Who Is Jelly Roll

Morton

Jelly Roll Morton (1890-1941) was an influential American jazz musician, composer and arranger who helped to establish the roots of jazz as a distinct musical genre. He popularized the concept of “storytelling” in jazz compositions and was known for his unique blend of styles, which he described as “Russian Rag” and “Spanish Tinge.”

Morton was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, on September 20, 1890. He began playing professionally at the age of 12 and recorded his first record in 1923. Morton was a musical prodigy and composed for many musical forms, including jazz, blues, and ragtime. He is credited with developing the first “Dixieland Jazz band” and as an innovator of “collective improvisation” (which grouped soloists). His early works included organized Afro-Caribbean themes and he either wrote or arranged around 300 titles.

Morton felt he received inadequate credit for many of his contributions to jazz, despite his success during the genre’s formative years. He openly criticized J.R. P. Williams’ 1934 book Jazzmen, in which Williams used Morton’s version of “The Memphis Blues” without giving him proper citation. Morton even wrote a song called "Mr. Jelly Roll" to chronicle his frustration.

With his well-dressed, flamboyant sense of style and his expansive speaking voice, Morton was respected and admired by his peers for his talent, professionalism and passion for music. By the time of his death on July 10, 1941, Morton had created an extensive repertoire of works and made numerous recordings, establishing himself as one of the most influential figures in the history of jazz music.