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You know I was never interested in making records and I always preferred to live a quiet life; just unknown in my basement - Kokomo Arnold, in Paul Oliver's Blues Off the Record

Author Topic: "Jelly Roll Blues"  (Read 2100 times)

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Offline Cleoma

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"Jelly Roll Blues"
« on: October 08, 2009, 02:42:38 PM »
I've been listening to Jelly Roll Blues, 3 related songs by Peg Leg Howell (New Jelly Roll Blues), George Carter (Hot Jelly Roll Blues) and Butch Cage & Willie B. Thomas. What a great melody!! I believe Peg Leg Howell's was the first of these 3.   It is based on Jelly Roll Blues by Jelly Roll Morton, I think this was his first big hit and became somewhat of a jazz standard as far as I can tell.

The Butch Cage fiddle part is a takeoff on the earlier Eddie Anthony version, but played out of a different position, I think.  I hear the Eddie Anthony one as being from a closed position, B or C (like Beaver Slide Rag and Georgia Crawl), I hear the Butch Cage as being out of A position (but tuned about half step low).
 
Any earlier versions, or other notable early blues versions, of this song?  That first line is so catchy, no wonder it was a hit for Ferd Morton. 
Suzy T.

Offline uncle bud

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Re: "Jelly Roll Blues"
« Reply #1 on: June 11, 2010, 07:43:58 AM »
I was just listening to the Butch Cage and Willie Thomas version and thinking how much the fiddle echoed the Peg Leg version, then came across this old post.

George Carter recorded a less recognizable version of this song in 1929 as Hot Jelly Roll Blues. Very much in the Charley Lincoln/Barbecue Bob style, so also coming out of the Georgia scene.

There's also a western swing version by Al Dexter on the White Country Blues collection on Columbia. Not early, but different!

edited to add: Oops, read too quickly, you had Carter in there.
« Last Edit: June 11, 2010, 07:45:33 AM by uncle bud »

Offline dj

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Re: "Jelly Roll Blues"
« Reply #2 on: June 11, 2010, 08:05:53 AM »
Edmonia Henderson recorded a much more stately version than Howell's in 1924.  Unfortunately, I don't have any other discographical information at hand at the moment.  She's accompanied by a small and rather good jazz band.

Offline uncle bud

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Re: "Jelly Roll Blues"
« Reply #3 on: June 11, 2010, 08:16:54 AM »
The band was Lovie Austin (p), Johnny Dodds (cl) and Tommy Ladnier (c), according to B&GR. October 1924 for Paramount.

 


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