sarah Vaughan: Kevin Whitehead reviews the new Sarah Vaughan box set, Divine: The Jazz Albums 1954-1958, on Fresh Air from WHYY. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Robert
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Happy Birthday, Jelly Roll Morton

Jelly Roll Morton, the first major arranger of jazz, was born on October 20, 1890 (based on his baptismal certificate), in New Orleans, Louisiana. Morton claimed that he invented jazz, and while that claim is a stretch, he was certainly an important transitional figure between the stiff approach of ragtime and the flexibility and freedom of jazz.

In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons recommends two albums by Jelly Roll Morton: Jelly Roll Morton and His Red Hot Peppers, 1926-1927, Volume 3 (RCA France 731 059); and Jelly Roll Morton, 1923-1924 (Milestone M-47018, 2 LPs). These are available in vinyl only. There is a CD version of the latter album, but it omits the cuts from side 4 of the vinyl LP.

Jim Determan, who has updated Lyons's list of albums for CD, recommends instead the following titles:

• Jelly Roll Morton: The Jelly Roll Morton Centennial (Purchase at Barnes & Noble.)
  
• Jelly Roll Morton: 1926-1930 (Purchase at Amazon.com.)
  
• Jelly Roll Morton: Birth of the Hot (Purchase at Amazon.com.)
  
• Jelly Roll Morton: Rare Recordings of Piano Solos, 1923-1926 (Purchase at Amazon.com.)
  

Jelly Roll Morton and his Red Hot Peppers play "Dead Man Blues" here. It is a good example of Morton's sense of collective improvisation.

Robert
http://www.facebook.com/corejazz?sk=wall

Happy Birthday, Jelly Roll Morton

Jelly Roll Morton, the first major arranger of jazz, was born on September 20, 1885, in New Orleans, Louisiana. Morton claimed that he invented jazz, and while that claim is a stretch, he was certainly an important transitional figure between the stiff approach of ragtime and the flexibility and freedom of jazz.

In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons recommends two albums by Jelly Roll Morton: Jelly Roll Morton and His Red Hot Peppers, 1926-1927, Volume 3 (RCA France 731 059); and Jelly Roll Morton, 1923-1924 (Milestone M-47018, 2 LPs). These are available in vinyl only. There is a CD version of the latter album, but it omits the cuts from side 4 of the vinyl LP.

Jim Determan, who has updated Lyons's list of albums for CD, recommends instead the following titles:

• Jelly Roll Morton: The Jelly Roll Morton Centennial (Purchase at Barnes & Noble.)
  
• Jelly Roll Morton: 1926-1930 (Purchase at Amazon.com.)
  
• Jelly Roll Morton: Birth of the Hot (Purchase at Amazon.com.)
  
• Jelly Roll Morton: Rare Recordings of Piano Solos, 1923-1926 (Purchase at Amazon.com.)
  

Jelly Roll Morton and his Red Hot Peppers play "Dead Man Blues" here. It is a good example of Morton's sense of collective improvisation.

Robert
http://www.facebook.com/corejazz?sk=wall

RIP, Jelly Roll Morton (1885-1941)

Jelly Roll Morton, the first major arranger of jazz, died of heart failure and asthma on July 10, 1941, in Los Angeles, California. He is buried in the Calvary Cemetery in Los Angeles.

Morton claimed that he invented jazz, and while that claim is a stretch, he was certainly an important transitional figure between the stiff approach of ragtime and the flexibility and freedom of jazz. Critic Scott Janow points out that "Morton's accomplishments as an early innovator are so vast that he did not really need to stretch the truth."

Jelly Roll Morton and his Red Hot Peppers play "Blackbottom Stomp" here:

In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons recommends two albums by Jelly Roll Morton: Jelly Roll Morton and His Red Hot Peppers, 1926-1927, Volume 3 (RCA France 731 059); and Jelly Roll Morton, 1923-1924 (Milestone M-47018, 2 LPs). These are available in vinyl only. There is a CD version of the latter album, but it omits the cuts from side 4 of the vinyl LP.

Jim Determan, who has updated Lyons's list of albums for CD, recommends instead the following titles:

• Jelly Roll Morton: The Jelly Roll Morton Centennial (Purchase at Barnes & Noble.)
• Jelly Roll Morton: 1926-1930 (Purchase at Amazon.com.)
• Jelly Roll Morton: Birth of the Hot (Purchase at Amazon.com.)
• Jelly Roll Morton: Rare Recordings of Piano Solos, 1923-1926 (Purchase at Amazon.com.)

Robert

Recent Links :: October 8, 2011

• Louis Armstrong: Ricky Riccardi provides cuts to listen to in conjunction with chapter 11 of his book, What a Wonderful World: The Magic of Louis Armstrong's Later Years, at his blog, The Wonderful World of Louis Armstrong. (Purchase the book, What a Wonderful World: The Magic of Louis Armstrong's Later Years, at Barnes & Noble.)
  

• Anthony Braxton: Nate Chinen interviews composer and reed player Anthony Braxton at The Gig. Chinen also has a piece on Braxton in The New York Times.
  
• Anthony Braxton: Howard Mandel provides a video of Anthony Braxton working with his ensemble class at Wesleyan University at Jazz Beyond Jazz.
  
• Miles Davis: Fred Kaplan reviews the album, The Miles Davis Quintet Live in Europe 1967 - The Bootleg Series, Vol. 1, at Stereophile. Tim Niland reviews the album at Music and More. (Purchase the CD, The Miles Davis Quintet Live in Europe 1967 - The Bootleg Series, Vol. 1, at Barnes & Noble.)
  
• Miles Davis: Nicholas Thompson compares the recently deceased Steve Jobs to Miles Davis is The New Yorker.
  
• Miles Davis: Miles Davis Online has a weekly round-up of news about the great trumpeter.
  
• Freddie Hubbard: C. Michael Bailey reviews the Freddie Hubbard album, Pinnacle, at All About Jazz. (Purchase the CD, Pinnacle, at Barnes & Noble.)
  
• Jelly Roll Morton: Riverwalk Jazz featured the music of Jelly Roll Morton.
  

Robert
http://www.facebook.com/corejazz?sk=wall

Happy Birthday, Jelly Roll Morton

Jelly Roll Morton, the first major arranger of jazz, was born on September 20, 1885 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Morton claimed that he invented jazz, and while that claim is a stretch, he was certainly an important transitional figure between the stiff approach of ragtime and the flexibility and freedom of jazz.

Jelly Roll Morton and his Red Hot Peppers play "Dead Man Blues" here. It is a good example of Morton's sense of collective improvisation.

In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons recommends two albums by Jelly Roll Morton: Jelly Roll Morton and His Red Hot Peppers, 1926-1927, Volume 3 (RCA France 731 059); and Jelly Roll Morton, 1923-1924 (Milestone M-47018, 2 LPs). These are available in vinyl only. There is a CD version of the latter album, but it omits the cuts from side 4 of the vinyl LP.
Jim Determan, who has updated Lyons's list of albums for CD, recommends instead the following titles:

• Jelly Roll Morton: The Jelly Roll Morton Centennial (Purchase at Barnes & Noble.)
  
• Jelly Roll Morton: 1926-1930 (Purchase at Amazon.com.)
  
• Jelly Roll Morton: Birth of the Hot (Purchase at Amazon.com.)
  
• Jelly Roll Morton: Rare Recordings of Piano Solos, 1923-1926 (Purchase at Amazon.com.)
  

Robert