JELLY ROLL MORTON The Complete 1939 Commodore Piano Solos E ESSENTIAL LISTENING

$

60

[DUE TO a computer problem, once again I must fall back upon "re-runs."  Of course, it happened at the worst possible time, when I was in the very article of listing this week's new records. This is a temporary glitch which I trust will be solved in the coming week.]  

HERE (in my humble opinion) is the greatest solo album ever made:  JELLY ROLL MORTON, piano and vocals, in his late 1939 outing on General / Commodore records, called "NEW ORLEANS MEMORIES."  

Issued as a five-record set in an album (cover not included - sorry!), these ten sides, this half hour, is the distilled essence of all that Morton was, as pianist, composer and vocalist.  It came hard on the heels of his epic, extensive recordings for the Library of Congress in 1938.  Now he was asked to do more or less the same thing on regular three-minute 78s.  This was a very different proposition from what he did for LoC, when he could stretch out, play as long as he liked and pontificate for John Lomax.  This time, he had to boil it all down to its essence, and he succeeded magnificently.  

Each record is a perfect gem of playing, pacing and dynamics, every note ideally placed, each piece structured just so. Most of them are Jelly's original compositions; non-originals are thoroughly reconfigured (for instance, "Original Rags" by Scott Joplin - a great record on its own). Morton employs a wide range of tempos and textures. His singing was never better nor more heartfelt.  In fact, for a man literally at death's door (he would die in 1941), his music making was, if anything, even more impeccable, pithy and urgent than usual. Jelly Roll Morton was concerned about his legacy, and he made every note and utterance profoundly COUNT.  

For these reasons and more, I consider this set of ten sides to be the greatest single-handed record album EVER MADE and couldn't recommend it, or anything else, more highly. You will NEVER miss the money!   

The records are:  

COMMODORE 587  Mamie's Blues / Original Rags  

COMMODORE 588   Michigan Water Blues / The Naked Dance 

COMMODORE 589  Buddy Bolden's Blues / The Crave 

COMMODORE 590  Winin' Boy Blues / Mister Joe 

COMMODORE 591  Don't You Leave Me Here / King Porter Stomp   

All are in E condition, some E+.  I will include a color photocopy of the original booklet.   

*****

These records come from my private collection, which I have been accumulating since 1967, and now am downsizing!  My highest priority in these eBay auctions is to give you the best possible idea of a record’s true condition and aesthetic value.  I always post at least four clear images, showing the record fore and aft, a close-up of the label, and the whole disc, warts and all.  If my purple prose won’t cut it, the pictures will!  Shipping is done with expert care. Your record will brave Media Mail in a stout corregated box, between four sheets of cardboard and a couple of “packers.”  I hope you are amused by these descriptions, and by the quality of service being offered.