Jelly Roll Morton Finger Breaker

Here's Fred "Jelly Roll" Morton's own recording of his famous Finger Breaker. Jelly wrote this to show of to New York Ragtime pianists (A.K.A. Early Stride pianists) that he had fine technique too. And was made even more famous in the Italian film "The Legend of 1900"

100 Views in ten days. Feb 12 2009

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Jazz
• Music
• Swing
• Stride
• Ragtime
• Piano
• Jelly
• Roll
• Morton
• New
• York
• Finger
• Breaker
• Legend
• of
• 1900

[KillaVinyl]

Four people accidentally clicked dislike..

[Morahman7vnNo2]

@KillaVinyl Please don't make dislike jokes, I'd rather not have them on this comment section.

[BassmanDannyFox]

100 years on and Morton still kicks ass :)

[KillaVinyl]

@Morahman7vnNo2 Get over it

[harleywhitesr]

He's a baaaad man!

[vampisemi]

i heard it from legend of 1900 great song

[Santosificationable]

@josiah566 Possible. Jelly Roll Morton I think, won many cutting contests in New Orleans, but got evened out by the faster New York stride pianists. He probably went to these same clubs where the three hanged out, only to be shut up by a pianist of comparable technical proficiency (Willie Smith in this case).

They say he's really a bit of a braggart, and even "The Legend of 1900" showed this. If you haven't watched it, watch the "duel" scene.

[SpeakerBoXxXonUTube]

his name isnt fred lol. its Ferd as in ferdinand.

[FBfan47721]

4 people clicked dislike and broke their Fingers.

[josiah566]

@Santosificationable To be honest I've only heard vaguely that he had cutting contests with Tatum, Fats and Jimmy P. There is a definitive story on the internet, however, of Willie cutting Morton which shut him up. Perhaps I am mistaken, but if you have the story on hand, I'd like to hear/read it :D

[Santosificationable]

@josiah566 Didn't Willie and Morton duel each other and Morton "kept quiet"? I'm not sure if Fats, Johnson, or Tatum cut with him, though, but you saying that Morton "kept talking loud even though he lost" is quite doubtful. Jelly was possibly astounded by Willie's superior technique which finally shut his mouth.

The one who really cut A LOT of pianists was Art Tatum, who beat Fats, Johnson, and Willie. Maybe you got mistaken...

[josiah566]

@minnesotafan117 They hate him because when Morton got to New York in the 30s, the four of them cut him but he wouldn't stop running his mouth, saying he was the best. Wouldn't you hate it if someone wouldn't shut up when it was obvious you were better than them?