Winin' Boy

I first came across "Winin' Boy" over 40 years ago in the back of a book by folklorist Alan Lomax called "Mister Jelly Lord". This was a biography of the New Orleans pianist, composer, bandleader, arranger, vocalist, pool shark and pimp, Jelly Roll Morton [Ferdinand LaMenthe or LaMotte]. The book contained some scores by Morton and I worked my way through the dots to "Winin' Boy", entranced by the opening chord sequence. Shortly after that I bought a Library of Congress album of Morton recorded in 1938 by Lomax - just Jelly Roll singing, playing the piano and reminiscing about his life - and there was "Winin' Boy", sung and played by the man himself. Many years later, I was playing it as a member of a mainstream jazz band. I think we might have played it in Eb in those days...

I've arranged it here in C - it falls nicely under the fingers in that key on the guitar - and I've included simple tab and chords for the tune on my website. The essential thing about this song is to play the introductory chords which are, for a fairly simple blues, not so usual. In the key of C, the opening chord sequence goes B / B7 / G / GM7 / G7 / withe tune actually starting on the G chord. Haunting and unforgettable. It doesn't matter how you play this tune but do try and get this sequence in, because it makes it!

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

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Will
• Fly
• Jelly
• Roll
• Morton
• Ferdinand
• LaMenthe
• Lamotte
• blues
• jazz
• New
• Orleans
• acoustic
• guitar
• fingerstyle
• fingerpicking

[steveshowse]

Will, I love your work!!! Now why don't you sing it like Jelly Roll? hahaha! j/k you could get into trouble talking like that. ;)

[MarkusGitarre]

the right guitar, the right guitarplayer, the right song in the right moment! great work! 5

[fayyazkc81]

Well played!!!

[Jatromusica]

great

[AlPrindle]

I like it. Great as usual Will!

Al

[2xVitamR]

fine guitar work, Will. It's great.

All the best

Michael