We’ve got two great tunes today, kicking off with Morton’s most famous piece “King Porter Stomp” which he wrote in hommage to another pianist, Porter King. It became a swing era classic when it was adapted by Benny Goodman for a hit record with his big band. The 3rd strain chord progression with its climactic feel really catapulted jazz into the 1930s, and Morton subsequently spent many years later in life attempting to get the appropriate royalty payments from this tune to no avail, due to the racist policies of ASCAP at the time. He recorded this piece throughout his life as a solo piano tune and once in a rather hastily put together duet with King Oliver, but never in a band version, interestingly! Anyway, here’s our take on it:
Secondly this week is the hilarious “Anamule Dance,” a piece from very early in Jelly’s career as a vaudeville entertainer which he reprised later in life for his General Records piano solos and the Library of Congress recordings. The whole thing contains a bizarre monologue where he compares audience members to different animals which is one of those instances of humor from the past that doesn’t quite translate to the present…you can hear it here. Anyway, absent a vocalist or comedian, we replaced the routine with some novelty “gaspipe” clarinet from David…
Andrew Oliver 