User:Kwegsmusic

Black Bottom Stomp

Black Bottom Stomp was composed by Jelly Roll Morton (originally entitled Queen of Spades), in 1925 and recorded in Chicago by Jelly Roll Morton and his Red Hot Peppers on September 15, 1926
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.

The composition is used as an AS level set work for the OCR exam board. It 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

1. Intro: Bb major 8 bars Full ensemble.
2. A section in Bb. Three 16 bar choruses: (i) Full ensemble; (ii) trumpet calls with ensemble response; (iii) clarinet solo.
3. Interlude: 4 bars, for full ensemble.
4. B section in Eb: 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.
5. Coda in Eb 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 7 instruments in the ensemble Morton produces 5 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; and a stomping “trio” section. <

Some distinct rhythmic features of New Orleans Jazz appear throughout: 2-beat mixed with 4-beat time, stop-time, and the Charleston rhythm.