And now for something completely different... Jelly Roll Morton (1885-1941) was a superb pianist and composer whose later arrangements, unique and impressive as they were, were something of an evolutionary dead end. The timing and texture are pure traditional New Orleans, but the harmonies are entirely his own. At least one critic has rhapsodized about the aptness of the title to the rare gem-like beauty of the music, apparently unaware that "The Pearls" was New Orleans street slang for gonorrhea.
Jelly Roll Morton and his Red Hot Peppers: Ferdinand "Jelly Roll" Morton, piano; George Mitchell, cornet; Gerald Reeves, trombone; Johnny Dodds, clarinet; Stump Evans, alto saxophone; Bud Scott, guitar; Quinn Wilson, tuba; Warren "Baby" Dodds, drums,
Chicago, IL 6/10/27 Victor 20948
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