Los Angeles-area musicians at the Cadillac Club, c. 1917 or 1918. L to R:"Common Sence" Ross, Albertine Pickins, Ferd"Jelly Roll" Morton, Ada"Bricktop" Smith, Eddie Rucker and Mabel Watts.
Lomax, at 23, was already an experienced folklorist and scion of the famed first family of musical detectives and songcatchers, antecedents of the late formerHe sat near the ground, machines ready to record anything that Morton played, sang, or reminisced about, often at Lomax’s urging and prodding. For the course of over nine hours and several sessions, Morton talked about his life, his music, other players, the bawdy and secret nightlife of New Orleans and other cities. He sprinkled in either full takes or excerpts of blues, jazz, ragtime and spirituals. Some were traditional, some adapted, and some he wrote.
Music journalist Elijah Wald uses those Morton sessions as both the jumping point and the framework for deep and detailed book with a bit of musical detection of his own:In his multi-tentacled tale augmented by more research and digging, Wald reproduces many of the X-rated stanzas, many that even an alternative news publication like the“Well I ain’t no wine presser, neither no wine presser’s son/But I can press out a little juice for you till the wine presser comes/Can I get you now,...
Most of these songs would be performed and enjoyed at places of ill-repute, and at night: bars, gambling parlors, “sporting houses” of prostitution, rent parties and illegal dances. Wald also examines the colorful histories of many real-life characters Morton and others encountered in their travels.These songs were mainly performed by Black musicians for Black audiences—though Wald also mentions material from white country players.
Source: Entertainment Trends (entertainmenttrends.net)
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Source: etnow - 🏆 696. / 51 Read more »
Source: usweekly - 🏆 390. / 55 Read more »
Source: billboard - 🏆 112. / 63 Read more »
Source: etnow - 🏆 696. / 51 Read more »
Source: people - 🏆 712. / 51 Read more »
Source: AP - 🏆 728. / 51 Read more »