Red Hot Peppers

Red Hot Peppers was a recording jazz band led by Jelly Roll Morton from 1926-1930. It was a seven- or eight-piece band formed in Chicago that recorded for Victor and featured the best New Orleans-style freelance musicians available, including cornetist George Mitchell, trombonist Kid Ory, clarinetists Omer Simeon and Johnny Dodds, banjoists Johnny St. Cyr and Bud Scott, double bass player John Lindsay, and drummers Andrew Hilaire and Baby Dodds.^[1]

Recordings made by the group in Chicago in 1926–27, such as "Black Bottom Stomp", "Smoke-House Blues" and "Doctor Jazz" set a standard for small group jazz that is still unrivaled. Morton's skills as a composer and arranger are apparent in the structure of the pieces, which combines clarity with variety and manages to maintain a balance between ensemble and solo playing while allowing for a substantial solo from every band member. The quality of the recordings is further enhanced by the band's careful rehearsals, which were uncommon in early jazz performances.^[2] A number of Morton's best piano solos can also be heard on these recordings.^[3]

In 1928, Morton moved to New York, where he continued to make recordings under the name Red Hot Peppers, but collaborated with musicians from his regular band or from other orchestras. By 1930, the name Red Hot Peppers was no longer used.

Recordings made by the Red Hot Peppers constituted a significant contribution to the race records industry, at its height in the 1920s and 1930s. The masterful blend of composition and improvisation demonstrated by Morton and his colleagues set a precedent for early jazz.

Select discography

"Deadman Blues" (Jelly Roll Morton) 9-21-1926 Chicago, Illinois Victor
"Black Bottom Stomp" (Jelly Roll Morton) 9-15-1926 Chicago, Illinois Victor
"Original Jelly-Roll Blues" (Jelly Roll Morton) 12-16-1926 Chicago, Illinois Bluebird
"Doctor Jazz" (King Oliver / Walter Melrose) 12-16-1926 Chicago, Illinois Victor

References

^ Hazeldine, Mike. "Red Hot Peppers". The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz (2nd edition ed.). Retrieved 2010-02-13. {{cite encyclopedia}}: |edition= has extra text (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
^ Balliett, Whitney. "Jelly Roll, Jabbo, and Fats: 19 Portraits in Jazz". Oxford University Press,1984, pp. 22-24
^ Schuller, Gunther. "Morton, Jelly Roll". Grove Music Online. Retrieved 2010-02-13. {{cite encyclopedia}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help) (Requires account)

[1] Hazeldine, Mike. "Red Hot Peppers". The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz (2nd edition ed.). Retrieved 2010-02-13. {{cite encyclopedia}}: |edition= has extra text (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)

[2] Balliett, Whitney. "Jelly Roll, Jabbo, and Fats: 19 Portraits in Jazz". Oxford University Press,1984, pp. 22-24

[3] Schuller, Gunther. "Morton, Jelly Roll". Grove Music Online. Retrieved 2010-02-13. {{cite encyclopedia}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help) (Requires account)

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