Today’s entry into the Complete Morton Project starts off with one of Morton’s 1927 band tunes, “Georgia Swing.” This was recorded right after his move from Chicago to New York and the original record features a tuba for the first time in the Red Hot Peppers discography. It’s an interesting shift towards the more popular 2 beat dance feel of New York bands of the time and away from the more interactive New Orleans / Chicago type rhythm section on his previous Peppers sides. Ultimately this led to the demise of his bands as he alienated many of the finer New York players and was left with B and C grade musicians, but fortunately this side was before all of that and the original is one of his most peppy records. The tune is not particularly substantial, basically a ripoff of the classic tune “She’s Crying For Me” by Santo Pecora, the trombonist from the New Orleans Rhythm Kings. Still, it was a fun one to record, here you go!
And secondly, David and my ill-fated singing debut, “Get the Bucket.” This is a simple tune which Morton obviously cooked up in the studio with his last recording band for General records in 1940. Interestingly, it features a very swing era feel and chord progression, the type that Morton himself originated with “King Porter Stomp” and which became the hallmark of the Lindy Hop era sound.
Stay tuned as always and thanks for continuing to support the project!
Andrew Oliver 