Stars of Vaudeville # 502: Jelly Roll Morton by Trav S.D.

Today is the birthday of Ferdinand Joseph LaMothe, a.k.a. Jelly Roll Morton (1890-1941), widely regarded as one of the originators of jazz. He started out as a teenager playing piano in sporting houses in his native New Orleans, where he learned a risque repertoire and aquired a filthy nickname. He began writing music and touring [...]

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