"King Porter Stomp" and the Jazz Tradition

Transcription

JEFFREY M A G E E
"King Porter Stomp" and the Jazz Tradition*
By Jeffrey Magee
F l e t c h e r w o n q u i t e a few battles o f m u s i c w i t h " K i n g P o r t e r S t o m p . "
A n d J e l l y R o l l M o r t o n k n e w this, a n d h e u s e d to g o a n d say "I m a d e
F l e t c h e r H e n d e r s o n . " A n d F l e t c h e r u s e d to l a u g h . . . a n d say " Y o u
d i d , " y o u k n o w . H e w o u l d n ' t argue. ( H e n d e r s o n 1975, 1:69)
T o w a r d the e n d o f his life i n M a y 1938, F e r d i n a n d "Jelly R o l l " M o r t o n
(1890-1941) walked into the Library o f Congress's C o o l i d g e A u d i t o r i u m
s p o r t i n g a n e x p e n s i v e suit, a g o l d w a t c h f o b a n d r i n g s , a n d a d i a m o n d s t u d d e d i n c i s o r ( L o m a x 1993:xvii). H e sat d o w n at t h e p i a n o a n d , w i t h the
assistance o f f o l k l o r i s t A l a n L o m a x , c o n v e y e d h i s m u s i c a n d life story i n t o
what L o m a x c a l l e d a "one-lung portable Presto recorder" (ibid.:287).
S p e a k i n g i n a m e a s u r e d , o r o t u n d b a r i t o n e , M o r t o n e x p l o r e d h i s past at a
leisurely, d i g n i f i e d pace, b u t h e was eager to set the r e c o r d straight o n o n e
p a r t i c u l a r subject: that h e h a d "personally o r i g i n a t e d j a z z i n N e w O r l e a n s
i n 1902" ( i b i d . : 8 4 ) . H i s t o r i a n s have since s h o w n the o r i g i n s o f j a z z to be
m o r e c o m p l i c a t e d t h a n M o r t o n a l l o w e d ( G u s h e e 1994; Panetta 2 0 0 0 ) , b u t
n o n e c a n refute t h e story o f his m o s t p o p u l a r a n d e n d u r i n g c o m p o s i t i o n ,
" K i n g Porter Stomp":
[ T ] h i s t u n e b e c o m e to be t h e o u t s t a n d i n g favorite o f every great h o t
b a n d t h r o u g h o u t the w o r l d that h a d the a c c o m p l i s h m e n t s a n d q u a l i fications o f p l a y i n g it. A n d u n t i l today this t u n e has b e e n the cause
o f m a n y great b a n d s to c o m e to fame. It has c a u s e d the o u t s t a n d i n g
tunes today to use the b a c k g r o u n d s that b e l o n g to " K i n g P o r t e r " i n
o r d e r to m a k e great tunes o f themselves. ( M o r t o n 1 9 3 8 )
1
" K i n g P o r t e r S t o m p " d i d i n d e e d b e c o m e a s t a n d a r d d u r i n g the S w i n g
E r a , w i d e l y p e r f o r m e d by b i g b a n d s t h r o u g h o u t t h e 1930s a n d b e y o n d .
M o r e o v e r , as M o r t o n s a i d , m a n y m u s i c i a n s u s e d t h e c h o r d s , t h e "backg r o u n d s , " o f " K i n g P o r t e r " ' s T r i o a n d S t o m p s e c t i o n s as t h e basis f o r
n e w tunes. A d d i n g luster to " K i n g Porter"'s agency i n j a z z history, B e n n y
G o o d m a n gave the p i e c e a key r o l e i n a n a c c o u n t o f his b a n d ' s l e g e n d a r y
p e r f o r m a n c e at t h e P a l o m a r B a l l r o o m i n L o s A n g e l e s o n t h e n i g h t o f
A u g u s t 2 1 , 1935. A s G o o d m a n r e c a l l e d , w h e n t h e b a n d started p l a y i n g
Fletcher Henderson's arrangements o f "Sometimes I ' m H a p p y " a n d " K i n g
P o r t e r S t o m p , " the "place e x p l o d e d " ( G o o d e 1986).
Current Musicology. nos. 71-73 (Spring 2001-Spring 2002)
© 2002 by the Trustees o f C o l u m b i a University i n the City o f New York
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J a z z h i s t o r i a n s have r e i n f o r c e d a n d e x p a n d e d M o r t o n ' s c l a i m a n d
G o o d m a n ' s t e s t i m o n y . T h e P a l o m a r e x p l o s i o n a n d its aftershocks have
l e d some historians to cite i t as the b i r t h o f the S w i n g E r a , m o s t n o t a b l y
M a r s h a l l W . Stearns, w h o , after t r a c i n g j a z z ' s d e v e l o p m e n t i n 1 9 3 0 - 3 4 ,
c o u l d s i m p l y assert, " T h e S w i n g E r a was b o r n o n t h e n i g h t o f 21 A u g u s t
1 9 3 5 " ( S t e a r n s 1 9 5 6 : 2 1 1 ; see e c h o e s o f this s t a t e m e n t i n E r e n b e r g
1 9 9 8 : 3 - 4 , a n d G i d d i n s 1 9 9 8 : 1 5 6 ) . G u n t h e r S c h u l l e r has c a l l e d " K i n g
P o r t e r S t o m p " o n e o f the " d o z e n o r so m a j o r stations i n the d e v e l o p m e n t
o f j a z z i n the twenty years b e t w e e n 1926 a n d 1946" ( S c h u l l e r 1989:840).
A n d G o o d m a n ' s r e c o r d i n g , h e w r o t e elsewhere, "was largely r e s p o n s i b l e
for u s h e r i n g i n t h e S w i n g E r a " ( S c h u l l e r 1985). O n e o f M o r t o n ' s m a n y
recordings o f " K i n g Porter S t o m p " appeared o n the canon-shaping
Smithsonian Collection of Classic Jazz ( n o w o u t o f p r i n t ) , a n d H e n d e r s o n ' s
a n d G o o d m a n ' s versions m a y b e f o u n d o n the S m i t h s o n i a n ' s Big-Band Jazz
a n t h o l o g y . O t h e r reissues o f G o o d m a n ' s a n d H e n d e r s o n ' s r e c o r d i n g s
r e m a i n easily accessible. M o r e recently, K e n B u r n s ' s television d o c u m e n tary Jazz h i g h l i g h t e d t h e p i e c e as p a r a d i g m a t i c . I n the l i n e r notes f o r the
p r o g r a m ' s spin-off c o m p a c t disc a n t h o l o g y , L o r e n S c h o e n b e r g has w r i t t e n
t h a t the " p e d i g r e e o f ' K i n g P o r t e r S t o m p ' traces t h e e v o l u t i o n o f j a z z
composition" (Burns 2000:10).
2
3
A piece i n s p i r i n g s u c h vast c l a i m s deserves to have its story t o l d , espec i a l l y as s c h o l a r s q u e s t i o n t h e v a l u e o f c a n o n f o r m a t i o n i n j a z z studies
a n d even the "seductive m e n a c e " o f records that constitute the c a n o n
( G a b b a r d 1995:1-28; R a s u l a 1995:134). F o r as the j a z z c a n o n — o r m o r e
p r o p e r l y , j a z z c a n o n s — c o n t i n u e s to serve u s e f u l p e d a g o g i c a l , h i s t o r i o g r a p h i c a l , a n d p e r f o r m a t i v e purposes, the works that c o m p r i s e i t s h o u l d
n o t be i g n o r e d so m u c h as they s h o u l d be investigated m o r e t h o r o u g h l y .
If, as R o b e r t W a l s e r has a r g u e d , "the p r i c e o f classicism is always loss o f
specificity" (Walser 1995:169), t h e n we m i g h t b a l a n c e classicism w i t h more
specificity i n o r d e r to forestall t h e h o m o g e n i z a t i o n o f t h e j a z z c a n o n that
W a l s e r a n d others wish to a v o i d . " K i n g P o r t e r S t o m p " presents a n i n t r i g u i n g case i n j a z z history before b e b o p , because e x p l o r i n g its t r a n s f o r m a t i o n
f r o m m u l t i s t r a i n p i a n o p i e c e to b i g - b a n d s t a n d a r d reveals t h e p i e c e ' s
c a n o n i c a l status to be less i n e v i t a b l e t h a n a n o m a l o u s a n d r a t h e r u n l i k e l y .
4
5
"Private Material" (ca. 1907-1923)
" K i n g P o r t e r S t o m p " h a d e x i s t e d f o r n e a r l y t h r e e decades before maki n g a n a t i o n a l i m p a c t i n 1935. M o r t o n h i m s e l f c l a i m e d to have c o n c e i v e d
it i n 1905 ( L o m a x 1993:146). F o l l o w i n g R o y C a r e w , w h o assisted M o r t o n
late i n his life, J a m e s D a p o g n y suggests a date o f 1906 ( D a p o g n y 1982:25,
4 9 6 ) . L a w r e n c e G u s h e e — w h o d i s c o v e r e d that M o r t o n was b o r n i n 1890,
n o t i n 1885, as h e h i m s e l f c l a i m e d — d a t e s M o r t o n ' s first c o m p o s i t i o n s
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C U R R E N T MUSICOI.OGY
slightly later, d u r i n g a n i t i n e r a n t p e r i o d i n 1907-11. " K i n g P o r t e r S t o m p "
h a d p r o b a b l y b e e n c o m p o s e d ( i f n o t w r i t t e n d o w n a n d titled) by 1910,
w h e n M o r t o n m e t the m a n f o r w h o m h e n a m e d t h e p i e c e ( G u s h e e
1 9 8 5 : 3 9 6 - 9 7 ) . W h a t e v e r the case, the p i e c e stands as o n e o f M o r t o n ' s
earliest c o m p o s i t i o n s , c o n c e i v e d by a y o u n g p i a n i s t i n the peak d e c a d e o f
ragtime.
T h e title, l i k e the c o m p o s e r , c o n j u r e s b o t h a r i s t o c r a t i c gravitas a n d
h o n k y - t o n k grit. I n M o r t o n ' s a c c o u n t , h e n a m e d the p i e c e after P o r t e r
K i n g , "a very d e a r f r i e n d o f m i n e a n d a m a r v e l o u s pianist" f r o m F l o r i d a .
K i n g , a c c o r d i n g to M o r t o n , was
a n e d u c a t e d g e n t l e m a n w i t h a w o n d e r f u l m u s i c a l e d u c a t i o n , far
m u c h better t h a n m i n e . . . h e s e e m e d to have a k i n d o f a y e n for m y
style o f p l a y i n g . A n d o f course h e p a r t i c u l a r l y l i k e [sic] this type o f
n u m b e r that I was p l a y i n g , a n d that was the reason that I n a m e d it
after h i m , b u t n o t " P o r t e r K i n g " ; I c h a n g e d the n a m e b a c k w a r d s a n d
c a l l e d it " K i n g P o r t e r S t o m p . " ( M o r t o n 1938)
A s for the " s t o m p " part o f the title, M o r t o n staked a n o t h e r m a j o r c l a i m ,
c o n s i d e r i n g the t e r m ' s w i d e s p r e a d use i n the 1920s a n d b e y o n d . ' " K i n g
P o r t e r ' was the first t u n e w i t h the n a m e ' s t o m p ' w r o t e i n t h e U n i t e d
States," he said, c o n f e s s i n g , "I d o n ' t k n o w what the t e r m ' s t o m p ' m e a n
m y s e l f [sic]. T h e r e w a s n ' t r e a l l y any m e a n i n g o n l y t h a t p e o p l e w o u l d
stamp t h e i r feet a n d I d e c i d e d that the n a m e ' s t o m p ' w o u l d be fitted for
it" ( M o r t o n 1938). S c h u l l e r defines "stomp" as " s y n o n y m o u s w i t h blues"
a n d i n d i c a t i n g a p i e c e w i t h a "heavy o r s t r o n g l y m a r k e d beat" ( S c h u l l e r
1968:382). B y the 1920s s t o m p s c o m p r i s e d a l o o s e l y d e f i n e d m a r k e t i n g
category f o r fast, h a r d - d r i v i n g j a z z - o r i e n t e d m u s i c , s o m e h o w d i s t i n g u i s h e d
f r o m blues, as i n the "blues a n d stomps" series o f M o r t o n ' s c o m p o s i t i o n s
p u b l i s h e d by the C h i c a g o - b a s e d M e l r o s e B r o t h e r s M u s i c C o . ( D a p o g n y
1982: p l a t e b e t w e e n 3 6 - 3 7 ) . O n the c o p y r i g h t r e g i s t r a t i o n c a r d at the
L i b r a r y o f C o n g r e s s , the M e l r o s e B r o t h e r s a i m to have it b o t h ways: there,
the p i e c e bears the subtitle " D i x i e l a n d s t o m p , blues master p i e c e [sic]."
I f M o r t o n w r o t e a n y t h i n g d o w n w h e n h e c o m p o s e d the p i e c e , n o
sources have c o m e to l i g h t . T h e earliest v e r s i o n is M o r t o n ' s s o l o p i a n o
r e c o r d i n g o f 1923, a n d his p u b l i s h e r d i d n o t c l a i m its c o p y r i g h t o r p u b l i s h
it u n t i l late i n the f o l l o w i n g year. S u c h facts suggest that M o r t o n h a d a
casual o r naive attitude a b o u t p u b l i c a t i o n . C e r t a i n l y , he s t o o d outside the
o r b i t o f aggressive T i n P a n A l l e y s o n g p l u g g i n g a n d the s m a l l e r i n d u s t r y
o f m i d w e s t e r n r a g t i m e , w h o s e l e a d i n g c o m p o s e r s r e g u l a r l y saw t h e i r works
p u b l i s h e d s o o n after c o m p o s i n g t h e m . B u t M o r t o n was a n y t h i n g b u t casual o r naive a b o u t the m a r k e t v a l u e o f his w o r k s . A s a n i t i n e r a n t pianist,
JEFFREY M A G E E
25
h e saw m u c h m o r e benefit i n w i t h h o l d i n g t h e m f r o m p u b l i c a t i o n , as he
e x p l a i n e d to L o m a x :
Y o u may w o n d e r why I d i d n ' t c o p y r i g h t m y tunes i n the o l d days . . .
T h e fact is that the p u b l i s h e r s t h o u g h t they c o u l d b u y a n y t h i n g they
w a n t e d f o r fifteen o r twenty d o l l a r s . N o w i f y o u was a g o o d p i a n o
player, y o u h a d ten j o b s w a i t i n g for y o u as s o o n as y o u h i t any t o w n
a n d so fifteen o r twenty d o l l a r s o r a h u n d r e d d o l l a r s d i d z i ' t m e a n
very m u c h to us. . . . So we k e p t o u r m e l o d i e s f o r o u r private m a t e r i a l
to use to battle e a c h o t h e r i n battles o f m u s i c . ( L o m a x 1 9 9 3 : 1 4 6 - 4 7 )
Publication and Early Piano Recordings (1923-26)
M o r t o n n e v e r s h e d his distrust o f p u b l i s h e r s (Stewart 1 9 9 1 : 1 6 8 - 6 9 ) ,
b u t by 1923 h e h a d m o r e i n c e n t i v e to p r o t e c t a n d p r o m o t e his m u s i c .
T h a t year h e m o v e d to C h i c a g o a n d b e g a n a n association w i t h the M e l r o s e
B r o t h e r s , w h o p u b l i s h e d M o r t o n ' s w o r k s after h e h a d r e c o r d e d t h e m
( D a p o g n y 1982:20). A t this p o i n t , the M e l r o s e B r o t h e r s M u s i c C o . was a
f l e d g l i n g , "small-time" o p e r a t i o n w i t h a "modest store," as R i c k K e n n e d y
has n o t e d , b u t i t " s t o o d at the f o r e f r o n t o f the n e w j a z z m o v e m e n t "
( K e n n e d y 1 9 9 4 : 7 2 - 7 3 ) . A l t h o u g h M o r t o n h a d seen his first p u b l i c a t i o n i n
1915 ("The O r i g i n a l J e l l y R o l l B l u e s " [ W i l l Rossiter, C h i c a g o ] ) , the j a z z
v o g u e that h a d b e g u n i n 1917 a n d crested i n 1 9 2 3 - 2 4 n o w c o a x e d m o r e
o f M o r t o n ' s m u s i c i n t o the p u b l i c arena, w h e r e o t h e r m u s i c i a n s c o u l d play
it i n t h e i r o w n way. M o r t o n q u i c k l y a c h i e v e d success w i t h " W o l v e r i n e
Blues," the first o f his pieces that M e l r o s e issued ( D a p o g n y 1982:20, 6 3 - 6 4 ) .
" K i n g P o r t e r S t o m p , " however, d i d n o t s h o w p r o m i s e o f b e c o m i n g a
hit, m u c h less a s t a n d a r d , i n j a z z o r any o t h e r repertory. M o r t o n p l a y e d
the p i e c e i n h i s first s o l o r e c o r d i n g session ( J u l y 17, 1923, R i c h m o n d ,
I n d i a n a , G e n n e t t 5 2 8 9 ) , suggesting the w o r k ' s p r i d e o f place i n his repertory. ( H e u l t i m a t e l y m a d e m o r e r e c o r d i n g s o f " K i n g P o r t e r S t o m p " t h a n
o f any o f h i s o t h e r pieces [ D a p o g n y 1982:495].) T h e n e x t year the p i e c e
was f u r t h e r d i s s e m i n a t e d t h r o u g h a c o u p l e o f p r e - p u b l i c a t i o n "plugs" a n d
M e l r o s e ' s d u a l p u b l i c a t i o n o f the w o r k as a p i a n o s o l o a n d as a d a n c e b a n d a r r a n g e m e n t . J u d g i n g f r o m the d o c u m e n t e d r e c o r d i n g legacy f r o m
1923 t h r o u g h 1927 (see table 1 ) , h o w e v e r , the p i e c e f a i l e d to attract
a b r o a d or sustained following a m o n g other musicians—even though
Variety, i n late 1924, h a d o b s e r v e d a " r e c o r d i n g v o g u e " f o r " o n l y ' h o t '
tunes" {Variety, N o v e m b e r 12, 1924). C e r t a i n l y , the p i e c e c a m e n o w h e r e
n e a r m a t c h i n g the interest raised by a n o t h e r "hot" M e l r o s e p u b l i c a t i o n ,
C h a r l i e Davis's " C o p e n h a g e n , " w h i c h spread rapidly a m o n g bands i n
C h i c a g o a n d N e w Y o r k after its p u b l i c a t i o n i n O c t o b e r 1924 ( M a g e e
1995:51, 5 5 ) .
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CURRENT MUSICOLOGY
JEFFREY M A G E E
Table 1
"King Porter Stomp": A discography, 1923-1942*
Date
1923
1924
1925
1926
1928
1932
July 17
ca. October
November 3
ca. December
ca. February 3
February 20
February 26
March
A p r i l 20
M a r c h 14
December 9
late 1932
1933
1934
1935
August 18
September 14
A p r i l 29
June 6
Julyl
November 6
1936
1937
February
January 10
May 17
1938
July 13
December 16
May-July
1939
August
September 12
September 27
April 6
1940
1942
December 14
February 7
M a r c h 28
May 28
July 14
July 27
January 27
Artist/Group
Matrix N o .
Jelly R o l l M o r t o n
Gennett 5289
Olympic 1463
rejected
Autograph 617
Pathe Actuelle
036211
rejected
A l Turk's Princess Orchestra
Benson Orchestra of Chicago
K i n g Oliver and Jelly R o l l M o r t o n
J o h n n y Sylvester and His Orchestra
Fletcher Henderson and H i s Orchestra
Lanin's R e d Heads
Charles Creath's Jazz-O-Maniacs
Fletcher Henderson and His Orchestra
Fletcher Henderson and His Orchestra
Cab Calloway and His Orchestra
C o l u m b i a 327-D
O k e h 41565
Vocalion 1020
C o l u m b i a 1543-D
O k e h 41565
Stash ST124
[taped broadcast from Cotton Club, New York]
Fletcher Henderson and H i s Orchestra
Brunswick A-9771
Claude Hopkins and His Orchestra
Decca 184
Isham Jones and His Orchestra
Rumbleseat Records
RS 103
Rhythm Makers Orchestra
N B C Thesaurus 127
[Benny G o o d m a n Orchestra]
Benny G o o d m a n and His Orchestra
Victor 25090
Blanche Calloway and H e r Orchestra
Vocalion 3112
[as "I Gotta Swing"]
C h i c k Webb and His Orchestra
Polydor 423248
C o u n t Basie and His Orchestra
Jazz Archives JA-16
[taped broadcast from "Chatterbox,"
W i l l i a m Penn H o t e l , Pittsburgh]
Teddy H i l l and His N B C Orchestra
Bluebird B-6988
Benny G o o d m a n and His Orchestra
C o l u m b i a ML4591
Harry Roy and H i s Orchestra
Parlophone 1158
Jelly R o l l M o r t o n (2)
Circle 23-24
Erskine Hawkins and His Orchestra
G l e n n M i l l e r and His Orchestra
Harry James and His Orchestra
Metronome Ail-Star Band
Teddy B u n n
Zutty Singleton and H i s Orchestra
Cab Calloway and His Orchestra
Bob Crosby and His Orchestra
Circle 73-69
rejected
Bluebird B-7839
?
Brunswick 8366
General 4005
C o l u m b i a 36389
Blue Note 503
Decca 18093
Pirate MPC-502
Jazz Panorama 16
Decca 4390
*Adapted and expanded from Richard Crawford and Jeffrey Magee (1992), which was compiled from Brian Rust (1982).
27
A n o b v i o u s e x p l a n a t i o n f o r the p i e c e ' s i n i t i a l failure to c a t c h o n m i g h t
s e e m to be that by 1924 " K i n g P o r t e r S t o m p " was d e c i d e d l y o l d - f a s h i o n e d ,
a s t r a i n - f o r m p i e c e f r o m the r a g t i m e era. B u t M e l r o s e h a d n o reason to
t h i n k that w o u l d h i n d e r its chances i n the m a r k e t p l a c e . D a n c e b a n d s o f
the e r a o c c a s i o n a l l y p l a y e d o l d e r m a t e r i a l , i n c l u d i n g " M a p l e L e a f R a g "
(1899), " H i g h Society" (1901), " P a n a m a " (1911), a n d " E c c e n t r i c " (1912),
as w e l l as m o r e r e c e n t l y p u b l i s h e d strain-form pieces s u c h as " T i g e r R a g "
(1917), " C l a r i n e t M a r m a l a d e " (1918), a n d " C o p e n h a g e n " ( C r a w f o r d a n d
Magee 1992:xii-xiii, a n d passim u n d e r song titles).
6
A c l o s e r l o o k at " K i n g P o r t e r S t o m p " as i t a p p e a r e d i n the M e l r o s e
sheet m u s i c p u b l i c a t i o n a n d M o r t o n ' s early r e c o r d i n g s reveals the q u a l i ties that m a d e the p i e c e b o t h o l d - s o u n d i n g a n d u n i q u e i n the early 1920s
(ex. 1). A n o b s e r v a t i o n by D a p o g n y c a n serve as a s t a r t i n g p o i n t :
" [ M o r t o n ' s ] d e p a r t u r e f r o m r a g t i m e style is m o r e r a d i c a l t h a n the surface
o f his p l a y i n g m i g h t suggest" ( D a p o g n y 1982:11). A n d as D a p o g n y puts it,
the piece's f i n a l strain is "one o f M o r t o n ' s m o s t f o r w a r d - l o o k i n g creations"
( D a p o g n y 1982:496). Y e t the f o r w a r d - l o o k i n g elements rise i n r e l i e f o n l y
after ragtime roots are r e c o g n i z e d . First, the o v e r a l l f o r m a n d key s c h e m e
o f the p i e c e , as M o r t o n r e c o r d e d a n d p u b l i s h e d i t i n 1924, r e s e m b l e s c o n v e n t i o n a l n o n - d a c a p o m a r c h a n d d a n c e f o r m s , a n d p i a n o r a g t i m e as
s t a n d a r d i z e d i n the w o r k o f J o p l i n a n d others. (It lacks o n e f o r m a l q u a l i t y
r e g u l a r l y seen i n J o p l i n ' s rags, however: the first strain's r e t u r n after the
s e c o n d strain.)
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T h e roles o f the h a n d s show b o t h M o r t o n ' s i n d e b t e d n e s s to a n d depart u r e f r o m r a g t i m e c o n v e n t i o n s . A s i n r a g t i m e , the left h a n d serves t h e
d u a l p u r p o s e o f m a r k i n g the beat a n d s u p p l y i n g the h a r m o n i c f o u n d a t i o n , w h i l e the r i g h t h a n d features a variety o f s y n c o p a t e d patterns that
play against the pulse. T h e s e c o n d strain is the m o s t c o n v e n t i o n a l l y ragl i k e , w i t h a n a l t e r n a t i o n o f octaves a n d c h o r d s i n the left h a n d , a n d a
r i g h t - h a n d p a t t e r n b a s e d o n the " M a p l e L e a f R a g " m o t i f . M e a n w h i l e ,
M o r t o n also steers away f r o m r a g t i m e ' s r e g u l a r i t y a n d r e p e t i t i o n . A t the
o p e n i n g o f the first strain, f o r e x a m p l e , M o r t o n p l a y e d a n d p u b l i s h e d para l l e l fifths, l e n d i n g force a n d w e i g h t to the o p e n i n g i d e a . I n the s e c o n d
strain, the left h a n d plays N e w O r l e a n s - s t y l e "tailgate" t r o m b o n e breaks.
M o r t o n ' s early r e c o r d i n g s o f the t u n e reveal left-hand patterns even m o r e
active a n d v a r i e d t h a n the sheet m u s i c shows: " t r o m b o n e " figures, syncop a t i o n , a n d f o r c e f u l accents j o l t the texture, especially i n the o p e n i n g o f
M o r t o n ' s 1926 r e c o r d i n g .
28
JEFFREY M A G E E
CURRENT MUSICOLOGY
Example 1: " K i n g Porter Stomp." By Ferd "Jelly Roll" M o r t o n . © 1924 (Renewed) E D W I N H .
M O R R I S & C O M P A N Y , A Division of M P L Communications, Inc. This arrangement ©
2002 E D W I N H . M O R R I S & C O M P A N Y , A Division of M P L Communications, Inc. A l l
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JEFFREY M A G E E
CURRENT MUSICOLOGY
U s e o f riffs reveals a n o t h e r way i n w h i c h M o r t o n reaches b e y o n d ragt i m e . I n the T r i o a n d S t o m p strains, M o r t o n b u i l d s eight-bar phrases f r o m
r e p e a t e d one- a n d two-bar riffs. C o n v e n t i o n a l l y c o n s i d e r e d a p h e n o m e n o n
a p p e a r i n g i n b a n d a r r a n g e m e n t s o f the 1930s a n d 1940s, riffs d i s t i n g u i s h
M o r t o n ' s style n o t o n l y i n " K i n g P o r t e r S t o m p , " b u t also i n o t h e r pieces
s u c h as " B i g F o o t H a m , " " G r a n d p a ' s S p e l l s , " a n d " W o l v e r i n e B l u e s "
( D a p o g n y 1 9 8 2 : 4 9 6 a n d p a s s i m ) . M o r t o n ' s " K i n g P o r t e r " riffs, i n
D a p o g n y ' s w o r d s , " p o i n t e d the way f o r a r r a n g e r s a n d c o m p o s e r s for years
to c o m e " ( D a p o g n y 1982:496).
Example 1 (cont.)
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A l t h o u g h M o r t o n contrasts the T r i o a n d S t o m p strains w i t h riffs, h e u n derscores e a c h o f t h e m w i t h a f o r m o f a r e c y c l i n g I V - V - I p r o g r e s s i o n , i n
w h i c h the t o n i c serves a d o m i n a n t f u n c t i o n , t o n i c i z i n g the s u b d o m i n a n t .
T h e b u i l t - i n m o m e n t u m o f starting away f r o m the t o n i c a n d r e t u r n i n g to
it every two bars surely a c c o u n t s for the p i e c e ' s a p p e a l to later j a z z soloists.
M o r t o n d i s t i n g u i s h e s the h a r m o n i c p l a n s o f the T r i o a n d S t o m p o n l y
i n t h e i r bass lines. I n the T r i o , the t o n i c is a p p r o a c h e d by c h r o m a t i c descent i n the bass l i n e : B k A , A t , to D k I n the S t o m p , the t o n i c is r e a c h e d
t h r o u g h c h r o m a t i c ascent: G\>, G , A\>, to D k T h i s reveals a n o t h e r key dep a r t u r e f r o m r a g t i m e : c o n t r a s t i n g strains u n i f i e d by a c o m m o n h a r m o n i c
p l a n . T h e first e v i d e n c e o f M o r t o n ' s characteristic practice o f strain variat i o n appears i n his 1915 p u b l i c a t i o n o f " O r i g i n a l J e l l y R o l l B l u e s , " w h i c h
D a p o g n y , slightly m o r e decisively t h a n S c h u l l e r , calls " p r o b a b l y " the first
p u b l i s h e d j a z z c o m p o s i t i o n ( D a p o g n y 1982:293; cf. S c h u l l e r 1968:137).
I n the f i n a l s t r a i n , the h i g h El] draws a t t e n t i o n to a n o t h e r d i s t i n c t i v e
feature o f M o r t o n ' s style: the b l u e note. E d w a r d B e r l i n has c i t e d a few exa m p l e s o f b l u e s - i n f l e c t e d r a g t i m e pieces, yet they t e n d to p r o v e the r u l e
that, especially before 1912, r a g t i m e rarely got the blues ( B e r l i n 1 9 8 0 : 1 5 4 6 0 ) . T h e blues saturate M o r t o n ' s works, however, a n d i n " K i n g P o r t e r " the
b l u e t h i r d stands o u t as the m o s t distinctive p i t c h o f the c l i m a c t i c f i n a l
strain's riff.
Is " K i n g P o r t e r S t o m p " a rag? O n the surface it w o u l d a p p e a r so. I n
fact, o n a 1925 sheet m u s i c cover, M e l r o s e advertised the p i e c e as p a r t o f
"Jelly R o l l M o r t o n ' s F a m o u s B l u e s a n d R a g Series" ( D a p o g n y 1982: plate
b e t w e e n 3 6 - 3 7 ) . Y e t , a l t h o u g h his f o r m a n d s o m e figuration f o l l o w ragt i m e , it is clear that M o r t o n ' s v a r i e d left-hand style, his riff-based p h r a s e
structure, his variations o n the T r i o a n d S t o m p strains, a n d his use o f the
blues place " K i n g P o r t e r S t o m p " i n a n o t h e r w o r l d . Stylistically a n o m a l o u s
i n the early 1900s, the p i e c e w o u l d r e m a i n so i n the S w i n g E r a a n d b e y o n d .
Stock Arrangements and Early Band Recordings (1924-25)
T h e M e l r o s e B r o t h e r s gave the p i e c e every c h a n c e to succeed. H a d they
s i m p l y i s s u e d " K i n g P o r t e r S t o m p " as a p i a n o s o l o , i t m i g h t n o t have
32
CURRENT MUSICOLOGY
JEFFREY M A G E E
f o u n d a n e w life as a b a n d a r r a n g e m e n t . A s was c u s t o m a r y i n the early
1920s, however, the p u b l i s h e r issued the p i e c e i n a stock a r r a n g e m e n t for
d a n c e o r c h e s t r a by E l m e r S c h o e b e l , o n e o f its staff arrangers. B e f o r e the
f i r m c l a i m e d the p i e c e ' s c o p y r i g h t o n D e c e m b e r 9, 1924, it f o u n d two
b a n d s to p r o m o t e the p i e c e i n p r e - p u b l i c a t i o n r e c o r d i n g s (see table 1): A l
T u r k ' s P r i n c e s s O r c h e s t r a a n d the p o w e r f u l B e n s o n O r c h e s t r a o f C h i c a g o ,
b o t h o f w h i c h h a d l i k e w i s e r e c o r d e d the M e l r o s e stock a r r a n g e m e n t o f
" C o p e n h a g e n " before its p u b l i c a t i o n i n late 1924 ( C r a w f o r d a n d M a g e e
1992:16). In a d d i t i o n , M o r t o n a n d K i n g O l i v e r made an unusual d u o
r e c o r d i n g o f the p i e c e w i t h i n a m o n t h o f the c o p y r i g h t c l a i m . O n it,
M o r t o n keeps t i m e w i t h a s t a n d a r d rag-derived a l t e r n a t i n g bass as O l i v e r
plays the m e l o d y a l m o s t note-for-note as i t a p p e a r s o n the sheet m u s i c .
H e a r i n g the r e c o r d i n g as a p u b l i s h e r - i n s t i g a t e d p l u g h e l p s a c c o u n t f o r the
a p p a r e n t l y u n i m a g i n a t i v e p l a y i n g o n this r e c o r d , w h i c h has p u z z l e d at
least o n e j a z z h i s t o r i a n ( G i o i a 1997:66).
T h e w h o l e p l u g g i n g p r o c e s s seems to have h a d a s h o r t - t e r m effect.
W i t h i n t h r e e m o n t h s o f the stock's p u b l i c a t i o n , several a d d i t i o n a l b a n d s
m a d e " K i n g P o r t e r S t o m p " records, i n c l u d i n g the St. L o u i s - b a s e d C h a r l e s
C r e a t h ' s J a z z - O - M a n i a c s , a n d N e w Y o r k d a n c e o r c h e s t r a s l e d by w h i t e
bandleader Sam L a n i n and black bandleader Fletcher Henderson.
A n y c o n s i d e r a t i o n o f these r e c o r d i n g s calls f o r a few w o r d s about the
stock a r r a n g e m e n t . T h e w h i t e pianist, c o m p o s e r , a n d b a n d l e a d e r E l m e r
S c h o e b e l was a t a l e n t e d a n d versatile m u s i c i a n i n the 1920s—"a key figure
i n C h i c a g o j a z z " ( S u d h a l t e r 1 9 9 9 : 3 1 ) — b u t his a r r a n g e m e n t f o r M e l r o s e
l o o k s l i k e s t a n d a r d w o r k f o r h i r e . It d i d what a stock was s u p p o s e d to d o :
preserve the structure, h a r m o n y , m e l o d y , r h y t h m , textures, a n d o t h e r figu r a t i o n o f its s o u r c e w h i l e g i v i n g it d a n c e o r c h e s t r a c o l o r s . T h e c l a r i n e t
a n d alto s a x o p h o n e carry the m a i n m e l o d y t h r o u g h the i n t r o d u c t i o n a n d
first two strains; the t r u m p e t s play most o f the riffs i n the T r i o a n d S t o m p .
T w o o f the early-1925 r e c o r d i n g s s h o w h o w b a n d s a d a p t e d the stock.
C r e a t h ' s g r o u p , f e a t u r i n g the s o u l f u l t r u m p e t star w h o l e d the b a n d ,
clearly follows the stock a r r a n g e m e n t , d e p a r t i n g f r o m it i n j u s t two ways:
(1) C r e a t h p a r a p h r a s e s the S t o m p m e l o d y a c c o m p a n i e d o n l y by p i a n o ,
a n d (2) the b a n d repeats the T r i o a n d first S t o m p sections. S u c h m i n o r
a l t e r a t i o n s were u n r e m a r k a b l e at a t i m e w h e n the m o s t p o p u l a r b a n d s
r e g u l a r l y " d o c t o r e d " stocks o r wrote t h e i r o w n "specials" ( a r r a n g e m e n t s
t a i l o r e d b y a b a n d ' s staff a r r a n g e r to f e a t u r e t h a t b a n d ' s p a r t i c u l a r
strengths).
7
I n c o n t r a s t , L a n i n ' s R e d H e a d s take c o n s i d e r a b l e l i b e r t i e s w i t h the
stock. T h e i r f o u r - b a r i n t r o d u c t i o n features a n e w h a r m o n i c s c h e m e .
I n s t e a d o f M o r t o n ' s a l t e r n a t i o n o f t o n i c (Al>) a n d d i m i n i s h e d c h o r d s ,
L a n i n ' s b a n d plays a h a r m o n i c surprise, the m a j o r s u b m e d i a n t i n m e a s u r e
7
33
7
2, l e a d i n g to a s o m e w h a t deceptive r e t u r n to the t o n i c : A t I E I F I Bl> . A
novelty-style p i a n o s o l o i n the T r i o i n c l u d e s a few substitute c h o r d s , a n d i n
the e n d the b a n d slips f r o m the stock's c a d e n c e o n a D t c h o r d to a n E
c h o r d , r e c a l l i n g the i n t r o d u c t i o n ' s surprise c h o r d i n a n e w h a r m o n i c c o n text. D e s p i t e s u c h typically N e w Y o r k - s t y l e twists, the b a n d plays i n a n o tably loose, f l e x i b l e q u a s i - N e w O r l e a n s style. T h i s suggests that L a n i n a n d
his s i d e m e n , l i k e most o t h e r j a z z - o r i e n t e d m u s i c i a n s i n 1924, were catchi n g the s p i r i t a n d style o f K i n g O l i v e r ' s C r e o l e J a z z B a n d , w h o s e first
r e c o r d i n g s h a d h i t N e w Y o r k w i t h i n the past year. T w o o t h e r things are
n o t a b l e a b o u t L a n i n ' s r e c o r d : a t r u m p e t s o l o (instead o f reeds) i n the first
strain a n d the use o f the T r i o , w i t h its c h r o m a t i c a l l y d e s c e n d i n g l i n e , as a
f o u n d a t i o n f o r solos (by c l a r i n e t a n d p i a n o ) . Interestingly, b o t h o f these
features w o u l d a p p e a r i n H e n d e r s o n ' s r e c o r d i n g s i n 1928 a n d b e y o n d , yet
L a n i n ' s d o c t o r e d stock h a r d l y r e p r e s e n t s the k i n d o f r e c o n c e p t i o n that
H e n d e r s o n ' s b a n d w o u l d later u n d e r t a k e .
7
9
8
C o n s i d e r i n g H e n d e r s o n ' s p r o m i n e n t c o n n e c t i o n to " K i n g P o r t e r
S t o m p " i n the S w i n g E r a , his b a n d ' s 1925 r e c o r d i n g l o o m s large for its absence: it was n e v e r released. B y this t i m e , H e n d e r s o n a n d L a n i n s h a r e d
the m u s i c a l duties at the R o s e l a n d B a l l r o o m , m i d t o w n M a n h a t t a n ' s l e a d i n g d a n c e h a l l — " t h e 'class' d a n c e place o n B r o a d w a y , " i n the w o r d s o f
Variety's m o n o m i a l m u s i c c o l u m n i s t " A b e l " ( G r e e n ) , w r i t i n g i n O c t o b e r
1924 ( q u o t e d i n M a g e e 1995:48). D o n R e d m a n , H e n d e r s o n ' s p r i n c i p a l
a r r a n g e r a n d r e e d m a n , has r e c a l l e d the m a n y "battles o f m u s i c " that
H e n d e r s o n ' s a n d L a n i n ' s b a n d s f o u g h t at the R o s e l a n d . " H e was at o n e
e n d o f the h a l l , " R e d m a n r e c a l l e d , " a n d we w e r e at the o t h e r , a n d i n
the m i d d l e was the a r r a n g e r s ' table. . . . W e were always m a k i n g u p n e w
a r r a n g e m e n t s t r y i n g to top theirs" ( D r i g g s 1962:96). W e c a n o n l y w o n d e r
w h a t k i n d o f a r r a n g e m e n t R e d m a n m i g h t have w o r k e d u p f o r H e n d e r son's b a n d , w h i c h r e c o r d e d " K i n g P o r t e r S t o m p " o n F e b r u a r y 20, 1925,
j u s t six days b e f o r e L a n i n ' s d i d . T h e c l o s e n e s s o f t h e r e c o r d i n g d a t e s
leaves little d o u b t that the two b a n d s f o u g h t this battle o n two fronts: i n
the r e c o r d i n g studio as w e l l as i n the b a l l r o o m .
U n f o r t u n a t e l y , we n o w h e a r o n l y o n e side o f the battle. A t a n t a l i z i n g
question remains: d i d Louis A r m s t r o n g , who j o i n e d Henderson's band
a few m o n t h s e a r l i e r , p l a y a r o l e i n the r e c o r d i n g ? If H e n d e r s o n was
" b a t t l i n g " L a n i n with this p i e c e i n early 1925, h e s h o u l d have f e a t u r e d
A r m s t r o n g , as h e often d i d , as a w e a p o n f r o m his arsenal that L a n i n c o u l d
n o t m a t c h . I n fact, a m o n g the thirty-one r e c o r d i n g s H e n d e r s o n ' s b a n d
m a d e since A r m s t r o n g h a d j o i n e d it i n O c t o b e r , o n l y six d o n o t feature a n
A r m s t r o n g solo, so m o r e l i k e l y t h a n not, A r m s t r o n g h a d a s o l o o n " K i n g
P o r t e r S t o m p . " E v i d e n c e f r o m later H e n d e r s o n r e c o r d i n g s invites f u r t h e r
s p e c u l a t i o n o n that p o i n t .
34
CURRENT MUSICOLOGY
JEFFREY M A G E E
Henderson's Stomp: From Stock to H e a d (1928-33)
After the b r i e f f l u r r y o f " K i n g P o r t e r S t o m p " r e c o r d i n g s i n early 1925,
n o o n e b u t M o r t o n r e c o r d e d the p i e c e a g a i n f o r t h r e e years. W h e n
H e n d e r s o n ' s b a n d revisited the p i e c e i n 1928 it b e c a m e the m a i n c o n d u i t
t h r o u g h w h i c h " K i n g P o r t e r S t o m p " passed f r o m the J a z z A g e to the S w i n g
E r a . H e n d e r s o n m a d e three d i f f e r e n t r e c o r d i n g s o f the p i e c e : the revised
v e r s i o n r e c o r d e d i n 1928, the so-called " N e w K i n g P o r t e r S t o m p " o f 1932,
a n d a n o t h e r revised v e r s i o n o f 1933. I n these r e c o r d i n g s we h e a r his b a n d
t r a n s f o r m the p i e c e f r o m a s t o c k to a h e a d a r r a n g e m e n t , that is, a n
a r r a n g e m e n t d e v e l o p e d t h r o u g h discussion a n d d e m o n s t r a t i o n w i t h little
o r n o w r i t t e n m u s i c . I n the process, " K i n g P o r t e r S t o m p " c h a n g e d f r o m a
m u l t i s t r a i n rag-based p i e c e to a s t r e a m l i n e d " j a m m i n g " p i e c e for i m p r o v i s i n g soloists, a shift g r a p h i c a l l y revealed i n table 2. T o m a k e the c h a n g e ,
H e n d e r s o n a n d his s i d e m e n e x t e n d e d M o r t o n ' s riff p r i n c i p l e to the entire
p i e c e ; riffs serve as the f o u n d a t i o n f o r the solos.
W h y d i d H e n d e r s o n r e v i s i t the p i e c e t h r e e years after h i s u n i s s u e d
r e c o r d i n g i n 1925? T h a t his n a m e was closely l i n k e d to the p i e c e f r o m the
1930s o n w a r d — m a k i n g it s e e m e n t i r e l y n a t u r a l for h i m to have m a d e the
p i e c e a c e n t r a l e l e m e n t i n his b a n d ' s b o o k — h a s t e n d e d to o v e r s h a d o w
s o m e p r a c t i c a l e x i g e n c i e s i n 1 9 2 7 - 2 8 . F o r o n e t h i n g , m a n y historians i n terpret the late 1920s as a l o w p o i n t for H e n d e r s o n , attributable to D o n
R e d m a n ' s d e p a r t u r e f r o m the b a n d i n J u l y 1927 (see, f o r e x a m p l e , A l l e n
1973:214). R i c h a r d H a d l o c k notes that R e d m a n left a n " e n o r m o u s gap"
that H e n d e r s o n n e v e r f i l l e d ( 1 9 8 8 : 2 0 5 ) . S i m i l a r l y , S c h u l l e r argues that
R e d m a n was "virtually i r r e p l a c e a b l e " as the "architect o f the b a n d ' s style"
( 1 9 6 8 : 2 6 7 ) . W i t h R e d m a n g o n e , H e n d e r s o n h a d to seek o u t n e w
a r r a n g e r s a n d a r r a n g e m e n t s , o r resort to o l d ones. Yet, a l t h o u g h R e d m a n ' s
d e p a r t u r e p o s e d a c h a l l e n g e to H e n d e r s o n , the 1928 " K i n g P o r t e r S t o m p "
reflected a trend i n H e n d e r s o n ' s r e p e r t o i r e that h a d appeared before
R e d m a n left: p l a y i n g u p d a t e d a r r a n g e m e n t s o f o l d e r pieces. P r e s e n t since
the early 1920s, the t e n d e n c y h a d escalated i n 1926 w i t h s u c h r e c o r d i n g s
as " C l a r i n e t M a r m a l a d e , " "Fidgety Feet," " S e n s a t i o n , " a n d " L i v e r y Stable
B l u e s , " a l l revised versions o f pieces by m e m b e r s o f the O r i g i n a l D i x i e l a n d
J a z z B a n d , as w e l l as " P a n a m a , " " T h e St. L o u i s B l u e s , " " T h e W a n g W a n g
B l u e s , " a n d " W a b a s h B l u e s " ( M a g e e 1992:202). It was i n 1926, too, that
H e n d e r s o n ' s b a n d played M o r t o n ' s "The C h a n t " i n a newly p u b l i s h e d
M e l r o s e stock.
9
T h e 1928 " K i n g P o r t e r " may also have h a d i m p e t u s f r o m a m o r e p r o x i m a t e cause: the c o m p o s e r . M o r t o n was i n N e w Y o r k at this time, a n d , i n
fact, he h a d b e e n i n the C o l u m b i a r e c o r d i n g s t u d i o a day before H e n d e r son's b a n d c a m e there to r e c o r d his p i e c e ( A l l e n 1973:246). W h e t h e r o r
n o t H e n d e r s o n e n c o u n t e r e d M o r t o n at this t i m e , by the 1930s F l e t c h e r
35
Table 2
F o r m o u t l i n e s o f " K i n g P o r t e r S t o m p " r e c o r d i n g s a n d stock a r r a n g e m e n t ,
1923-35
M o r t o n (1923)
Melrose stock (1924)
M o r t o n (1924)
L a n i n (1925)
Creath (1925)
M o r t o n (1926)
Henderson (1928)
Henderson (1932-33)
G o o d m a n (1935)
1(4)
1(4)
1(4)
1(4)
1(4)
1(4)
1(8)
1(8)
1(8)
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Cx
C
C
C
c
c
c
c
c
Cx
Cx
Cx
C
C
Cx
c
c
c
Cx'
Cx'
Cx'
C
Cx
Cx
C
C
C
T
T
T
Cx
Cx
Cx'
C
C
C
Cx'
Cx'
T
Cx
C
C
T
T
Cx' T
C
Cx Cx' T
Cx Cx' T
I = Introduction
A = First strain
B = Second strain
X = Interlude
C = Trio
C x = Stomp 1
C x ' = Stomp 2
T = Tag ending
a n d M o r t o n were "great friends," at least partly because o f " K i n g P o r t e r
S t o m p , " as this a r t i c l e ' s e p i g r a p h suggests.
T h e 1928 r e c o r d i n g o c c u p i e s a p i v o t p o i n t i n the p i e c e ' s b i o g r a p h y ,
o n e that c a n be h e a r d i n at least two c o n t r a s t i n g ways. Retrospectively, it
m a r k s the earliest d o c u m e n t e d stage o f H e n d e r s o n ' s t r a n s f o r m a t i o n o f
the p i e c e . S o it stands as a r o u g h early v e r s i o n o f the a r r a n g e m e n t that
evolved i n the early 1930s to b e c o m e a n a t i o n a l h i t for B e n n y G o o d m a n i n
1935 a n d a b i g - b a n d s t a n d a r d thereafter. A s I've w r i t t e n elsewhere, listeni n g to H e n d e r s o n ' s r e c o r d i n g s o f 1 9 2 8 - 3 3 " f r o m a classicized perspective
o n m u s i c a l c o m p o s i t i o n is l i k e h e a r i n g a s k e t c h d e v e l o p i n t o a f i n i s h e d
score" ( M a g e e 1999:68).
Y e t the " s k e t c h " a n a l o g y , h o w e v e r a p t i n r e t r o s p e c t , o b s c u r e s the
a r r a n g e m e n t ' s basis i n a u r a l , n o t w r i t t e n , m u s i c m a k i n g , a n d the e x c i t i n g ,
even r a d i c a l n a t u r e o f H e n d e r s o n ' s r e v i s i o n . S o it takes s o m e effort to
h e a r the a r r a n g e m e n t f r o m the c o n t r a s t i n g perspective o f the 1920s. T h e
b a n d a n n o u n c e s its d i s t i n c t i v e a p p r o a c h f r o m the o p e n i n g bars, w i t h a
n e w eight-bar i n t r o d u c t i o n f e a t u r i n g a fiery t r u m p e t solo by B o b b y Stark
(ex. 2 ) . T h e s o l o ' s tone, f i g u r a t i o n , a n d structure f u r t h e r suggest L o u i s
A r m s t r o n g as a k i n d o f " m i s s i n g l i n k " i n the piece's e v o l u t i o n . A r m s t r o n g ' s
t r a d e m a r k s p e r m e a t e the s o l o , i n c l u d i n g the s y n c o p a t e d leaps o f a f o u r t h
at the o p e n i n g , characteristic o f A r m s t r o n g ' s solos w i t h H e n d e r s o n three
10
36
CURRENT MUSICOI.OGY
JEFFREY M A G E E
Example 2: " K i n g Porter Stomp," i n t r o d u c t i o n , trumpet solo by Bobby Stark (Fletcher
Henderson and H i s Orchestra, 1928).
Example 3: " K i n g Porter Stomp," final strain, b e g i n n i n g (Fletcher H e n d e r s o n a n d H i s
Orchestra, 1928) (from Sturm 1995:63).
J f\ 1
1*1
Reeds
AW
Di,
37
9.
7
Brass
fa V\7\
(' f
1 m"m 1 *
a:
t
G°
g:
Dt
>
G°
Dl.
Tuba
years earlier (Magee 1992:316, 3 1 9 - 2 0 ) , a n d the b i g , b l a r i n g tone t h r o u g h out. T h e w h o l e eight-bar u n i t parses clearly i n t o a p a i r o f p a r a l l e l four-bar
phrases, w i t h the r h y t h m o f m e a s u r e s 5 - 6 n e a r l y i d e n t i c a l to that o f
measures 1-2. T h a t reveals a new sense o f the i m p o r t a n c e o f l i n k i n g a n d
r e l a t i n g phrases o f a s o l o , o f the c o h e r e n c e that A r m s t r o n g h a d b r o u g h t
to the j a z z s o l o s i n c e his early days w i t h H e n d e r s o n ( H a r k e r 1999).
T h e overall f o r m o f the a r r a n g e m e n t throws greater e m p h a s i s o n the
T r i o a n d S t o m p t h a n ever before, b e g i n n i n g a p a t t e r n that w o u l d e x t e n d
i n t o the S w i n g E r a . H e n d e r s o n ' s b a n d o m i t s the repeats o f the first a n d
s e c o n d strains, setting a n o t h e r t r e n d that w o u l d b e c o m e s t a n d a r d i z e d i n
the 1930s. T h e first T r i o hews close to M o r t o n ' s o r i g i n a l m e l o d y ; subseq u e n t choruses o f the T r i o are used f o r solos b a c k e d by riffs. T h e S t o m p ,
o n the o t h e r h a n d , b e c o m e s the place for the w h o l e b a n d to s h i n e . I n the
1928 r e c o r d i n g , the b a n d r u n s t h r o u g h the S t o m p j u s t o n c e , b u t that chorus w o u l d b e c o m e the m o s t f a m o u s o f a l l , the call-and-response c h o r u s
that S c h u l l e r (1968:268) has t e r m e d "the s i n g l e m o s t i n f l u e n t i a l e n s e m b l e
i d e a i n the e n t i r e s w i n g era" (ex. 3).
W h i l e m a n y ideas a n t i c i p a t e s t a n d a r d s w i n g a r r a n g i n g p r a c t i c e , the
r h y t h m s e c t i o n m a r k s this as a 1920s r e c o r d i n g . T w o i n s t r u m e n t s i n particu l a r signify the r e c o r d i n g ' s twenties v i n t a g e : the t u b a , m o s t l y p l u g g i n g
alternate beats (one a n d t h r e e ) , a n d the banjo, s t r u m m i n g a steady fourbeat p a t t e r n . C l o s e l i s t e n i n g also reveals a haze o f r i d e c y m b a l a n d h i g h
h a t w o r k , i n c l u d i n g a c y m b a l h i t after the f i n a l c a d e n c e — a t r a d e m a r k o f
H e n d e r s o n ' s d r u m m e r , J o s e p h "Kaiser" M a r s h a l l , since 1923. T h e w h o l e
r e c o r d i n g lopes a l o n g at a r o u n d 180 beats p e r m i n u t e , a p p r o x i m a t e l y the
same t e m p o as H e n d e r s o n ' s f o r m e r c o m p e t i t o r , S a m L a n i n , h a d t a k e n it
i n 1925. R h y t h m i c a l l y , the 1928 v e r s i o n l o o k s n o t f o r w a r d b u t b a c k w a r d .
W h e n H e n d e r s o n r e c o r d e d the p i e c e a g a i n o n D e c e m b e r 9, 1932, it
was issued u n d e r a revised title: the " N e w K i n g P o r t e r S t o m p . " T h a t day's
r e c o r d i n g session has b e c o m e — l i k e the session o f B e n n i e M o t e n ' s Kansas
C i t y O r c h e s t r a that p r o d u c e d " T o b y " a n d " M o t e n S w i n g " f o u r days later—
o n e o f those l e g e n d a r y sessions p r i z e d for the desperate, u n l i k e l y artistry
o f s t r u g g l i n g b l a c k b a n d s i n the early D e p r e s s i o n years ( o n M o t e n ' s sess i o n , see S c h u l l e r a n d W i l l i a m s 1983:18). It is this r e c o r d i n g , a l o n g w i t h
H e n d e r s o n ' s " D o w n S o u t h C a m p M e e t i n ' , " that M a r t i n W i l l i a m s a n d
G u n t h e r S c h u l l e r c h o s e to e x e m p l i f y "the s w i n g b a n d style as it was taken
u p by n e a r l y e v e r y o n e else" ( S c h u l l e r a n d W i l l i a m s 1 9 8 3 : 1 4 ) . Y e t the
r e c o r d i n g ' s h a l l o w e d status belies the h a p h a z a r d c o n d i t i o n s o f its m a k i n g .
J o h n H a m m o n d has w r i t t e n a n a c c o u n t o f the session i n w h i c h the " K i n g
P o r t e r S t o m p " r e c o r d i n g appears as a n afterthought, s q u e e z e d i n at the
end:
W e were s c h e d u l e d f o r t e n o ' c l o c k o n a F r i d a y m o r n i n g , a s t a n d a r d
t h r e e - h o u r r e c o r d i n g session, w h i c h m e a n t we h a d to be t h r o u g h by
o n e . A t t e n o n F r i d a y two m u s i c i a n s w e r e i n the s t u d i o . A t 12:15
J o h n K i r b y s h o w e d u p w i t h his bass, f o l l o w e d shortly by the rest of
the b a n d . W e c u t t h r e e sides i n less t h a n forty-five m i n u t e s , two o f
w h i c h were masters acceptable for release: " U n d e r n e a t h the H a r l e m
M o o n " a n d " H o n e y s u c k l e R o s e . " T h e t h i r d side, " N e w K i n g P o r t e r
S t o m p , " we c o u l d play t h r o u g h o n l y o n c e . ( H a m m o n d 1977:67)
T h e session p r o d u c e d a s i n g l e C o l u m b i a d i s k , f e a t u r i n g " H o n e y s u c k l e
R o s e " o n o n e side a n d " H a r l e m M o o n " o n the o t h e r . " K i n g P o r t e r S t o m p "
f o u n d its way o n t o a l o w - b u d g e t O k e h r e c o r d i n g b a c k e d by a C l a r e n c e
W i l l i a m s - l e d " n o n u n i o n j u g band" (ibid.:68).
Yet, f r o m H a m m o n d ' s perspective, "the session was o n e o f the m o s t satisfying I have ever h a d a n y t h i n g to d o w i t h . " H e a t t r i b u t e d the results, i n
part, to what h a d a p p e a r e d to be liabilities: the t i m e a n d space constraints
p l a c e d o n the event by the s t u d i o a n d the m u s i c i a n s themselves. "Perhaps
to m a k e a m e n d s for t h e i r casual b e h a v i o r , " H a m m o n d r e c a l l e d , "the m u s i cians really p u t o u t i n the s h o r t t i m e available to us. T h e s t u d i o was s m a l l ,
the b a n d setup i n t i m a t e — t h e k i n d o f c o n d i t i o n s i n w h i c h m u s i c i a n s c a n
38
CURRENT MUSICOLOGY
r e a l l y h e a r a n d feel w h a t e a c h m a n is d o i n g . T h e results w e r e s u p e r b "
(ibid.:67).
T h i s " K i n g P o r t e r " is "new" i n m a n y respects. T h e b a n d q u i c k e n e d the
t e m p o to 210 beats p e r m i n u t e . T h e string bass (played by K i r b y ) a n d g u i tar ( F r e d d y W h i t e ) i m p a r t a lightness a n d f o r w a r d m o m e n t u m far f r o m
the c o m p a r a t i v e l y heavy, "vertical" t r e a d o f the 1920s tuba-banjo c o m b i n a t i o n . F o r m a l l y , the n e w v e r s i o n makes a decisive shift t o w a r d the T r i o a n d
S t o m p : the b a n d o m i t s the rag-like s e c o n d strain entirely, adds two solo
choruses to the T r i o , a n d creates a new S t o m p strain a c t i n g as a n intensive
b u i l d - u p to the f i n a l call-and-response s h o u t c h o r u s , w h i c h n o w features
s a x o p h o n e s i n p l a c e o f the o u t m o d e d c l a r i n e t t r i o . H o w a r d S p r i n g (1997)
has c o n v i n c i n g l y a r g u e d that the differences b e t w e e n H e n d e r s o n ' s first
a n d s e c o n d " K i n g P o r t e r " r e c o r d i n g s may partly be e x p l a i n e d by the develo p m e n t o f the L i n d y H o p i n the late 1920s a n d early 1930s.
D e s p i t e f u n d a m e n t a l c h a n g e s , however, it r e m a i n s a " h e a d " arrangem e n t whose basic structure, p r o c e s s i o n o f solos, riff f o u n d a t i o n , a n d c l i m a c t i c a n t i p h o n y r e m a i n intact f r o m 1928. W i t h the s e c o n d strain's omiss i o n a n d the T r i o a n d S t o m p ' s e x p a n s i o n , the first strain n o w s o u n d s l i k e
a n e x t e n s i o n o f the i n t r o d u c t i o n : a n i n t r o d u c t i o n to a series o f solos over
a r i f f f o u n d a t i o n . T h a t f o u n d a t i o n , p o u r e d i n 1928, n o w s o l i d i f i e s i n
H e n d e r s o n ' s 1932 a n d 1933 r e c o r d i n g s . U n d e r Stark's first-Trio s o l o , the
s a x o p h o n e s play a s y n c o p a t e d v a r i a t i o n o n M o r t o n ' s o r i g i n a l T r i o m e l o d y ,
w h i c h h a d b e e n i n the f o r e g r o u n d i n H e n d e r s o n ' s 1928 r e c o r d i n g . C o l e m a n H a w k i n s ' s s o l o a p p e a r s over a four-note s y n c o p a t e d brass riff. T h e
first c h o r u s o f J . C . H i g g i n b o t h a m ' s t r o m b o n e s o l o is a c c o m p a n i e d by a
f a l l i n g - t h i r d s figure i n the s a x o p h o n e s that h a d its o r i g i n s u n d e r J i m m y
H a r r i s o n ' s t r o m b o n e s o l o i n 1928.
B y 1933, the riff f o u n d a t i o n has b e c o m e m o r e p r o n o u n c e d . N o w , the
r e c o r d i n g b a l a n c e shifts so that the solos interact with the riffs r a t h e r t h a n
s o a r i n g above t h e m . T h e b a n d retains the basic structure f r o m 1932 w h i l e
c h a n g i n g some o f its contents. H e n r y " R e d " A l l e n ' s t r u m p e t s o l o fills the
two-chorus slot, previously taken by J . C . H i g g i n b o t h a m , p r e c e d i n g the ens e m b l e out-choruses. M o r t o n ' s o r i g i n a l t r i o m e l o d y , suggested i n the saxop h o n e s ' v a r i a t i o n o f it u n d e r Stark's solo, c o m e s to the fore i n a c l a r i n e t
solo (by e i t h e r H i l t o n Jefferson o r Russell P r o c o p e ) i n the n e x t T r i o strain.
B y the late 1920s, p u b l i c p e r f o r m a n c e p r a c t i c e h a d d e p a r t e d f r o m
r e c o r d i n g p r a c t i c e , w h i c h h a d to fit the a r r a n g e m e n t i n t o the t h r e e to
three-and-a-half m i n u t e l i m i t o f a 7 8 - r p m r e c o r d . C r i t i c s W i l d e r H o b s o n
a n d O t i s F e r g u s o n n o t e d that H e n d e r s o n ' s r e c o r d i n g s give few c l u e s
a b o u t h o w the b a n d s o u n d e d i n p u b l i c . F e w o f the r e c o r d i n g s , n o t e d
H o b s o n , "give a n y t h i n g l i k e the g o l d e n , s e e t h i n g s p i r i t o f a F l e t c h e r
H e n d e r s o n o c c a s i o n " ( H o b s o n 1962; cf. F e r g u s o n 1982:57). A n d a c c o r d -
JEFFREY M A G E E
39
i n g to S a n d y W i l l i a m s , w h o w o u l d s o o n be p l a y i n g the p i e c e w i t h B o b b y
Stark i n C h i c k W e b b ' s b a n d , o n C h r i s t m a s n i g h t at the A p o l l o T h e a t e r , "I
c o u n t e d the c h o r u s e s I p l a y e d o n ' K i n g P o r t e r S t o m p ' — t w e n t y - t h r e e .
B o b b y Stark a n d I c o u l d play as m a n y choruses as we felt l i k e o n that, so
l o n g as e a c h c h o r u s was a little m o r e e x c i t i n g . T h a t was our t u n e " ( D a n c e
2 0 0 1 : 6 9 - 7 1 ) . A c c o u n t s l i k e W i l l i a m s ' s are r e m i n d e r s that p a r t o f " K i n g
Porter"'s a p p e a l c a m e f r o m things that were never c a p t u r e d o n a p r i n t e d
page, a s o u n d r e c o r d i n g , o r any o t h e r m e d i a .
A t r a n s c r i p t i o n a n d analysis o f the 1933 r e c o r d i n g by Dave J o n e s a n d
J a m e s D a p o g n y a l l o w f o r a closer l o o k , r e v e a l i n g several things. First, they
notate a n d discuss the e x c e p t i o n a l solos o f C o l e m a n H a w k i n s a n d R e d
A l l e n . B o t h soloists d e m o n s t r a t e a n u n c a n n y ability to "float against the
r h y t h m , " to create a n d sustain " m o t i v i c c o h e r e n c e " apart f r o m the o r i g i n a l m e l o d y , a n d , i n g e n e r a l , they reveal " i m p r o v i s e r s t h i n k i n g c o m p o s i tionally." S e c o n d , they reveal "many s m a l l d i s a g r e e m e n t s a m o n g m e m b e r s
o f the b a n d a b o u t what notes a n d r h y t h m s to play a n d h o w to play t h e m , "
r e i n f o r c i n g the n o t i o n that e v e n five years after his b a n d ' s first i s s u e d
r e c o r d i n g o f the p i e c e , H e n d e r s o n ' s " K i n g P o r t e r S t o m p " r e m a i n e d u n n o tated, a " h e a d " a r r a n g e m e n t "made collectively by the b a n d m e m b e r s a n d
played from memory" (Dapogny a n d Jones n.d.:n.p.).
Goodman's Stomp: A Score
A f t e r p l a y i n g a j o b i n D e t r o i t ' s G r a y s t o n e B a l l r o o m i n N o v e m b e r 1934,
H e n d e r s o n failed to pay his s i d e m e n . T h e a c c u m u l a t e d u n c e r t a i n t i e s o f
getting a regular paycheck in H e n d e r s o n ' s b a n d took their toll a n d
H e n d e r s o n ' s entire b a n d q u i t e n masse, many o f t h e m to j o i n B e n n y C a r t e r
back i n N e w York (Allen 1973:300-1). M e a n w h i l e , B e n n y G o o d m a n ' s
f l e d g l i n g c a r e e r as a b a n d l e a d e r was s h a p i n g u p to b e c o m e p e r m a n e n t .
O n D e c e m b e r 1, 1934, G o o d m a n b e g a n l e a d i n g his b a n d o n the " L e t ' s
D a n c e " r a d i o p r o g r a m . It was b i l l e d as a " d a n c e party" every S a t u r d a y
n i g h t a n d w o u l d be h e a r d across the c o u n t r y , b u t t h e r e was also a large
s t u d i o a u d i e n c e , f o r N B C ' s s t u d i o 8 H c o u l d seat a r o u n d o n e t h o u s a n d
p e o p l e (Firestone 1993:106). A l t h o u g h " L e t ' s D a n c e " lasted o n l y twentysix weeks, it s h a p e d the careers o f B e n n y G o o d m a n a n d , by e x t e n s i o n ,
F l e t c h e r H e n d e r s o n i n s e v e r a l i m p o r t a n t ways, a n d i t h e l p e d seal the
c a n o n i c destiny o f " K i n g P o r t e r S t o m p " i n the twentieth century.
As a c o m m e r c i a l l y s p o n s o r e d network radio p r o g r a m , "Let's D a n c e "
was a p o t e n t i a l g o l d m i n e i n the m u s i c industry. N e t w o r k r a d i o was less
t h a n a d e c a d e o l d , a n d c o m m e r c i a l s p o n s o r s h i p h a d o n l y recently t a k e n
h o l d as the c h i e f m e a n s o f p r o m o t i n g r a d i o , a p h e n o m e n o n v a l i d a t e d by
the C o m m u n i c a t i o n s A c t o f 1934 ( S m u l y a n 1994:167). L i v e m u s i c o n rad i o , o f course, was n o t a n e w p h e n o m e n o n . A s early as 1924, for e x a m p l e ,
40
CURRENT MUSICOLOGY
H e n d e r s o n ' s b a n d c o u l d be h e a r d p l a y i n g at the R o s e l a n d B a l l r o o m o n
W H N N e w Y o r k , a n d r a d i o stations c a r r i e d m a n y o t h e r b a n d s a n d singers
o n "sustaining p r o g r a m s , " that is, o n - l o c a t i o n broadcasts f r o m hotels, b a l l r o o m s , a n d n i g h t c l u b s t h r o u g h o u t the 1920s. S u c h p r o g r a m s c e r t a i n l y
e x p a n d e d a m u s i c i a n ' s a u d i e n c e i n a way that h a d b e e n i m p o s s i b l e before
the advent o f r a d i o i n 1920. B u t the m o r e r e c e n t c o m m e r c i a l l y s p o n s o r e d
p r o g r a m s g u a r a n t e e d a b r o a d n a t i o n a l a u d i e n c e o n a r e g u l a r basis. A s
D a v i d W . Stowe has n o t e d , these were the c h o i c e j o b s , b r i n g i n g u n p r e c e d e n t e d prestige a n d r e m u n e r a t i o n . S u c h p r o g r a m s were "the s w i n g i n d u s try's greatest p r i z e " a n d the " p r i m a r y m e a n s by w h i c h a b a n d a n d its
agency f o u n d a n d p r e p a r e d its a u d i e n c e " (Stowe 1 9 9 4 : 1 0 8 - 9 ) .
" L e t ' s D a n c e " also a l l o w e d G o o d m a n to e x p a n d h i s r e p e r t o i r e a n d
style. T h e p r o g r a m ' s f o r m a t c a l l e d for t h r e e b a n d s to play t h i r t y - m i n u t e
sets i n a l t e r n a t i o n , b e g i n n i n g w i t h K e l M u r r a y a n d H i s O r c h e s t r a p l a y i n g
sweet d a n c e m u s i c (to use the p a r l a n c e o f the era, w h e n "sweet" a n d "hot"
d e s i g n a t e d the r a n g e o f p o p u l a r d a n c e m u s i c ) , c o n t i n u i n g w i t h X a v i e r
C u g a t ' s o r c h e s t r a p l a y i n g L a t i n - t i n g e d m u s i c ( o n the crest o f a r u m b a fad
i n the early 1930s), a n d e n d i n g with G o o d m a n ' s b a n d p l a y i n g "hot," jazzoriented music. T h e j o b came with an allowance for eight arrangements
p e r week i n the first t h i r t e e n weeks, r e d u c e d to f o u r p e r week w h e n the
s h o w was r e n e w e d f o r a s e c o n d t h i r t e e n - w e e k p e r i o d i n late F e b r u a r y
( H a m m o n d 1 9 7 7 : 1 0 8 - 9 ) . G o o d m a n cast a b o u t f o r a r r a n g e r s h e c o u l d call
o n a n d w o r k w i t h . I n search o f a distinctive s o u n d , a n d w i t h J o h n H a m m o n d ' s e n c o u r a g e m e n t , G o o d m a n sought o u t b l a c k a r r a n g e r s to give his
style the s h o t o f j a z z that the j o b r e q u i r e d . A m o n g m a n y p o s s i b i l i t i e s ,
H e n d e r s o n — s t r u g g l i n g to m a k e ends m e e t a n d w i t h m o r e t h a n a d e c a d e
o f d a n c e - b a n d e x p e r i e n c e b e h i n d h i m — s t o o d o u t as a n a t u r a l c h o i c e to
take o n m u c h o f the a r r a n g i n g w o r k , s o m e t i m e s d o i n g as m a n y as t h r e e a
week (Firestone 1993:109-10, 116).
A n entire n e t w o r k show f e a t u r i n g h o t m u s i c w o u l d have b e e n c o m m e r cially unfeasible before A u g u s t 1935, b u t w i t h the p r e s e n c e o f M u r r a y a n d
C u g a t h e w i n g closer to the m e l o d i e s o f the tunes they p l a y e d , G o o d m a n
was freer to d e p a r t f r o m t h e m . J o h n H a m m o n d has stressed this p o i n t :
" T h e liberties G o o d m a n was a l l o w e d o n L e t ' s D a n c e , " he r e c a l l e d , "were
m a d e p o s s i b l e b e c a u s e C u g a t a n d K e l M u r r a y were p l a y i n g i n straight,
c o m m e r c i a l f a s h i o n . B y the t i m e B e n n y c a m e o n the a i r h e c o u l d play
his o w n way." H a m m o n d also e m p h a s i z e d the i m p o r t a n c e o f the show's
b u d g e t a l l o w i n g G o o d m a n to c o m m i s s i o n n e w a r r a n g e m e n t s , w h i c h b r o k e
"the s t r a n g l e h o l d m u s i c p u b l i s h e r s h a d o n the p e r f o r m a n c e o f p o p u l a r
songs" (1977:109).
Ross Russell later m a d e a s i m i l a r p o i n t i n a m o r e e v o l u t i o n a r y a n d e m p h a t i c tone: " [ T ] h e war against the h o r r i b l e p r o d u c t s o f the tunesmiths,
JEFFREY M A G E E
41
w h i c h b e g a n w i t h F l e t c h e r H e n d e r s o n i n the 1920's, has b e e n b r o u g h t a
successful c o n c l u s i o n o n l y by the b e b o p p e r s (Russell 1959:202). A c t u a l l y ,
H e n d e r s o n h a d a d a p t e d a n d r e a r r a n g e d stock a r r a n g e m e n t s i n the 1920s
( M a g e e 1992), so it was n o t so m u c h the "first t i m e " that a r r a n g e r s h a d
b r o k e n away f r o m p u b l i s h e r s ' a r r a n g e m e n t s o f p o p u l a r songs as it was the
first t i m e i n the early 1930s that w h i t e b a n d s i n p a r t i c u l a r h a d d e p a r t e d
f r o m what p u b l i s h e r s h a d p r o v i d e d .
A t this p o i n t , H e n d e r s o n finally c o m m i t t e d " K i n g P o r t e r S t o m p " to paper, a n d i n this f o r m it b e c a m e the first F l e t c h e r H e n d e r s o n a r r a n g e m e n t
i n G o o d m a n ' s b o o k . ( A t the same t i m e , G o o d m a n also a c q u i r e d F l e t c h e r ' s
b r o t h e r H o r a c e ' s " B i g J o h n S p e c i a l . " ) Y e t the a r r a n g e m e n t
that
H e n d e r s o n gave G o o d m a n i n late 1934 o r early 1935 was n o t s i m p l y a
t r a n s c r i p t i o n o f the v e r s i o n his o w n b a n d h a d p l a y e d . It i n t r o d u c e s several
slight b u t t e l l i n g changes. F o r e x a m p l e , H e n d e r s o n e n h a n c e d the riff acc o m p a n i m e n t i n the o p e n i n g strain to i n c l u d e incisive e x c h a n g e s b e t w e e n
the brass a n d s a x o p h o n e s , w h e r e before there h a d o n l y b e e n s a x o p h o n e s
(exx. 4 a n d 5 ) . I n a d d i t i o n , the revised a r r a n g e m e n t f o r G o o d m a n also restores M o r t o n ' s T r i o m e l o d y to the f o r e g r o u n d i n the first T r i o ; the
m e l o d y r e t a i n s the s y n c o p a t e d c h a r a c t e r t h a t H e n d e r s o n ' s b a n d h a d
b r o u g h t to it i n its e a r l i e r r e c o r d i n g s , b u t it n o l o n g e r a c c o m p a n i e s a
t r u m p e t s o l o . H e n d e r s o n also recast the p e n u l t i m a t e c h o r u s . I n 1933,
H e n d e r s o n h a d f e a t u r e d a r i p p l i n g , t r i p l e t s a x o p h o n e riff (with p i q u a n t
brass dissonances) f l o w i n g r i g h t o u t o f the e n d o f R e d A l l e n ' s t r u m p e t
solo (ex. 6). I n contrast, the 1935 r e c o r d i n g featured a full e n s e m b l e c h o r u s
based o n a c l i m b i n g s y n c o p a t e d figure (ex. 7 ) .
T o s o m e e x t e n t these differences reveal the m o r e f u n d a m e n t a l distinct i o n b e t w e e n the versions p l a y e d by H e n d e r s o n a n d the v e r s i o n p l a y e d by
G o o d m a n : H e n d e r s o n ' s b a n d p l a y e d a "head" a r r a n g e m e n t that—despite
f u n d a m e n t a l s i m i l a r i t i e s a m o n g the 1928, 1932, a n d 1933 versions—was
n e v e r p l a y e d the same way twice. G o o d m a n ' s b a n d , o n the o t h e r h a n d ,
c l e a r l y plays a n a r r a n g e m e n t t h a t has b e e n f u l l y w r i t t e n d o w n , e x c e p t
for the solos. T h e " m a n y s m a l l d i s a g r e e m e n t s " b e t w e e n the H e n d e r s o n
r e c o r d i n g s o f 1932 a n d 1933 w o u l d n o t be a l l o w e d b y the f a s t i d i o u s
G o o d m a n a n d his well-rehearsed b a n d . U n d e r G o o d m a n ' s auspices, " K i n g
P o r t e r S t o m p " c o a l e s c e d i n t o a score whose r e c o r d e d p e r f o r m a n c e s , especially the m u c h a n t h o l o g i z e d J u l y 1, 1935, v e r s i o n , g l e a m w i t h p o l i s h a n d
s p a r k l e w i t h vitality. " [ O J n e o f the biggest k i c k s I've ever h a d i n m u s i c
[was] to go t h r o u g h these scores a n d d i g the m u s i c o u t o f t h e m , even i n
r e h e a r s a l , " G o o d m a n n o t e d i n his 1939 a u t o b i o g r a p h y ( G o o d m a n a n d
K o l o d i n 1961:147). J o h n H a m m o n d , w h o s t o o d i n a u n i q u e p o s i t i o n to
a p p r e c i a t e what b o t h H e n d e r s o n a n d G o o d m a n d i d w i t h the p i e c e , r e c o g n i z e d the m u s i c a l a n d c u l t u r a l i m p o r t o f G o o d m a n ' s v e r s i o n . I n his words,
42
CURRENT MUSICOLOGY
JEFFREY M A G E E
Example 4: " K i n g Porter Stomp," first strain, m m . 9-16 (Fletcher H e n d e r s o n a n d H i s
Orchestra, 1933, transcribed by James Dapogny and Dave Jones).
Trumpet solo
43
Example 5: " K i n g Porter Stomp," first strain,
. 9-16 (Henderson arrangement for Benny
G o o d m a n , transcription i n Benny G o o d m a n Collection, Yale Universitv).
m
m
Trumpet solo
1
Saxophones
R
Saxophones
: *
1
—
L
-
—
-
Trumpets
At
B!>m
F7
Btm
'
' A , i, L — m - i
,
CM)
I^TS S i d^J- ' c
1
Dt
D°7
i — I
*~i i
H<H m J M
ha B i i l H Jm
'q -rij»i/j.
.—P=
-
At.
a
F7
B!>7
Et7
>«w ,
^1
1
0\_ J? v J
_
1
—
Al>6
Gi>6
F7
Btm7
Al
G o o d m a n ' s v e r s i o n "is s o m e t h i n g o f a l a n d m a r k i n w h i t e j a z z circles. It is
the first time, to m y k n o w l e d g e , that a large w h i t e o r c h e s t r a has s u c c e e d e d
i n c a p t u r i n g the attack a n d f r e e d o m o f the best c o l o u r e d b a n d s " ( q u o t e d
i n E r e n b e r g 1998:74, f r o m a H a m m o n d article i n Melody Maker that app e a r e d before G o o d m a n ' s c o m m e r c i a l r e c o r d i n g s o f " K i n g P o r t e r " [ M a y 28,
1935]).
Swing Standard
G o o d m a n ' s success w i t h " K i n g P o r t e r S t o m p " seems to have p r o m p t e d
m a n y o t h e r bands to r e c o r d it: the n u m b e r o f r e c o r d i n g s o f the p i e c e rose
s i g n i f i c a n t l y after 1 9 3 5 . T a b l e 1 p r e s e n t s a n o u t l i n e o f " K i n g P o r t e r
S t o m p " ' s b i o g r a p h y t h r o u g h m o s t o f the S w i n g E r a . A l t h o u g h t h e b a n d s
o f C a b Calloway, I s h a m J o n e s , C l a u d e H o p k i n s , a n d u n d o u b t e d l y others,
p l a y e d t h e piece b e f o r e G o o d m a n , the table illustrates d r a m a t i c a l l y that
G o o d m a n ' s r e c o r d i n g a n d p e r f o r m a n c e s i n 1935 l a u n c h e d a n e w phase
i n the piece's history, w h e n it b e c a m e a s t a n d a r d a m o n g b i g bands. I n that
year, the piece's t r i c k l i n g r e c o r d i n g history b e c a m e a steady stream, w i t h
several b i g - b a n d versions m i x e d with a notable revival o f interest i n
r e c o r d i n g the o r i g i n a l p i a n o v e r s i o n by its c o m p o s e r .
Tpls.
DI-6
Dlm6
Al>6
F7
B!>9
EW
GI.6
G6 Ab6
A m o n g these r e c o r d i n g s stand m a n y nearly f o r g o t t e n treasures o f the
S w i n g E r a . D u r i n g the same p e r i o d i n early 1936, w h e n Stanley D a n c e p r o m o t e d " c u t t i n g " contests between the G o o d m a n a n d C h i c k W e b b orchestras, f o r e x a m p l e , W e b b ' s b a n d r e c o r d e d what m i g h t be the fastest " K i n g
P o r t e r " o n r e c o r d . T h e a r r a n g e m e n t is clearly d e r i v e d f r o m H e n d e r s o n ' s ,
b u t its t e m p o is n o t . P l a y e d at m o r e than 2 6 0 beats p e r m i n u t e , W e b b ' s
" K i n g P o r t e r " c l e a r l y "cuts" t h e G o o d m a n b a n d i n s h e e r s p e e d . A year
later, the T e d d y H i l l O r c h e s t r a r e c o r d e d " K i n g P o r t e r S t o m p . " It t o o b o r rows heavily f r o m t h e H e n d e r s o n a r r a n g e m e n t a n d offers several n o v e l
44
CURRENT MUSICOLOGY
JEFFREY M A G E E
Example 6: " K i n g Porter Stomp," penultimate strain riff (Fletcher H e n d e r s o n and H i ;
Orchestra, 1933, transcribed by James Dapogny and Dave Jones).
Saxophones
Example 7: " K i n g Porter Stomp," penultimate strain riff ( H e n d e r s o n arrangement for
Benny G o o d m a n , Benny G o o d m a n Collection, Yale University).
Saxophones
Trumpets
Gl.6
m
45
I n the m e a n t i m e , its c o m p o s e r had fallen i n t o obscurity. B e t w e e n 1930
a n d 1938 M o r t o n a p p e a r e d o n o n l y o n e r e c o r d i n g . H e h a d b e c o m e personally a l i e n a t e d f r o m the y o u n g e r j a z z m u s i c i a n s f r o m N e w Y o r k (with
the e x c e p t i o n , apparently, o f F l e t c h e r H e n d e r s o n ) , a n d h e suffered f i n a n cial p r o b l e m s , i l l h e a l t h , a n d fear o f a v o o d o o curse ( D a p o g n y 1 9 8 2 : 2 1 22). B e g i n n i n g w i t h the L i b r a r y o f C o n g r e s s r e c o r d i n g s , M o r t o n m a d e five
m o r e r e c o r d s o f " K i n g P o r t e r S t o m p " f r o m 1938 to 1940. B y t h e n , his playi n g style was at least twenty years out-of-date, b u t his r e c o r d i n g s reveal it to
be even m o r e e x u b e r a n t a n d vital. H i g h - r e g i s t e r octave flares s i g n a l the
b e g i n n i n g s o f phrases, left-hand figures inject s u d d e n accents, the r i g h t
h a n d f r e q u e n t l y leaps a m o n g registers—all r e v e a l i n g a n e w mastery a n d
an u n p r e c e d e n t e d f r e e d o m a n d flexibility. W e ' v e seen h o w M o r t o n ' s riffs
a n d structure c o n t i n u e d to shape b i g - b a n d versions i n t o the 1930s, b u t the
i n f l u e n c e also w o r k e d the o t h e r way. I n h i s 1939 r e c o r d i n g o f " K i n g
P o r t e r S t o m p " ( a n t h o l o g i z e d o n the Smithsonian Collection of Classic Jazz),
M o r t o n shows his awareness o f the a r r a n g e m e n t , because h e r e for the first
t i m e h e leaps a m o n g registers i n a p i a n i s t i c v e r s i o n o f call-and-response.
I n the L o m a x interviews, M o r t o n h a d said, "no j a z z p i a n o player c a n really
p l a y g o o d j a z z unless they try to give a n i m i t a t i o n o f a b a n d " ( L o m a x
1 9 9 3 : 7 9 ) . E x a m p l e 8 shows the c l o s i n g bars o f w h a t m i g h t be c a l l e d
M o r t o n ' s "band" version of " K i n g Porter Stomp."
A l t h o u g h M o r t o n r e c o r d e d " K i n g P o r t e r S t o m p " m o r e t h a n any o f his
works, n o single m u s i c i a n d e m o n s t r a t e d a m o r e sustained a n d p u b l i c c o m m i t m e n t to the p i e c e t h a n B e n n y G o o d m a n . O v e r his half-century career
as a b a n d l e a d e r , G o o d m a n r e t u r n e d to H e n d e r s o n ' s a r r a n g e m e n t o f
" K i n g P o r t e r S t o m p " a g a i n a n d a g a i n , m o r e t h a n a l m o s t any b i g - b a n d
c h a r t i n his sizeable b o o k . It was the first F l e t c h e r H e n d e r s o n arrangem e n t he r e c e i v e d f r o m H e n d e r s o n , a n d o n e o f the last he ever p l a y e d i n
p u b l i c , at h i s f i n a l c o n c e r t at W o l f T r a p i n V i e n n a , V i r g i n i a , a week before
his d e a t h i n J u n e 1986. T h e p i e c e served a p a r t i c u l a r f u n c t i o n for h i m ,
what m i g h t be c a l l e d the "hot slot," since w h e n e v e r h e p l a y e d it o n r a d i o ,
t e l e v i s i o n , a n d c o n c e r t p r o g r a m s i t o f t e n s e r v e d as a c l i m a c t i c c l o s e r ,
e i t h e r for the first h a l f o f the p r o g r a m o r for the e n t i r e p r o g r a m , usually
f o l l o w e d by e i t h e r a n i n t e r m i s s i o n o r the b a n d ' s sign-off t h e m e , " G o o d b y e "
( C o n n o r 1988:passim).
1 1
DI.6
Dt.7
ideas as w e l l . M o s t notably, H i l l ' s r e c o r d i n g features a n e w four-bar i n t r o d u c t i o n ( d u r i n g a p e r i o d w h e n almost all bands played a version o f
H e n d e r s o n ' s eight-bar o p e n i n g ) , f o l l o w e d by a two-bar b r e a k a n d the first
strain solo featuring H i l l ' s nineteen-year-old t r u m p e t player, J o h n Birks
G i l l e s p i e , i n his first r e c o r d e d solo.
T h e b a n d r e c o r d i n g s after H e n d e r s o n ' s tell part o f the same story: that
the H e n d e r s o n a r r a n g e m e n t was the p r e v a i l i n g a p p r o a c h to " K i n g P o r t e r
S t o m p " i n the 1930s a n d 1940s. M o r e o v e r , c o n s i d e r i n g that n o b a n d besides H e n d e r s o n ' s r e c o r d e d the p i e c e b e t w e e n s p r i n g 1925 a n d fall 1934,
it is safe to say that H e n d e r s o n saved the p i e c e f r o m obscurity.
A r e c o r d i n g issued i n 1986 preserves a televised p e r f o r m a n c e f r o m the
p r e v i o u s y e a r f e a t u r i n g G o o d m a n ' s b a n d p l a y i n g several H e n d e r s o n
a r r a n g e m e n t s , i n c l u d i n g " K i n g P o r t e r S t o m p . " I n this p e r f o r m a n c e the
b a n d h a r k s b a c k to the 1935 s c o r e . T h e t r u m p e t soloist, L a u r i e F r i n k ,
recreates B u n n y B e r i g a n ' s f a m o u s s o l o i n the i n t r o d u c t i o n a n d first strain,
a n d the same riffs a p p e a r u n d e r this a n d o t h e r solos. T h e last two c h o ruses f e a t u r e the same e n s e m b l e a r r a n g e m e n t as the 1935 r e c o r d i n g s .
46
CURRENT MUSICOLOGY
Example 8: " K i n g Porter Stomp," final strain (Ferdinand "Jelly R o l l " M o r t o n , 1939, from
Dapogny 1982:504).
JEFFREY M A G E E
47
A c o u p l e o f " K i n g Porter"-related tunes p r e c e d e d the Swing E r a .
M o r t o n ' s o w n " H y e n a S t o m p " c o m p r i s e s several variations o n the S t o m p
u n d e r n e a t h t h e l a u g h i n g h y e n a antics o f L e w L a M a r ( V i c t o r , C h i c a g o ,
J u n e 4, 1927: The Jelly Roll Morton Centennial: His Complete Victor Recordings,
R C A B l u e b i r d 2 3 6 1 - 2 - R B ) . T h i s r e c o r d i n g c o m e s as close as we c a n get to
h e a r i n g h o w M o r t o n m i g h t have a r r a n g e d " K i n g P o r t e r S t o m p " f o r h i s
o w n b a n d . O n e o f M o r t o n ' s f r e q u e n t s i d e m e n , J o h n n y D o d d s , also wrote
a p a r t i a l " K i n g P o r t e r " contrafact, the l a n g u o r o u s " I n d i g o S t o m p , " w h i c h
c o m b i n e s twelve-bar b l u e s c h o r u s e s a n d strains b a s e d o n t h e S t o m p
progression.
1 2
M e a n w h i l e , the e n s e m b l e s o u n d s r e m a r k a b l y g o o d — b e t t e r , i n s o m e ways,
t h a n t h e 1935 b a n d . T h e s a x o p h o n e s a r e m i l k y r i c h a n d s m o o t h , w i t h
carefully t a p e r e d p h r a s e e n d i n g s . T h e brass are n o t as harshly b r i g h t as
the 1 9 3 5 - 3 6 b a n d ' s brass. A n d t h e d r u m m e r has a l i g h t e r t o u c h t h a n
G e n e K r u p a d i d . M o r e t h a n a n artifact d e m o n s t r a t i n g a c o n t i n u o u s perf o r m a n c e t r a d i t i o n , G o o d m a n ' s 1985 P B S p e r f o r m a n c e shows that " K i n g
P o r t e r S t o m p " c o u l d s o u n d fresh a h a l f a c e n t u r y after it h a d l a u n c h e d the
Swing Era.
New Bottles, O l d Wine
T h e p i e c e ' s r e c o r d i n g h i s t o r y e x t e n d s far b e y o n d r e c o r d s b e a r i n g its
n a m e . S e v e r a l b a n d s d e v e l o p e d a n d r e c o r d e d " K i n g P o r t e r " contrafacts
based o n the S t o m p s t r a i n — u s i n g the " b a c k g r o u n d s " o f " K i n g P o r t e r , " as
M o r t o n p u t it, "to m a k e great tunes o f themselves." F o r e x a m p l e , B e n n y
C a r t e r ' s " E v e r y b o d y S h u f f l e " (1934) features a s e q u e n c e o f e i g h t S t o m p based strains w i t h solos a n d e n s e m b l e riff choruses. S c h u l l e r a n d W i l l i a m s
n o t e several o t h e r S w i n g E r a spinoffs, i n c l u d i n g L a r r y C l i n t o n a n d B u n n y
B e r i g a n ' s "Study i n B r o w n , " C a b C a l l o w a y ' s " A t the C l a m b a k e C a r n i v a l , "
H a r r y J a m e s ' s " J u m p T o w n " a n d " C a l l the P o r t e r , " a n d B e n n y G o o d m a n ' s
" S l i p p e d D i s c , " a p u n n i n g title r e f e r r i n g b o t h to t h e r e c o r d a n d to G o o d m a n ' s sciatica, f o r w h i c h h e ' d h a d surgery at t h e M a y o C l i n i c i n t h e s u m m e r o f 1940 ( S c h u l l e r a n d W i l l i a m s 1983:14). Sy O l i v e r ' s " W e l l , G i t It!" f o r
T o m m y D o r s e y ' s O r c h e s t r a , r e c o r d e d i n 1942, b e g i n s as a blues flagwaver
a l a " B u g l e C a l l R a g " t h e n shifts to a series o f S t o m p - b a s e d strains. D u k e
E l l i n g t o n ' s "Bojangles ( A P o r t r a i t o f B i l l R o b i n s o n ) " (1940), i n c l u d e s a rec u r r i n g riff c h o r u s also based o n M o r t o n ' s S t o m p . T h e S t o m p p r o g r e s s i o n
also makes a surprise a p p e a r a n c e i n the eight-bar tag e n d i n g o f the W i l l i e
B r y a n t O r c h e s t r a ' s r e c o r d i n g o f G e r s h w i n ' s " L i z a , " r e c o r d e d A u g u s t 1,
1935, w h i l e G o o d m a n ' s b a n d was i n the m i d s t o f its n a t i o n a l tour.
T h e p i e c e has a t t r a c t e d several m o d e r n j a z z m u s i c i a n s as w e l l . J o h n
L e w i s c o m p o s e d at least two p i e c e s b a s e d o n " K i n g P o r t e r " : " G o l d e n
Striker" a n d " O d d s Against T o m o r r o w . " W h e n asked what he f o u n d i n t r i g u i n g a b o u t t h e p i e c e , Lewis r e s p o n d e d i n a way that typified his genera t i o n o f j a z z m u s i c i a n s . " W h a t m a d e ' K i n g P o r t e r S t o m p ' i n t e r e s t i n g to
m e , " h e said, "was n o t a p e r f o r m a n c e by J e l l y R o l l M o r t o n o r what I h e a r d
f r o m h i m , b u t what F l e t c h e r H e n d e r s o n d i d . H e r e c o m p o s e d t h e p i e c e .
T h a t ' s what's i m p o r t a n t " ( L e w i s 1987). I n 1958, G i l E v a n s m a d e a n e w
a r r a n g e m e n t o f " K i n g P o r t e r S t o m p " f o r his eighteen-piece o r c h e s t r a f o r
his a l b u m New Bottle/Old Wine. T h e a l b u m ' s title aptly captures t h e spirit o f
Evans's " K i n g P o r t e r , " w h i c h takes shards o f M o r t o n ' s o r i g i n a l ( M o r t o n ' s
second strain, w h i c h the Swing E r a h a d discarded, i n a quasi-Dixieland
setting, a n d M o r t o n ' s first s t o m p s t r a i n i n a style c l o s e r to the o r i g i n a l
t h a n to a n y b i g - b a n d setting) as w e l l as a l l u s i o n s to H e n d e r s o n ' s arrangem e n t (most clearly i n the p i c k u p s to the final c h o r u s a n d the a p p r o a c h to
the final c a d e n c e ) , a n d casts t h e m i n a n a d v a n c e d b e b o p i d i o m , w i t h ext e n d e d tertian h a r m o n i e s ( i n c l u d i n g n i n t h a n d t h i r t e e n t h c h o r d s ) , darti n g , a n g u l a r lines f o r t h e e n s e m b l e , a n d a p o s t - C h a r l i e P a r k e r alto saxop h o n e solo. I n short, the a r r a n g e m e n t fits squarely i n t o the e r a o f Evans's
c o l l a b o r a t i o n s w i t h M i l e s Davis w h i l e t a k i n g full m e a s u r e o f j a z z h i s t o r y
before it was filtered t h r o u g h e a r l i e r versions o f " K i n g P o r t e r S t o m p . " A s
a result, Evans's v e r s i o n n o t o n l y reaffirms t h e p i e c e ' s p l a c e i n t h e j a z z
t r a d i t i o n , it also makes the piece a repository for that t r a d i t i o n .
A similar effect t h r o u g h contrasting means emerges f r o m J o n H e n d r i c k s ' s
vocalese s u n g b y the M a n h a t t a n T r a n s f e r i n a precise r e n d i t i o n o f G o o d m a n ' s J u l y 1, 1935, r e c o r d i n g . A l t h o u g h e x p l o r e d by several sophisticated
p r a c t i t i o n e r s s i n c e t h e 1940s, v o c a l e s e has o n l y r e c e n t l y e m e r g e d as a
serious subject i n j a z z s c h o l a r s h i p (see G r a n t 1995). H e n d r i c k s , a master
o f the g e n r e , creates a vocalese that characteristically tells a fact-based b u t
f a n c i f u l story a b o u t t h e m u s i c o n w h i c h it is w r i t t e n ( s o m e t i m e s w i t h
r h y m e s w o r t h y o f a n o t h e r P o r t e r : C o l e ) . B y t e l l i n g t h e story b e h i n d
M o r t o n ' s p i e c e i n w o r d s set to G o o d m a n ' s r e c o r d e d p e r f o r m a n c e o f
48
CURRENT MUSICOLOGY
H e n d e r s o n ' s a r r a n g e m e n t , H e n d r i c k s , i n effect, u n i t e s the t u n e ' s t h r e e
p r i n c i p a l legends. H e r e is the i n t r o d u c t i o n a n d first strain s u n g by A l a n
P a u l to the tune o f B u n n y B e r i g a n ' s solo (while the o t h e r three singers
back it w i t h the a c c o m p a n y i n g riffs a n d l o n g tones set to w o r d s s h o w n i n
italics):
13
G a t h e r r o u n ' ' n h e a r m y story
Oh boy!
' B o u t the t i m e w h e n J e l l y R o l l was i n t o w n
(Stompin' it off, stompin'it off. . .)
H e heard a local pianist
What joy!
S t o m p i n ' out music o n an o l d upright piano
Here comes King
that was d o w n r i g h t r a g g e d i n a Scott J o p l i n way
(Here he comes—master of the stomp)
O l ' J e l l y k n e w the f e l l a ' c o u l d play
Dig him!
by the t h i n g s h e h e a r d h i s r i g h t h a n d say
(Now we're gonna romp)
(There was no doubtin' that the man could swing)
W h e n J e l l y R o l l d e m a n d e d his n a m e
Hail! King Porter
W e l l , the m a n r e s p o n d e d " P o r t e r K i n g "
(Dig 'im!) By order!
W e l l , J e l l y l e f ' the city, b u t h e wrote
(Dig 'im!) Ya wanna dig 'im
a r o m p i n ' ditty ' b o u t a P o r t e r
(Dig 'im!) Ya gonna dig 'im
w h o was " K i n g o ' the s t o m p "
Porter' King sho' can stomp
Conclusion
T h e story o f " K i n g P o r t e r S t o m p " i n the p e r i o d b e f o r e b e b o p ranges
across f o u r decades a n d t h r e e c r u c i a l figures i n j a z z ' s early d e v e l o p m e n t :
J e l l y R o l l M o r t o n , the p i a n i s t a n d b a n d l e a d e r w h o m G u n t h e r S c h u l l e r has
c a l l e d the "first great c o m p o s e r " ( S c h u l l e r 1968:134); F l e t c h e r H e n d e r s o n , the b a n d l e a d e r a n d a r r a n g e r whose 1920s b a n d was a p r o t o t y p e for
S w i n g E r a b i g bands, a n d w h o s e a r r a n g e m e n t s d e f i n e d the style o f B e n n y
G o o d m a n ' s o r c h e s t r a , a n d by e x t e n s i o n , a n o r m a t i v e s t a n d a r d o f b i g - b a n d
JEFFREY M A G E E
49
s w i n g i n g e n e r a l ; a n d G o o d m a n himself, whose b a n d p r o j e c t e d H e n d e r son's a r r a n g e m e n t s , starting w i t h " K i n g P o r t e r S t o m p , " i n t o the ears a n d
feet o f A m e r i c a n s f r o m N e w Y o r k to L o s A n g e l e s , c r e a t i n g a n a t i o n a l style
f r o m a n a r r a n g i n g style that o r i g i n a t e d i n H a r l e m . T h e story also i n c l u d e s
a c a m e o a p p e a r a n c e by the y o u n g Dizzy G i l l e s p i e , a n d p e r h a p s even L o u i s
A r m s t r o n g , i n absentia. S u c h a l i n e a g e l e n d s the piece's c a n o n i c status a n
a u r a o f Tightness a n d inevitability.
Y e t the p i e c e ' s history reveals that it was a n y t h i n g b u t d e s t i n e d f o r that
status. F o r w e l l over a d e c a d e , M o r t o n w i t h h e l d it f r o m p u b l i c a t i o n a n d
r e c o r d i n g . W h e n i t was finally p u b l i s h e d a n d r e c o r d e d i n 1 9 2 3 - 2 4 , i t
f a i l e d to c a t c h o n a m o n g b a n d s , despite p u b l i c a t i o n as a stock arrangem e n t p r o m o t e d t h r o u g h p r e - p u b l i c a t i o n plugs. H e n d e r s o n ' s first r e c o r d i n g , i n fact, was never even issued. A f t e r that, b e t w e e n 1 9 2 5 - 3 1 , few i f any
o t h e r b a n d s p i c k e d u p the piece besides H e n d e r s o n ' s . I n d e e d , Rust d o c u m e n t s o n l y two r e c o r d i n g s between M a r c h 1925 a n d D e c e m b e r 1932: o n e
by M o r t o n (1926) a n d o n e by H e n d e r s o n (1928). A n d w h i l e Rust's discogr a p h y is n o t exhaustive, it makes clear that " K i n g P o r t e r S t o m p " was negl e c t e d i n c o m p a r i s o n w i t h o t h e r hits a n d e m e r g i n g j a z z standards o f the
p e r i o d (see C r a w f o r d a n d M a g e e 1992). H e n d e r s o n ' s 1928 v e r s i o n , a r a d i cal r e v i s i o n o f the p i e c e , nevertheless c a m e at a t i m e w h e n the b a n d h a d
lost D o n R e d m a n , a p i l l a r o f its m u s i c a l i d e n t i t y since the b a n d ' s f o r m a t i o n i n 1923. T h e 1932 C o l u m b i a v e r s i o n , n o w widely a n t h o l o g i z e d , was
s q u e e z e d i n at the e n d o f a r e c o r d i n g session t h a t a l m o s t d i d n o t take
p l a c e , a n d a p p e a r e d o n l y o n a cut-rate O K e h r e c o r d . T h e a r r a n g e m e n t
d e v e l o p e d by H e n d e r s o n ' s b a n d c a m e i n t o G o o d m a n ' s h a n d s o n l y after
H e n d e r s o n ' s b a n d , o u t o f m o n e y , h a d d i s s o l v e d . E v e n G o o d m a n ' s nowl e g e n d a r y P a l o m a r B a l l r o o m a p p e a r a n c e o n A u g u s t 2 1 , 1935, a l m o s t
d i d n ' t h a p p e n because G o o d m a n n e a r l y d i s b a n d e d his o r c h e s t r a after a
debacle i n Denver, C o l o r a d o . M o r e o v e r , B u n n y Berigan's solo o n " K i n g
P o r t e r S t o m p , " w h i c h h a d e l e c t r i f i e d the P a l o m a r c r o w d , m i g h t n o t have
b e e n h e a r d i n p u b l i c b e c a u s e G o o d m a n a c t u a l l y f i r e d B e r i g a n i n Salt
L a k e C i t y f o r excessive d r i n k i n g , o n l y to h i r e h i m b a c k the n e x t day
(Firestone 1993:146).
T h e w r i t t e n a n d a u r a l r e c o r d o f " K i n g P o r t e r " ' s h i s t o r y suggests that
this c a n o n i c a l w o r k , so i n f l u e n t i a l a n d w i d e l y p l a y e d i n j a z z ' s first halfc e n t u r y , a c h i e v e d its h a l l o w e d status a l m o s t i n spite o f its c r e a t o r a n d
c h i e f advocates. Y e t i t c o n t i n u e s to exert f a s c i n a t i o n f o r m u s i c i a n s , listeners, a n d dancers even n o w , a c e n t u r y after the date its c o m p o s e r c l a i m e d
to have " o r i g i n a t e d " j a z z . If a n " o r i g i n a t o r " o r " i n v e n t o r " c a n be seen as a
catalyst as m u c h as a c r e a t o r , p e r h a p s the s t a y i n g p o w e r o f the " K i n g
P o r t e r S t o m p " may r e d e e m M o r t o n ' s c l a i m as we l o o k b a c k o n his legacy.
50
CURRENT MUSICOLOGY
Notes
* I'm grateful to A m y Bland and Peter Schimpf for research assistance, to James
Dapogny for copies o f his unpublished essay and transcription, to R i c h a r d
Crawford and Jeffrey Taylor for many suggestions during the research that led to
this article, and to the anonymous referees of Current Musicology for their insightful
comments and suggestions on earlier drafts of the article.
1. In this article, M o r t o n ' s statements about " K i n g Porter Stomp" are transcribed directly from the Library of Congress recording, not from Lomax (1993),
which, although usually preserving the substance of Morton's discussion, represents considerable editing. Cf. Lomax (1993:146) for Lomax's edited transcription
of this passage.
2. A l l three of Henderson's recordings of the piece (made i n 1928, 1932, and
1933) may be found on A Study in Frustration: The Fletcher Henderson Story (Columbia/
Legacy 57596), as well as i n the Fletcher Henderson series on Classics (Classics C D
572 and Classics C D 535). A m o n g Goodman's many recordings of the piece, the
most easily available is the classic and widely anthologized version recorded on July
1, 1935, which has been reissued, for example, on Benny Goodman Plays Fletcher
Henderson, H E P C D 1038; and Benny Goodman: The Birth of Swing (1935-1936)
(Bluebird 07863). Big Band fazz (Smithsonian R D 030) features that G o o d m a n
recording and Henderson's 1932 version. Earlier recordings of the same arrangement may be found on Benny Goodman and His Orchestra 1935 from the Famous "Let's
Dance" Broadcasts (Circle CCD-50), from a M a r c h 9, 1935, broadcast, and the
Rhythm Makers Orchestra ( N B C Thesaurus 127), from the band's marathon recording session on June 6, 1935.
3. The point is further reinforced i n Fred Sturm (1995:n.p.), which includes
"King Porter Stomp" among four case studies.
4. With due respect for legitimate concerns about canon formation i n jazz, I
find that the jazz canon is far from exerting the kind of hegemony claimed by
some scholars. For example, at my institution, Indiana University, over 1,600 music
majors—both undergraduate and graduate—work toward their degrees with no
required exposure to jazz i n the classroom or private lessons (unless they are jazz
majors), although the School of Music has an internationally renowned jazz studies program. Meanwhile, non-music majors by the hundreds pack the elective jazz
survey course offered through the school's "General Studies" program, which
offers an introduction to major figures and key recordings—a canon—of jazz history, while also confronting issues relating to improvisation and African roots that
counter the implied fixity of canonic works.
5. Walser himself has demonstrated the value of that kind of specificity in his
analysis of Miles Davis's 1964 recording of "My Funny Valentine" (Walser 1995).
6. "Tiger Rag" probably dates from before 1917. A l t h o u g h the O r i g i n a l
Dixieland Jazz Band received its composer credit and made its first recording that
year, M o r t o n muddied its pedigree when he claimed credit for composing it "back
in the early days before the Dixieland Band was ever heard of" (Lomax 1993:82).
7. For a vivid memory of Creath, "the greatest blues player of his time," see
Bushell and Tucker (1988:34-35).
JEFFREY M A G E E
51
8. As Garvin Bushell told Mark Tucker, "New Orleans" carried stylistic connotations for musicians i n 1920s New York. "When you went to hear a band out o f New
Orleans," Bushell recalled, "you heard a different feel. The harmonic line was the
same, but the rhythm of the solos was different" (Bushell and Tucker 1988:25).
9. Copyright July 19, 1926 (E644871), arranged by M e l Stitzel.
10. The phrase "Henderson's revision" must be understood as a shorthand
reference to the interactive origins o f the arrangement. According to A l l e n , the
arrangement stems from C o l e m a n Hawkins's ideas; trombonist Sandy Williams
(with H e n d e r s o n i n the early 1930s) credited material i n the arrangement to
banjo player C h a r l i e D i x o n (Allen 1973:246, 529). Certainly others, undocumented, contributed as well. There is no contradiction i n these claims; the
arrangement that came to be known as Henderson's "King Porter Stomp," and later
written down by him, had its roots in a collaborative effort.
11. A few pieces exceed it, based on a count of Goodman's big-band performances documented by D . Russell C o n n o r (1988): " D o n ' t Be That Way," "One
O ' C l o c k Jump," "Sing Sing Sing," "Stealin' Apples" (another Henderson arrangement) , and "Stompin' at the Savoy." Goodman also performed several other tunes
more frequently, but mostly i n small group settings.
12. Another close approximation may be heard on the "King Porter Stomp"
recording by James Dapogny's Chicago Jazz Band, on Original felly Roll Blues: Music
offelly Roll Morton (Discovery 74008, 1993).
13. The Manhattan Transfer, Swing (Atlantic 83012-2, 1997).
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"King Porter Stomp" and the Jazz Tradition

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