Dead Man Blues

Jelly Roll Morton famously, and controversially, claimed to have invented jazz. Regardless of his boasting, his 1926 recordings with his Red Hot Peppers in Chicago are masterpieces of early ensemble playing. "Dead Man Blues" opens with a comedic spoken-word skit and a somber funeral march before exploding into swinging New Orleans polyphony. Morton's sophisticated piano work was heavily steeped in the blues, anchoring the intricate, interwoven horn arrangements. The personnel included Kid Ory on trombone and multiple clarinetists contributing to the dense ensemble texture. It is a stunning recording that elevated regional blues feeling to high musical art.