Interracial Jazz Recording (#35) Jelly Roll Morton and NORK

This is one of the most well-known early interracial sessions. NORK was composed of very able musicians, many of whom went on to have long, substantial careers in jazz. Morton, of course, is a foundational figure in the history of the music. Chances are the all-white New Orleans Rhythm Kings (NORK) had played with Jelly Roll Morton, either in informal settings or even on stage, as Morton was a light-skinned black man, who could “pass” as Cuban or Latin-American when entering all-white establishments. 

Morton's sessions with NORK in 1923 serve as a good illustration of the power that music publishing companies had in recording history.

Morton came to the Friar’s Inn to talk to NORK’s clarinetist Leon Rapollo about recording some tunes he’d written, which Walter Melrose was planning to publish. Melrose had underwritten their last recording, and such a process was a common quid pro quo: A publisher would underwrite a session under the condition that most of the tunes recorded would be owned by the publisher. In this case it meant that Morton, a Melrose artist, would be given a chance to record his own compositions and he and Melrose would both profit.

Mr. Jelly Lord is Morton's tune. There's nice New Orleans-style ensemble work, with Roppolo working clarinet on top and Brunies' trombone underneath, with Chink Martin providing a solid tuba foundation. It goes into doubletime and back A tempo to a coda and ends with a slightly dissonant chord. 

New Orleans Rhythm Kings: Paul Mares (cnt) George Brunies (tb) Leon Roppolo (cl) Jack Pettis (c-mel) Glenn Scoville (as,ts) Don Murray (cl,ts) Paul Mares (cnt) George Brunies (tb) Leon Roppolo (cl) Jack Pettis (c-mel) Glenn Scoville (as,ts) Don Murray (cl,ts) Jelly Roll Morton (p) or Kyle Pierce (p-1) Bob Gillette (bj) Chink Martin (tu) Ben Pollack (d) Richmond, Indiana, July 17, 1923.

• Sobbin’ blues- Gen 5219, Byg (F)529069, (It)27, CJM (Swd)13, Riv RLP12-102;
• Clarinet marmalade- Gen 5220, Buddy 8004, VJR 15, CJM (Swd)13, Byg (F)529069;
• Clarinet marmalade- Gen 5220, Br (E)2209, Temple 520, Riv RLP12-102, (Du)RM8812, Byg (It)27;
• Mr. Jelly Lord- Gen 5220, Buddy 8004, VJR 15, Temple 520, Riv RLP12-102, (Du)RM8812.

All entries are from my book “As Long as They Can Blow. Interracial Jazz Recording and Other Jive Before 1935.”