Jelly Roll Morton & The Red Hot Peppers - Dead Man Blues (1926)

Performed by: Jelly Roll Morton & The Red Hot Peppers

Full Song Title: Dead Man Blues

Recorded in: 1926

Jelly Roll Morton 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.

I hope you enjoy this as much as I have.

Best wishes,
Stu
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Please Note: I do not claim copyright or ownership of the song played in this video. All copyrighted content remains property of their respective owners

[JACKSTONE]

If you from new orleans you know this song is rooted in almost every instrumental jazz song or jazz ballad. I cant walk down the streets on canal and hear this.

[alanbobevelez]

The music of Jelly Roll Morton is a gift from God. It is timeless!

[diggingthatMoog]

Great footage. We must remember the past.

[douglasmontgomery]

God, I love this tune, subtle, yet harmonic and alive at the same time.

[elissa_flute]

Jelly Roll Morton was responsible for our first all instrumental Jazz bands in New Orleans that became known as New Orleans Style Jazz bands, he really did change the course of Jazz in history which is such an incredible achievement.

[MrHova]

One of my favourite trumpet (cornet) solos from the early days of jazz.
The big heart and brain belong to George Mitchell.

[infinitelymusical]

The trio really sets this version apart from the other piano rolls.

[avamogal]

I absolutely love it. Love the video that goes with it. Excellent job.

[diddleysquat]

Love this so much, thank you for uploading. I listen to it pretty much every day.

[muffsmercury]

Glad you have this as well as the flip side. Before I buy a 78 I listen to the song first to see if I like before adding to the collection.