Jelly Roll Morton - Maple Leaf Stomp

[notyouz]

I can't stop moving!

[chev6art]

I like Scott Joplin's version better, as much as I'm a fan of Mr. Jelly.

[ragtimemarkbirnbaum]

YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[joecoyote42]

come on baby dance with me

[kristikrause]

wheres my flapper dress?

[gcpropertymanagement]

Compared to the staccato found in the Joplin piano rolls, this is a promenade. It is very different and noticeably so. This has a swing. Obviously, piano rolls are not friendly for stylistic differences either. This comparison of Joplin and Jelly Roll Morton is helpful. Thank you for posting this music. This is education for the rest of us.

[bigrob26065]

He totally had 3 or 4 hands

[bigrob26065]

i swear he had 3 hands

[whatsmylogin]

His claim that he invented jazz in 1905 was unwise, but maybe not total guff. Maybe he meant that he indepdently started improvising, putting blue notes in ragtime, trying more rhythmic effects (e.g. more syncopation in the bass) and using more bass riffs. In this rec. you can hear much of this. Compare this to Joplin's rec. and ask which one swings/grooves more. If Morton played like this before 1910 it would have been a revelation.

[ladysmokesk]

Morton often played the melody of a tune with his right thumb, while sounding a harmony above these notes with other fingers of the right hand. This added a rustic or "out-of-tune" sound (due to the playing of a diminished 5th above the melody). This may still be recognized as belonging to New Orleans. Morton also walked in major and minor sixths in the bass, instead of tenths or octaves. He played basic swing rhythms in both the left and right hand.

[elPacaManca]

Man, that left hand...sublime.

[cesargiometti]

@elPacaManca I agree, a fantastic perfomance. The music pulses...

[PolkRidgeAesthete]

Morton's oft-cited claim to have invented jazz shouldn't incite irritation or invite to mockery any serious person interested in jazz. What matters is that Morton was beyond question the first *jazz composer* and conceived a body of work that will ever stand as the unequaled essence of composed jazz. ---David Thomas Roberts

[Mr98giuliano]

jally is nice to play piano,but not how scott.he's the best!

[Morahman7vnNo2]

@Mr98giuliano Hey hey hey! At least Jelly played with respect to the pieces' original structure. Unlike many of today's Ragtime pianists who go around throwing away the melody at times just to improvise over the chords, which is fine, but you just don't see embellishment over OF the melody like Jelly Roll. He had respect for Scott Joplin, and actually meet him once.

[Mr98giuliano]

@Mr98giuliano is pretty also this version ,but i like the original

[ChiIIiPalmer]

@Mr98giuliano

Not at all! He kept the original structure and added the beginnings of a Blues and Jazz feel to this song. Listen to it side by side with Joplin's more classical sound.

[bopguity]

I don't care what you call this - it is fucking killing!

[kittygoesmoot]

I like to call jelly roll stabby 8D

i wouldnt want to get him mad >.>;;

[BrokenneckYgor]

Nobody be touchin the Master Mr Morton!--attrib. to S. Romberg

[ERICx223]

didn't Scott Joplin do this song originally?

[Morahman7vnNo2]

Yes. He was the the composer of this Rag.

[Doug19752533]

@Morahman7vnNo2 yes,,, Joplin and Morton were friends and respected each others music. Morton even admitted in a 1940s interview that he asked Joplin for help writing a piece which later became King Porter Stomp.

[Makenor13]

@Doug19752533 In fact if you listen well King Porter Stomp it appears more a Joplin music than a Morton piece... King Porter Stomp is more similar at pieces like The Entertainer or Maple Leaf Rag than Big Foot Ham or The Crave.

[garnier83]

@ERICx223 No, this Rag is from Scott Joplin.

[spacekait]

Jelly Roll claimed to have invented the question mark. Just kidding. He calimed to have invented jazz music probably like Al Gore claiming that he invented the internet.

[Morahman7vnNo2]

He didn't invent Jazz, but he did invent a lot of the phrasings'. Like...He didn't write Tiger Rag, but he sure gave it it's roar.

Hold that Tiger!

[keozeo]

@Morahman7vnNo2 he coined the term jazz. he originally called it "jass" because he worked in a brothel/speakeasy as a pimp and pianist and used the term to describe the perfume.

[Morahman7vnNo2]

@keozeo First of all, I'm guessing you're talking about Jelly Roll Morton, correct?

Um yes...he had his own distinct style, which was out of style by the time he made it to New York. So just about no one would want to emulate it in anyway; he had a style all to his own, what else is new?

So you're saying he gave the Tiger Rag it's iconic "roar" right? I don't really know why you're telling me all of this, but sure, go ahead. Not much point really.

Jelly coined the term "Jass"? Sure he did. Ha

[keozeo]

@Morahman7vnNo2 no he was the first to say "jazz" for the style.

[Morahman7vnNo2]

@keozeo When?

[keozeo]

@Morahman7vnNo2 idk i heard it in music appreciation class.

[Morahman7vnNo2]

@keozeo Ask your teacher for some references.

[keozeo]

@Morahman7vnNo2 alright.

[oncexist]

@Morahman7vnNo2 Johnny St. Cyr says in the Lomax sessions that Jelly takes too much credit also for "giving it its roar" . Personally, that's all talk. I have never heard anybody with his combination of skills:

1. His voices all sing and they are very independent. This independence (which is inspired from the imitation of a band) is also reflective in shaping and being shaped by the form.

check out the dramatic shift from end of 3rd A part and into the trio - who else can draw this move?

[oncexist]

@Morahman7vnNo2 2. His melodies are highly crystallized - you can always recognize it yet always be surprised by its distinct shape. This goes especially for breaks.

3. His swing is like nothing else in the business, also has to do with dynamics, articulation and voicings. This guy rocks like a boulder, nobody can do that, not even James P. or Monk.

[RLuteran]

haha the internet that's great

[ChiIIiPalmer]

@spacekait Not even close. While he did claim that jokingly in an interview, and its not really true, its not that far off either. Al Gore inventing the internet is much more laughable.

[jazztrumpet87]

@spacekait He didn't invent jazz. He was probably the first to write jazz down in sheet music form... but Jazz was definitely all over New Orlean's by the time he did that. He was one of the first "jazz greats" though.

[cemepe2]

@spacekait

thats funny shit lol

[whatsmylogin]

In the Library of Congress session he also played a more straight version of Maple Leaf Rag without improvising in his own way. It is interesting to hear the comparison.

[ambienmen]

It should be called Maple Leaf Stride. It's more in the style of stride than it is stomp.

[Morahman7vnNo2]

Your talking about someone who Willie "The Lion" Smith referred to as "Mr. One-hand." Just because he had a few bass lines and played orchestrally doesn't mean he's played Stride.

[ambienmen]

He's credited for being one of the pianists to transform ragtime into stride.

[Morahman7vnNo2]

Where? In Fingerbreaker there was a bit of Stride, and that's only because he was in New York and intimidated by the pianists there.

[ragtimemax]

The only thing differentiating Jelly's style from stride is his use of his own distinctive textures. The particular figurations he used in his playing (especially the left hand) are quite different. His style is in concept, however, similar to stride;  improvised ragtime that is orchestrally thought-out.

[Doug19752533]

@ambienmen nah its a stomp. stomps are like jazzed up rags, but keep the even rhythm of the left had. strides have swinging walking bass lines.

[jazzgirl1920s]

This is from the Library of Congress recordings. I sure was happy when these recordings were speed corrected on the Swedish Classic Jazz Masters lp's. Then Rounder had a few cd's of the piano solos that were very good. I think it is interesting how Morton plays any tune in his style. This ragtime piece he plays in his style.

[Morahman7vnNo2]

Well, you also have to take his influences in account, but yeah, he sure knows how to make an old rift sound fresh.

[townesfan10]

Yep. This is light years beyond the other one.