Jelly Roll Morton: Dead Man Blues (Take 1)

According to Rex Stewart's fine book, Jazz Masters of the '30s, Omer Simeon was elsewhere for this track, and the young and already excellent Barney Bigard filled in, with added clarinet backing from Darnell Howard. That explanation rings true, since it makes little sense to have three clarinets on a small group session with only one cornet and one trombone.

In any case, "Dead Man Blues" opens with a vaudeville-style, stagy humorous spoken exchange between Jelly Roll Morton and Johnny St. Cyr"Somebody must be daid; must be a fuunral, I b'lieve ah hear that trambone-phone"which is followed by a rendition of the classic New Orleans music played for the marching procession going to the cemetery. A pure tailgate trombone slide transitions into the main body of the song. Thereafter, like its partner track "Sidewalk Blues," "Dead Man Blues" is a gem of classic New Orleans-style ensemble jazz, with superb solo breaks. This track especially features beautiful clarinet work (probably by Bigard), along with George Mitchell's cornet playing. This Jelly Roll composition is at least as good as "Sidewalk Blues," and the group again shows the substantial rehearsal efforts of Morton. This is hugely enjoyable music, fine classic jazz and significant jazz history.