Black Bottom Stomp

The recording has many features that are typical of the New Orleans style: • the frontline of trumpet, clarinet and trombone and rhythm section comprising piano, banjo, double bass and drum kit • the structure, derived from multi-thematic ragtime structures, with a transitional interlude leading to a new key • collective improvisation ensemble sections, the main melody woven together with a counter-melody and the accompaniment • the counter-melody relies upon scalar patterns and arpeggios • the instrumental performance techniques such as the trombone counter-melody glissandos, sometimes known as "tailgating" • the percussive "slapped" bass used to help keep time in the rhythm section. == Structure ==

John Szwed notes that in "Black Bottom Stomp", "Morton practiced what he preached, managing to incorporate in one short piece the 'Spanish tinge,' stomps, breaks, stoptime, backbeat, two-beat, four-beat, a complete suspension of the rhythm section during the piano solo, riffs, rich variations of melody, and dynamics of volume, all of the elements of jazz as he understood it." • Intro: B♭ major, 8 bars, full ensemble • A section in B♭. Three 16 bar choruses: (i) full ensemble; (ii) trumpet calls with ensemble response; (iii) clarinet solo • Interlude: 4 bars, for full ensemble • B section in E♭: Seven 20 bar choruses: (i) Full ensemble with trumpet and trombone break; (ii) clarinet solo (iii) piano solo; (iv) trumpet solo stop-time chorus; (v) banjo solo; (vi) full ensemble with drum break; (vii) full ensemble with trombone break • Coda in E♭ for full ensemble The harmonic basis is relatively simple, using standard II - V - I progressions. During the A section chorus, the chord progression passes through the relative minor. With only seven instruments in the ensemble, Morton produces five distinct textures: • trumpet and rhythm section • clarinet • banjo and rhythm section • clarinet and rhythm section • piano solo The piece displays traits of Morton's compositional style: • built-in breaks • stop-time phrases • rhythmically lively themes • frequent contrasts of sustained semibreve phrases with syncopated semibreve patterns • a stomping "trio" section Some distinct rhythmic features of New Orleans jazz appear throughout: • 2-beat mixed with 4-beat time • stop-time • Charleston rhythm ==Performers==

The performers on the original recording were: • Clarinet: Omer Simeon • Trumpet: George Mitchell • Trombone: Kid Ory • Piano: Jelly Roll Morton • Banjo: Johnny St. Cyr • Double Bass: John Lindsay • Drums: Andrew Hilaire ==See also==