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Stop and Go: Jazz Ensembles

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Stop and Go: Jazz Ensembles

Stop and Go: Jazz Ensembles

By Jelly Roll Morton

Item: 98-EP68488
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"At the end of 1938, Jelly Roll Morton (1890-1941) returned to New York from his years in Washington, D.C. Recent publicity had made a comeback seem possible, and he hoped to recapture the prominent place in the jazz world that he had held in the 1920s. Still well known, though mainly as a New Orleans music pioneer, he understood that in order to be taken seriously as a contemporary artist, he needed to form a big band like those of his competition, such as Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Benny Goodman, and Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey. In the 1920s Morton's recordings and tours featured a ten-piece band following the first-generation big-band format. But in the late 1930s, larger groups were popular, so Morton assembled a conventional '30s band consisting of four saxophones, six brass, and four rhythm. The band was to open at the Golden Gate Ballroom in Harlem on April 17th, 1939, but on opening night Morton collapsed before going onstage. During his recuperation from the asthma and heart problems that dogged him, the band broke up, never to reassemble. Only six items written for that band's instrumentation are known to exist: Morton's arrangements of his own compositions -- Finger Breaker, GanJam, Good Old New York, Mister Joe, and Stop and Go -- and an arrangement, Mamies' Blues, by another artist." -- James Dapogny (Editor)

"As an editor, Dapogny shows his customary sound musical scholarship and deep knowledge of Morton's style....The publishers are to be congratulated for bringing this fascinating work into the public domain, which throws a totally new light on 'Mister Jelly Lord.' Who knows what he would have achieved had he lived beyond his alleged 51 years?"--Martin Litton, for JUST JAZZ (Feb 2011)

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Additional Details
Series: Edition Peters
Publisher: Edition Peters
Page Count: 36
ISBN10: 0-30-075889-8
ISBN13: 979-0-3007-5889-3
SKU: 98-EP68488

More about this title

About the Composer: Jelly Roll Morton

Jelly Roll Morton (1890-1941) stands as one of jazz's first major composers and arrangers, a New Orleans pianist and bandleader whose early recordings and compositions fundamentally shaped ensemble jazz in the 1920s. Though he spent much of the 1930s away from the national spotlight, his return to New York in 1938 represented an attempt to remain artistically relevant alongside his contemporaries Duke Ellington and Count Basie. His late compositions, including those featured in this collection, showcase his sophisticated understanding of big-band orchestration and his ability to blend blues tradition with modern ensemble writing.

Why we love this

This collection preserves Morton's late-period big-band arrangements at a moment when he was competing directly with Ellington and Basie. The historical weight of these pieces makes them invaluable for ensembles studying the transition from small-group jazz to orchestral big-band writing, and they reveal Morton's orchestral sophistication in ways his earlier small-group recordings cannot.

What to expect

The energy of New York's late 1930s jazz scene comes alive in these arrangements. Morton's writing pulses with blues tradition while embracing the sophistication and scale of contemporary big-band orchestration, creating pieces that swing with purpose and speak to a musician determined to prove his relevance in a changing landscape.

Who it's for

Advanced jazz ensembles and college-level big bands seeking substantive, historically important repertoire beyond the standard Basie and Ellington arrangements. Conductors and educators who want to teach the diversity of big-band composition and explore a crucial but underrepresented figure in their ensemble's musical diet.

How to get the most out of it

  • Balance the saxophone section carefully; Morton's voicings depend on clarity across the four saxophones to project the harmonic detail without overwhelming the ensemble.
  • Approach the rhythmic looseness with intentionality rather than inaccuracy. The swing feel and ensemble rubato characteristic of late 1930s big bands require rehearsal precision even when the performance sounds relaxed.
  • Pay close attention to the brass counterlines, which often carry secondary melodies that would be lost if the section plays purely as harmonic support.
  • Use the edition's historical notes and Dapogny's scholarship to inform your interpretation; understanding what Morton intended for his 1939 band informs phrasing and dynamics choices.

How to use it

Program these pieces in a concert focused on early big-band composers or in a historically informed jazz history concert that traces the evolution of ensemble jazz from small groups to orchestras. They work particularly well alongside Ellington pieces from the same era, offering an instructive comparison in compositional voice and orchestral thinking.

Skills your students will build

  • Reading complex big-band voicings and harmonic textures across multiple instrumental sections
  • Executing period-specific swing feel and rhythmic phrasing in 1930s style
  • Balancing individual voice leading within ensemble contexts
  • Understanding blues forms and jazz composition conventions in early big-band writing

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