Existing comment:
Jelly Roll Morton
In 1938 while living in Washington, D.C., pianist, composer, arranger, singer, and raconteur Jelly Roll Morton (1890–1941) came to the Library of Congress at the invitation of folklorist Alan Lomax to record an oral history interview while sitting at a piano in the Coolidge Auditorium. These celebrated, historic recordings document a fascinating view of the creation of jazz in New Orleans at the dawn of the twentieth century. Months later, Morton wrote a follow-up letter to Lomax discussing his plans and difficulties with the local musicians' union. |