Jelly Roll Morton (October 20, c. 1890 – July 10, 1941) was the first great composer and piano player of Jazz. He was a talented arranger who wrote special scores that took advantage of the three-minute limitations of the 78 rpm records. But more than all these things, he was a real character whose spirit shines brightly through history, like his diamond studded smile.

As a teenager Jelly Roll Morton worked in the whorehouses of Storyville as a piano player. From 1904 to 1917 Jelly Roll rambled around the South. He worked as a gambler, pool shark, pimp, vaudeville comedian and as a pianist. He was an important transitional figure between ragtime and jazz piano styles.

He played on the West Coast from 1917 to 1922 and then moved to Chicago and where he hit his stride. Morton’s 1923 and 1924 recordings of piano solos for the Gennett label were very popular and influential. He formed the band the Red Hot Peppers and made a series of classic records for Victor. The recordings he made in Chicago featured some of the best New Orleans sidemen like Kid Ory, Barney Bigard, Johnny Dodds, Johnny St. Cyr and Baby Dodds.  Morton relocated to New York in 1928 and continued to record for Victor until 1930. His New York version of The Red Hot Peppers featured sidemen like Bubber Miley, Pops Foster and Zutty Singleton.

Like so many of the Hot Jazz musicians, the Depression was hard on Jelly Roll. Hot Jazz was out of style. The public preferred the smoother sounds of the big bands. He fell upon hard times after 1930 and even lost the diamond he had in his front tooth, but ended up playing piano in a dive bar in Washington D.C.

In 1938 Alan Lomax recorded him in for series of interviews about early Jazz for the Library of Congress, but it wasn’t until a decade later that these interviews were released to the public. Jelly Roll died just before the Dixieland revival rescued so many of his peers from musical obscurity. He blamed his declining health on a voodoo spell.

For more information about Jelly Roll Morton’s life and music you are encouraged to visit Monrovia Sound Studio’s Jelly Roll Morton Page

Jelly Roll Morton and his Orchestra	Jelly Roll Morton’s Incomparables
Jelly Roll Morton’s Jazz Trio	Jelly Roll Morton’s Red Hot Peppers
Jelly Roll Morton Trio	Jelly Roll Morton’s Kings Of Jazz
Jelly Roll Morton’s Six/Seven	Jelly Roll Morton’s Steamboat Four
Levee Serenaders	Jelly Roll Morton’s Jazz Band
St. Louis Levee Band	Jelly Roll Morton’s Jazz Kids
Jelly Roll Morton’s New Orleans Jazzmen

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Title	Recording Date	Recording Location	Company
After You’ve Gone (Henry Creamer / J. Turner Layton)	8-1938	Baltimore, Maryland	Swaggie JCS-116 (LP)
Animule Dance (Jelly Roll Morton)	12-14-1939	New York, New York	General unreleased R-2567
Animule Dance (Jelly Roll Morton)	12-16-1939	New York, New York	General
Big Foot Ham (Jelly Roll Morton)	6-9-1924	Richmond, Indiana	Gennett 5552
Blues (untitled blues song) (Jelly Roll Morton)	8-1938	Baltimore, Maryland	Swaggie S-1213 (LP)
Buddy Bolden’s Blues (Traditional arranged by Jelly Roll Morton)	12-16-1939	New York, New York	General 4003-A Commodore 589 A
Bucktown Blues (Boyd Senter)	6-9-1924	Richmond, Indiana	Gennett 5515-A
Creepy Feeling (Jelly Roll Morton)	12-1938	Washington, D.C.	Jazz Man 12 (146)
Don’t You Leave Me Here (Jelly Roll Morton)	12-16-1939	New York, New York	General 4005-A Commodore 591 A
Fat Meat And Greens (Jelly Roll Morton)	4-20-1926	Chicago, Illinois	Vocalion V.1019
Finger Buster (Jelly Roll Morton)	12-1938	Washington, D.C.	Jazz Man 12 (145)
Frances (Jelly Roll Morton)	7-8-1929	Chicago, Illinois	Victor V-38627-B
Freakish (Jelly Roll Morton)	7-8-1929	Chicago, Illinois	Victor 27565-B 49451-1
Freakish (Jelly Roll Morton)	7-8-1929	Chicago, Illinois	Victor V-38527-B 49451-2
Froggie Moore (Jelly Roll Morton)	April or May 1924	Chicago, Illinois	Paramount 14032B
Grandpa’s Spells (Jelly Roll Morton)	7-18-1923	Richmond, Indiana	Gennett 5218-A
Honeysuckle Rose (1) (Andy Razaf / Fats Waller)	8-1938	Baltimore, Maryland	Family SFR-DP 650
Honeysuckle Rose (2) (Andy Razaf / Fats Waller)	8-1938	Baltimore, Maryland	Swaggie 2-1213 (LP)
Honky Tonk Music (Jelly Roll Morton)	12-1938	Washington, D.C.	Jazz Man 11 (149)
I Ain’t Got Nobody (Graham / Williams)	8-1938	Baltimore, Maryland	Swaggie 2-1213 (LP)
I Would Do Anything For You (Hill / Williams / Hopkins)	8-1938	Baltimore, Maryland	Swaggie 2-1213 (LP)
Jelly Roll Blues (Jelly Roll Morton)	6-9-1924	Richmond, Indiana	Gennett 5552-A
Kansas City Stomp (Jelly Roll Morton)	7-18-1923	Richmond, Indiana	Gennett 5218-B
King Porter – A Stomp (Jelly Roll Morton)	7-17-1923	Richmond, Indiana	Gennett 5289-B
King Porter Stomp (Jelly Roll Morton)	4-20-1926	Chicago, Illinois	Vocalion A 1020
King Porter Stomp (Jelly Roll Morton)	8-1938	Baltimore, Maryland	Family SFR-DF 695
King Porter Stomp (Jelly Roll Morton)	12-14-1939	New York, New York	General 1020-B Commodore 591 B
London Blues (Jelly Roll Morton)	April or May 1924	Chicago, Illinois	Rialto un-numbered
Mamamita (Jelly Roll Morton)	4-24-1924	Chicago, Illinois	Paramount 12216
Mamamita (Jelly Roll Morton)	6-9-1924	Richmond, Indiana	Gennett 5632-B
Mamie’s Blues (Jelly Roll Morton)	12-16-1939	New York, New York	General 4001-A Commodore 587 A
Melancholy Baby (1) (Norton)	8-1938	Baltimore, Maryland	Swaggie 2-1213 (LP)
Melancholy Baby (2) (Norton)	8-1938	Baltimore, Maryland	Family
Michigan Water Blues (Clarence Williams)	12-18-1939	New York, New York	General 4002-A Commodore 588 A
Mister Joe (Jelly Roll Morton)	12-14-1939	New York, New York	General 4004-B Commodore 590 B
New Orleans Joys (Jelly Roll Morton)	7-17-1923	Richmond, Indiana	Gennett 5486-B 11538
New Orleans Joys (Jelly Roll Morton)	7-17-1923	Richmond, Indiana	Gennett 5486-B 11538-A
Organ Interlude (Jelly Roll Morton)	8-1938	Baltimore, Maryland	Swaggie JCS-116 (LP)
Original Rags (Scott Joplin)	12-14-1939	New York, New York	General 4001-A Commodore 587 A
Pep (Jelly Roll Morton)	7-8-1929	Chicago, Illinois	Victor V-38627-A
Perfect Rag (Jelly Roll Morton)	6-9-1924	Richmond, Indiana	Gennett 5486-A
Seattle Hunch (Jelly Roll Morton)	7-8-1929	Chicago, Illinois	Victor V-38527-A 49449-1
Seattle Hunch (Jelly Roll Morton)	7-8-1929	Chicago, Illinois	Victor 27565-A 49449-2
Shreveport Stomp (Jelly Roll Morton)	6-9-1924	Richmond, Indiana	Gennett 5590-A
Sporting House Rag (Perfect Rag) (Jelly Roll Morton)	12-14-1939	New York, New York	Commodore XFL-14942 (LP)
Stratford Hunch (Jelly Roll Morton)	6-9-1924	Richmond, Indiana	Gennett 5590-B
Sweetheart Of Mine (Jelly Roll Morton)	4-20-1926	Chicago, Illinois	Vocalion B 1019
The Crave (Jelly Roll Morton)	12-14-1939	New York, New York	General 4003-B Commodore 589 B
The Pearls (Jelly Roll Morton)	7-18-1923	Richmond, Indiana	Gennett 5323-B
The Pearls (Jelly Roll Morton)	4-20-1926	Chicago, Illinois	Vocalion A 1020
The Pearls (Jelly Roll Morton)	8-1938	Baltimore, Maryland	Swaggie JCS-116 (LP)
The Naked Dance (Jelly Roll Morton)	12-14-1939	New York, New York	Commodore XFL-14942 (LP) R-2563
The Naked Dance (Jelly Roll Morton)	12-16-1939	New York, New York	General 4002-B Commodore 588 B R-2571
Thirty-Fifth Street (Charles Levy)	4-24-1924	Chicago, Illinois	Paramount 12216-A
Tia Juana (Tee Wana) (Larry Conley / Gene Rodemich)	6-9-1924	Richmond, Indiana	Gennett 5632-A
Tiger Rag (Nick LaRocca)	8-1938	Baltimore, Maryland	Swaggie S-1213 (LP)
Tom Cat Blues (Jelly Roll Morton)	6-9-1924	Richmond, Indiana	Gennett 5515-B
Trees (J. Kilmer / O. Rasbach)	8-1938	Baltimore, Maryland	Swaggie SFR-DP 650
Winin’ Boy Blues (Jelly Roll Morton)	12-14-1939	New York, New York	General 4004-A Commodore 590 A
Winin’ Boy Blues (Jelly Roll Morton)	12-1938	Washington, D.C.	Jazz Man 11 (147)
Wolverine Blues (Benjamin Spikes / John Spikes / Jelly Roll Morton)	7-18-1923	Richmond, Indiana	Gennett 5289-A

Artist	Instrument
Dick Bird	Trumpet
Teddy Smith	Alto Saxophone
unknown	Guitar, Bass, Drums

 

Title	Recording Date	Recording Location	Company
Dead Man Blues (Jelly Roll Morton)	10-1926	Chicago, Illinois	QRS 3674
Dead Man Blues (Jelly Roll Morton)	12-1927	Chicago, Illinois	QRS 06515
Grandpa’s Spells (Jelly Roll Morton)	7-1924	Cincinnati, Ohio	Vocalstyle 50487
Kansas City Stomp (Jelly Roll Morton)	11-1924	Cincinnati, Ohio	Vocalstyle 50486
King Porter (Jelly Roll Morton)	7-1924	Cincinnati, Ohio	Vocalstyle 50480
London Blues (Jelly Roll Morton)	7-1924	Cincinnati, Ohio	Vocalstyle 50479
Mamanita Blues (Jelly Roll Morton)	11-1924	Cincinnati, Ohio	Vocalstyle 50478
Midnight Mama (Jelly Roll Morton)	10-1926	Chicago, Illinois	QRS 3675
Mr. Jelly Lord (Jelly Roll Morton)	7-1924	Cincinnati, Ohio	Vocalstyle 12973
New Orleans Blues	11-1924	Cincinnati, Ohio	Vocalstyle 50508
Shreveport Stomp (Jelly Roll Morton)	7-1924	Cincinnati, Ohio	Vocalstyle 50481
Soap Suds (Jelly Roll Morton)	12-1925	Cincinnati, Ohio	Capitol A-999029-2
Stratford Hunch (Jelly Roll Morton)	7-1924	Cincinnati, Ohio	Vocalstyle 50485
Sweet Man (Maceo Pinkard)	12-1925	Cincinnati, Ohio	Capitol 1334 Capitol 2043
The “Jelly Roll” Blues (Jelly Roll Morton)	7-1924	Cincinnati, Ohio	Vocalstyle 50505
The Pearls (Jelly Roll Morton)	11-1924	Cincinnati, Ohio	Vocalstyle 50488
Tin Roof Blues (Elmer Schoebel / Larry Sheilds / Leon Roppolo)	7-1924	Cincinnati, Ohio	Vocalstyle 12974
Tom Cat Blues (Jelly Roll Morton)	7-1924	Cincinnati, Ohio	Vocalstyle 12983

Dead Man Blues; Jelly Roll Morton Way Out West by Phil Pastras , University Of California Press, 2001

Oh, Mister Jelly: A Jelly Roll Morton Scrapbook complied by William Russell, 1999

Mister Jelly Roll by Alan Lomax, Deull, Sloan and Pearce, 1949

Jelly Roll Morton An Essay in Discography by Thomas Cusack, Cassell & Co., 1952

Jelly Roll Morton by Martin Williams, Cassell & Co., 1962

Mr. Jelly Lord by Laurie Wright, Storyville Publications, 1980