The early works of Jelly Roll Morton have been reissued ad infinitum, most prominently by the Smithsonian Institution and Rounder Records, respectively. This double CD contains a large chunk of the group recordings from Morton as a leader, including many of the tunes that made him the godfather of early vintage jazz. Principal among the some 50 tracks are those with his Red Hot Peppers, along with a smattering from his legitimate Orchestra, his Seven, his Levee Serenaders, his New Orleans Jazzmen, and the St. Louis Levee Band. The sound quality is very good except for the first two tracks, the thinly produced "London Blues" and "Soap Suds." Otherwise, this enjoyable compilation pretty much lives up to the title of "Essential" for this part of Morton's career. ~ Michael G. Nastos|
Rovi