292 PART 3 | FROM WORLD WAR I THROUGH WORLD WAR II
composer: Jelly Roll Morton
date: 1926
performers: Jelly Roll Morton, piano; George
Mitchell, cornet; Kid Ory, trombone; Omer
Simeon, clarinet; Johnny St. Cyr, banjo; John
Lindsay, bass; Andrew Hilaire, drums
genre: New Orleans jazz
meter: duple
form: introduction A^1 A^2 A^3 transition
B^1 B^2 B^3 B^4 B^5 B^6 B^7timing section comments0:00 introduction Four bars, played twice, setting the fast tempo and raucous mood.
0:07 A^1 An 8-bar composed section, played twice, with the ensemble in block chords; four
sustained chords precede a series of faster chords in cakewalk syncopation (short-
long-short).
0:22 A^2 A variant of the A section, with cornet solo in place of the sustained chords of A^1 ;
the fi rst solo is accompanied by the rhythm section, the second solo by trombone
and rhythm section in stop-time.
0:37 A^3 Another variant of A: clarinet solo, accompanied by rhythm section with
prominent banjo; fi rst appearance of the Black Bottom/Spanish tinge/Charleston
rhythm. The accompaniment begins each 8-bar half in stop-time; the fi rst half
fi nishes with 2 bars of walking bass, the second with 2 bars of full ensemble.
0:51 transition Modulation to the subdominant key (IV), as in a march; 4 bars.
0:54 B^1 New section, in collective improvisation style over a (mostly) walking bass; break
for cornet and trombone in bars 7–8; 20 bars total. In the last 2 bars, the full
ensemble plays a turnaround fi gure in the syncopated Black Bottom rhythm.
1:14 B^2 Clarinet solo, with rhythm section; clarinet break in bars 7–8, full ensemble in last
2 bars.
1:33 B^3 Solo piano, with full ensemble in last 2 bars; Morton’s ragtime-style left hand is
easy to hear.
1:50 B^4 Cornet solo, with full ensemble accompanying in stop-time; cornet break in bars
7–8; a few “extra” notes suggest that this section was under-rehearsed.
2:09 B^5 Banjo solo, with bass alternating 2-beat and 4-beat (walking bass) patterns; banjo
break in bars 7–8; full ensemble in last 2 bars.WHAT TO LISTEN FOR- fast, energetic dance rhythms, including
the “Black Bottom” rhythm - emphasis on backbeat
- use of walking bass
- constantly shifting relationship of solo to
ensemble, resulting in timbral and textural
variety - marchlike multi-strain form, with
modulation to subdominant (IV) at trio
Listening Guide 12.3Black Bottom Stomp
CD 2.11 JELLY ROLL MORTON AND HIS RED HOT PEPPERS172028 12 280 - 304 _r 3 _sd.indd 292 28 / 01 / 13 5 : 28 PM