Buddy Bolden's Blues

Jelly Roll Morton's classic version of "Buddy Bolden's "Blues" - all about a guy who farts. The legend was that the New Orleans trumpet player Charles "Buddy" Bolden (1877-1931) was so loud when he played that he could be heard miles away. I heard Morton sing this as part of the historic recordings he made for the Library of Congress shortly before his death, and I used to play this in a jazz band many years ago. The guitar arrangement here is based broadly on the style of Bill Broonzy - with a few twiddles of my own.

Music, chords and tab are available at:

http://www.mjra.net/WillFly/tabs.shtml

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Will
• Fly
• Jelly
• Roll
• Morton
• Charles
• Buddy
• Bolden
• acoustic
• guitar
• fingerstyle
• fingerpicking
• jazz
• blues
• New
• Orleans

[kejobo]

My god, man, don't you ever have an off day? I've never heard it. Always entertaining! Thanks.... again.

[HenfieldWill]

Off days don't get on YouTube! :-)

[Mandolin1944]

Great singing and playing -- its a stinky job but somebody's gotta do it! (<:

[HenfieldWill]

Yup - we put our lives on the line every time we pick up a guitar...! :-)

[derse1989]

wow your good man!

[Gil666theBeast]

Yesss! the best guitar version of this song I've ever heard! love it, man :)

[Tiptoes7]

Buddy Bolden was considered the horn player who invented jazz; supposedly the first jazz recordings were based on his style which was never recorded as it was turn of the century. He was considered (accurately, I have no idea) to be unstable, and the legend is that he was playing in Shreveport, in a parade, when he seemed to be so out of control that he was taken to a mental hospital, and eventually died there. The hospital air is foul - and the comment is also a metaphor.

[mkiemele]

Gosh, thanks for that. Lovely. I first heard Jeff Todd Titon play it at the Scholar Coffeehouse in Minneapolis in '66 or so. It was a popular pickin' tune then and the folks who could do that (not me) could easily slip over into the St Louis Tickle written by Joseph Lamb in 1909. (Damn, I don't know how I can remember stuff like that and can't even remember where I put my glasses...)

[rightsaidshane]

Thanks for this Will. I absolutely have to learn it. Five stars and added to my favorites.

[AlPrindle]

I can't keep up! :-) You do make it look easy......Great Job!

[Pwecko]

That's definitely in the top five songs about farting. : )

Great performance.  Very laid back. You make it look so easy - it's very annoying.

[jameswp1946]

Lovely and some great twiddles, reminds my of Arlo Guthrie at times

[whitegoosegal]

New Orleans jazz does work on guitar. This video proves it. Thanks Will, Keep 'em coming.