Stomp Off 1001 - Dickbaker.org

1915; E 372536; Will Rossiter, Chicago.[Says Lomax: “Written in 1905, arranged1912? First published jazz composition?”]Chicago blues; twentieth century chant, wand m Paul Biese, James Altiere and S.Walter Williams, of U.S. New York, Melodymusic co. © Jan. 10, 1924; 2 c. Jan. 31; E581988; Maison-Blanche music co., NewYork.Well, the bottom line is that neither Jelly noranybody else ever recorded his tune as“Chicago Blues,” and he never copyrighted itthat way, but obviously that name for it gotbandied about, if never codified, so we canleave it here, I suppose.Jenny’s Ball (see There’ll Be NoFreebies)Jersey Joe (Jelly Roll Morton)Pam Pameijer’s New Jazz Wizards 1318Rec. RHP 11/13/29, Victor 23402, HMV JK-2862 et al.Copyrighted 1933, says Lomax, and indeed Ifound this:Jersey; fox-trot, Jelly Roll Morton, trombone,clarinet and guit. [Conductor] © 1 c. July 8,1933; E unp. 73940; Southern music pub.co., inc.So no Joe in the copyright (a typo? Nobodywould name a tune “Jersey,” would he?). Butfull title confirmed by Victor Project.Jersey Lightning (Luis Russell)Black Eagle JB 1224Rec. Russell 9/6/29, OKeh 8734, Columbia35960, Parloplhone R-740 et al. Confirmed by3/23/29 copyright reg. (in 1930 book).Jersey Walk (Shake ’em Up, Kid)(James F. Hanley–Eddie Dowling–Henry Creamer)Neville Dickie 1324Rec. Roger Wolfe Kahn (intro. The Little WhiteHouse), 9/24/26, Victor 20231, HMV B-5431.Lee Mors (The Jersey Walk), 11/9/26, PatheAktuelle 25202, 11410; Perfect 11636.Copyright isJersey walk; from Honeymoon lane, wordsand music by Henry Creamer, EddieDowling and James F. Hanley. © Sept. 13,1926; 2 c. Sept. 14; E 650088; Shapiro,Bernstein & co., inc., New York.Subtitle’s not on the Kahn Victor label. OK,here’s the ridiculous story. Subtitle was onEdison 51841-R, “The Ukulele Ace,” who wasa Cliff Edwards imitator. I rather doubt he wasthe source of Neville Dickie’s inspiration. But Ifound a copy (couldn’t view it, still incopyright) in Univ. of Maine collection, andtheir index implies that subtitle, so I’ll grit myteeth and keep it. Elsewhere found cover, andit did NOT have the subtitle.Jerusalem Blues (George Lewis?)Grand Dominion JB 1378Not in Rust, nothing in CD notes. YouTube(audio only) post says by GL JB, “Thiswonderfully haunting blues was recorded inNew Orleans in 1950 at a jam sessionarranged by Dr Edmund Souchon.” Seems tohave been a Filiberto’s Music Store in N.O.Had Elmer Talbert on tp.Bruyninckx says 5/22/50, released onParadox/Pax LP6001. Discogs.com says alsoJazztone J-1212 (LP). When this version wasreleased on Tempo Record Society J12-03was credited to “traditional.” (But then theBrits would always do that when they couldget away with it to keep from paying royalties.The version on BBC radio for download iscredited to Lewis.But later recorded again with differentpersonnel (“Kid” Howard on tp) “taped at theNBC studios in San Francisco.” Released asGeorge Lewis NO Ragtime Band. Looks likethis was 6/18/53, issued on Esq. 20-73, DL203, Esq. EP 125 (?). Also Antone LP 2,reissued on Delmark 203. A Brit reissue of thiswas credited to M. Fig.Well, maybe really by Lewis, maybe justsomething he remembered from youngerdays, but credit has stuck to him and I can’tfind anything to contradict it.But Dave Robinson reports:I no longer have the original LP. The GHBreissue CD has no attributions, while theStoryville reissue CD just says "trad". In anyevent, Jerusalem Blues isn't really a "tune" or"composition" at all; it's just an improvisationaljam on the standard 12-bar bluesform, presumably given a name after the factfor the LP issue. Lewis takes it in, playingimprovised blues choruses that containquotes from his Burgundy Street Blues aswell as a bit of Chimes Blues. From there it'sjust a series of improvised blues solosfollowed by a couple of ensemble outchoruses--stillno melody, just groupimprovisation. In the Grand Dominionversion, the clarinet takes it in in a similarvein, largely copying Lewis' style but not hisexact notes on the original recording, andthen it's solos and improvised ensemble,again with a similar feel to the original butnot copying anything specific--except thatthey do make repeated use of the ChimesBlues quote.The problem is with the only terms we have athand to describe this:“Traditional” implies that it’s a known themewhose origins are not known--an old folkmelody.“Unknown” implies that somebodycomposed it, but we don’t know who.What Dave describes doesn’t really fit either ofthese concepts. Presuming it was reallycreated at the moment, you could argue forthe credit of George Lewis (evidently theleader of the session) or even George LewisJazz Band, which implies that the band as awhole created it.A possible third “term” above would be a“provisional/questionable/guess” credit thatwould include a name and a question markGeorge Lewis (?)to indicate that we’ve got an idea for a creditbut can’t confirm it.I’m curious to hear what approach our variousexperts would take, so we’ll leave this open fornow.Jig Walk (Duke Ellington–Jo Trent)State Street Aces 1106Keith Nichols Cotton Club Orchestra 1320Charleston Chasers 1376ASM, 1925, Robbins-Engel; w. Trent/m.Ellington.Jim Dandy (Duke Ellington–Jo Trent)Keith Nichols Cotton Club Orchestra 1320Charleston Chasers 1376