Red Hot Peppers was a recording jazz band led by

Jelly Roll Morton Ferdinand Joseph LaMothe (later Morton; c. September 20, 1890 – July 10, 1941), known professionally as Jelly Roll Morton, was an American ragtime and jazz pianist, bandleader, and composer. Morton was jazz's first arranger, proving that a gen ...

from 1926–1930. It was a seven- or eight-piece band formed in Chicago that recorded for

Victor The name Victor or Viktor may refer to: * Victor (name), including a list of people with the given name, mononym, or surname Arts and entertainment Film * ''Victor'' (1951 film), a French drama film * ''Victor'' (1993 film), a French shor ...

and featured the best New Orleans-style freelance musicians available, including cornetist George Mitchell, trombonist

Kid Ory Edward "Kid" Ory (December 25, 1886 – January 23, 1973) was an American jazz composer, trombonist and bandleader. One of the early users of the glissando technique, he helped establish it as a central element of New Orleans jazz. He was ...

, clarinetists

Omer Simeon Omer Victor Simeon (July 21, 1902 – September 17, 1959) was an American jazz clarinetist. He also played soprano, alto, and baritone saxophone and bass clarinet. Biography The son of a cigar maker, Omer Simeon was born in New Orleans, Louisian ...

and

Johnny Dodds Johnny Dodds (; April 12, 1892 – August 8, 1940) was an American jazz clarinetist and alto saxophonist based in New Orleans, best known for his recordings under his own name and with bands such as those of Joe "King" Oliver, Jelly Roll Morton, ...

, banjoists

Johnny St. Cyr Johnny St. Cyr (April 17, 1890 – June 17, 1966) was an American jazz banjoist and guitarist. For banjo his by far most used type in records at least was the six string one. On a famous “action photo” with Jelly Roll Morton’s Red Hot Pepp ...

and

Bud Scott Arthur Budd Scott (January 11, 1890 – July 2, 1949) was an American jazz guitarist, banjoist and singer. He was one of the earliest musicians associated with the New Orleans jazz scene. As a violinist he performed with James Reese Europe' ...

, double bass player

John Lindsay John Vliet Lindsay (; November 24, 1921 – December 19, 2000) was an American politician and lawyer. During his political career, Lindsay was a U.S. congressman, mayor of New York City, and candidate for U.S. president. He was also a regular ...

, and drummers Andrew Hilaire and

Baby Dodds Warren "Baby" Dodds (December 24, 1898 – February 14, 1959) was an American jazz drummer born in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. He is regarded as one of the best jazz drummers of the pre-big band era, and one of the most important ...

. Recordings made by the group in Chicago in 1926–27, such as "

Black Bottom Stomp "Black Bottom Stomp" is a jazz composition. It was composed by Jelly Roll Morton in 1925 and was originally entitled "Queen of Spades". It was recorded in Chicago by Morton and His Red Hot Peppers, for Victor Records on September 15, 1926. __TO ...

", "Smoke-House Blues" and "

Doctor Jazz "Doctor Jazz" is a popular tune and song written by Joe "King" Oliver in 1926. Publisher Walter Melrose got his name on it as co-composer, as was often his practice. It enjoyed its initial popularity in the 1920s. It continues to be played by Dixi ...

" set a standard for small group jazz that is still unrivaled. Morton's skills as a composer and arranger are apparent in the structure of the pieces, which combines clarity with variety and manages to maintain a balance between ensemble and solo playing while allowing for a substantial solo from every band member. The quality of the recordings is further enhanced by the band's careful rehearsals, which were uncommon in early jazz performances. A number of Morton's best piano solos can also be heard on these recordings. In 1928, Morton moved to New York, where he continued to make recordings under the name Red Hot Peppers, but collaborated with musicians from his regular band or from other orchestras. By 1930, the name Red Hot Peppers was no longer used. Recordings made by the Red Hot Peppers constituted a significant contribution to the

race records Race records were 78 rpm, 78-rpm phonograph records marketed to African Americans between the 1920s and 1940s.Oliver, Paul. "Race record." Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online. 13 Feb. 2015. They primarily contained race music, comprising vari ...

industry, at its height in the 1920s and 1930s. The masterful blend of composition and improvisation demonstrated by Morton and his colleagues set a precedent for early jazz.

Discography

A partial discography for the Red Hot Peppers is available from the Discography of American Historical Recordings, a database edited by the

University of California, Santa Barbara The University of California, Santa Barbara (UC Santa Barbara or UCSB) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Santa Barbara County, California, Santa Barbara, California with 23,196 undergraduate ...

. * Victor BVE-36239
"

" (

)
Recorded September 15, 1926, at the Webster Hotel in Chicago, Illinois
Jelly Roll Morton (piano), Andrew Hilaire (drums), John Lindsay (bass), George Mitchell (cornet),

(trombone),

(banjo),

(clarinet) * Victor BVE-36284
"Dead Man Blues" (Jelly Roll Morton)
Recorded September 21, 1926, at the Webster Hotel in Chicago, Illinois
Jelly Roll Morton (piano, voice),

Barney Bigard Albany Leon "Barney" Bigard (March 3, 1906 – June 27, 1980) was an American jazz clarinetist known for his 15-year tenure with Duke Ellington. He also played tenor saxophone. Biography Bigard was born in New Orleans to Creole parents, Ale ...

(clarinet), Marty Bloom (sound effects), Andrew Hilaire (drums),

Darnell Howard Darnell Howard (July 25, 1895 in Chicago – September 2, 1966 in San Francisco) was an American jazz clarinetist and violinist. Early life Howard began playing violin at age seven, picking up clarinet and saxophone later in his youth. Caree ...

(clarinet), John Lindsay (bass), George Mitchell (cornet), Kid Ory (trombone), Johnny St. Cyr (banjo, voice), Omer Simeon (clarinet) * Victor BVE-37256
" Original Jelly-Roll Blues" (Jelly Roll Morton)
Recorded December 16, 1926, at the Webster Hotel in Chicago, Illinois
Jelly Roll Morton (piano), Andrew Hilaire (drums), John Lindsay (bass), George Mitchell (cornet), Kid Ory (trombone), Johnny St. Cyr (banjo), Omer Simeon (clarinet) * Victor BVE-37257
"

" (

King Oliver Joseph Nathan "King" Oliver (December 19, 1881 – April 8/10, 1938) was an American jazz cornet player and bandleader. He was particularly recognized for his playing style and his pioneering use of Mute (music), mutes in jazz. Also a notable c ...

)
Recorded December 16, 1926, at the Webster Hotel in Chicago, Illinois
Jelly Roll Morton (piano), Andrew Hilaire (drums), John Lindsay (bass), George Mitchell (cornet), Kid Ory (trombone), Johnny St. Cyr (banjo), Omer Simeon (clarinet) * Victor BVE-38661
"

Beale Street Blues "Beale Street Blues" is a song by American composer and lyricist W.C. Handy. It was named after Beale Street, a center of African-American music in Memphis, Tennessee, and was published in 1917. Background The title refers to Beale Street in Memp ...

" (

W. C. Handy William Christopher Handy (November 16, 1873 – March 28, 1958) was an American composer and musician who referred to himself as the Father of the Blues. Handy was one of the most influential songwriters in the United States. One of many musici ...

)
Recorded June 10, 1927, at 952 N. Michigan Avenue, Chicago, Illinois
Jelly Roll Morton (piano),

(drums),

(clarinet),

Stump Evans Paul "Stump" Evans (October 18, 1904 – August 29, 1928) was an American musician, who was one of the first jazz saxophonists. Evans experimented with several instruments: alto horn, trombone, and alto saxophone. In the 1920s, he played baritone ...

(alto saxophone), George Mitchell (cornet), Gerald Reeves (trombone),

(guitar),

Quinn Wilson Quinn Brown Wilson (December 26, 1908 – June 14, 1978) was an American jazz bassist and tubist. Wilson played violin as a child, and studied composition and arrangement in his youth. He had his first professional experience in the mid-1920s, ...

(tuba) * Victor BVE-45619
"Georgia Swing" (Jelly Roll Morton,

Santo Pecora Santo Pecora (born Santo Joseph Pecoraro, March 21, 1902 – May 29, 1984) was an American jazz trombonist known for his longtime association with the New Orleans jazz scene. He was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. Pecora changed h ...

)
Recorded June 11, 1928, at

Liederkranz Hall The Liederkranz of New York City is an organization devoted to cultural and social exchange as well as the sponsorship of musical events. Its activities are dedicated to the support, development and preservation of culture in New York City. Its obj ...

, New York, New York

References

External links

Jelly Roll Morton Recordings and Discography
at Monrovia Sound Studio
Jelly Roll Morton's Red Hot Peppers
at Red Hot Jazz Archive {{Authority control American jazz ensembles from Illinois Musical groups from Chicago Jazz musicians from Illinois