Alan Lomax / Jelly Roll morton

Subject: Alan Lomax / Jelly Roll Morton
From: cptsnapper
Date: 05 Jun 08 - 02:07 AM

Next Saturday evening at 8.00 BBC Radio 4's Archive Hour will be about the tapes that Alan Lomax made of Jelly Roll Morton talking about his life: sounds fascinating.

Subject: RE: Alan Lomax / Jelly Roll morton
From: greg stephens
Date: 05 Jun 08 - 02:42 AM

There is a recording available of all that talking stuff, I think a Rounder boxed set. Unbelievably fascinating. Don't you wish the English collectors had taken as much interest in the singers as the songs?The background is so interesting.

Subject: RE: Alan Lomax / Jelly Roll morton
From: masato sakurai
Date: 05 Jun 08 - 05:13 AM

See also Alan Lomax's book: Mister Jelly Roll: The Fortunes of Jelly Roll Morton, New Orleans Creole and Inventor of Jazz (1950).

Subject: RE: Alan Lomax / Jelly Roll morton
From: Mick Pearce (MCP)
Date: 05 Jun 08 - 07:46 AM

The recordings are fascinating (not to say downright rude at times). If you haven't access to them, you can find transcriptions of the talks on this site: Library of Congress Narrative - Jelly Roll Morton and Alan Lomax - Transcribed by Michael Hill · Roger Richard · Mike Meddings

I didn't check the site, but I think they're complete transcriptions. Also, as it says on the site, "Readers should be aware that a number of the recordings contain obscene language, which some may find offensive. To retain historical accuracy, no attempt has been made to censor them.", so sensitive souls take heed!


Mick

Subject: RE: Alan Lomax / Jelly Roll morton
From: greg stephens
Date: 07 Jun 08 - 07:13 AM

Refresh
It's tonight. Not to be missed(except I think I will miss it!)

Subject: RE: Alan Lomax / Jelly Roll morton
From: Bonnie Shaljean
Date: 07 Jun 08 - 07:19 AM

Sorry, didn't see this thread (only searched what was on screen) and I've gone and duplicated it!

CLONES - PLEASE COMBINE - because there's an interesting post from Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: Alan Lomax / Jelly Roll morton
From: Bonnie Shaljean
Date: 07 Jun 08 - 07:20 AM

"Lomax & Jelly Roll Morton BBC Radio 4"

http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=111845&messages=2

Subject: RE: Alan Lomax / Jelly Roll morton
From: Ruth Archer
Date: 08 Jun 08 - 06:40 AM

Excellent programme. Jellyroll comes across as a compelling, brilliant, larger-than-life, but ultimately tragic figure.

Subject: RE: Alan Lomax / Jelly Roll morton
From: Azizi
Date: 08 Jun 08 - 09:34 AM

A quote from that transcription:

"Jelly Roll Morton was a denizen of the tenderloin, of the sleazy underbelly of life. So we might be shocked at some of the obscene language, the crude depictions of commercial goings on, the brutality and heartlessness depicted. Accept these we must though, if we want to view the world that he worked in, and which in part informed his creativity".

Jelly Roll Morton talks about pianists and other musicians of his time whose names may only be remembered because of his mentioning them-people like Alfred Wilson of New Orleans who won a piano contest at the St. Louis Exposition, and "Tony Jackson" who Jelly Roll Morton admits was the reason he didn't go to that Exposition because he was afraid of competing against. And then there are the musicians "Brocky Johnny, Skinny Head Pete . . . Old Florida Sam and Tricky Sam, and that bunch" who Jelly Roll Morton mentions...And Jelly Roll also mentions:

"Of course, we had King Porter around there — that is, I mean, Porter King — the man that "King Porter Stomp" was named after. He was considered a very good piano player. And of course, we had, er, King — I disremember his name — I think his name's Charlie King, another piano player around there. Baby Grice was another one, that was supposed to be good."

-snip-

We have surely lost so many stories about talented people. We have lost so many songs and so many tunes from that time and would have lost far more were it not for Alan Lomax [and his family].
I want to take this opportunity to thank them for their work collecting these songs and memories.

Subject: RE: Alan Lomax / Jelly Roll morton
From: The Sandman
Date: 08 Jun 08 - 09:43 AM

yes, we ought to be grateful.
however Jelly Roll Morton clearly felt Lomax could have helped him when he [Morton]was on hard times.
There was a similiar feeling in Suffolk [from traditional singer Bob Scarce]about Lomax and Kennedy.

Subject: RE: Alan Lomax / Jelly Roll morton
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Jun 08 - 10:03 AM

The lack of help from the collector (there are various sorts who fit this category, not just music) seems akin to what on the various Star Trek series was called the "prime directive," not interfering with the natural course of things. Not defending or denying that approach, simply noting its existence.

SRS

Subject: RE: Alan Lomax / Jelly Roll morton
From: greg stephens
Date: 08 Jun 08 - 10:26 AM

Stilly River Sage: I pass no comment on whether Lomax should or could have helped Jelly Roll Morton, I don't know any background. But your suggestion that Lomax followed some sort of Prime Directive in this matter is way wrong.Lomax collected from, and hugely helped, Leadbelly, as only one example.

Subject: RE: Alan Lomax / Jelly Roll morton
From: The Sandman
Date: 08 Jun 08 - 12:55 PM

Greg,If I had been Lomax,and I met Morton,in the circumstances described in this programme,I would have sent him money.

Subject: RE: Alan Lomax / Jelly Roll morton
From: The Sandman
Date: 08 Jun 08 - 01:26 PM

which, Lomax may have done.

Subject: RE: Alan Lomax / Jelly Roll morton
From: Azizi
Date: 08 Jun 08 - 01:29 PM

Captain Birdseye, I agree with you.

My comment posted above doesn't mean that I approve of how Lomax interacted with his sources. I definitely do not approve of all that I've read regarding that. My only point was that were it not for collectors such as Lomax a lot more songs & tunes would have been lost.