Unbelievably, we’re getting very near having posted 80 of Jelly’s tunes…woah! This week we kick it off with the dark and stompy “Wild Man Blues” which features a lot of trading and double time breaks on the original, which we’ve incorporated into our arrangement as well. Once again we’ve omitted the opening skit (fortunately for everyone). A simple tune but really effective as a result of the arrangement:
Secondly a sentimental song, “Don’t You Leave Me Here” (with great lyrics: “If you just must go, sweet mama, leave a dime for beer”). This was the first thing he played for Alan Lomax during the famous 1938 Library of Congress recording, under its alternate title “Alabama Bound”, and he recorded it a year later for RCA Victor in his second to last band session. It’s another simple tune but a great Mortonian tempo and fun to play:
Andrew Oliver 