 Jelly Roll Morton
Street shot taken in Harlem, New York, summer of 1939 This photograph was first published in Black Beauty, White Heat - A Pictorial History of Classic Jazz, 1920-1950, by Frank Driggs & Harris Lewine (1982), page 142. [4]
It shows Jelly Roll in front of the Rhythm Club, then at 169 West 133rd Street, New York. Morton jokingly offers a piece of watermelon to Freddie Moore, pointing his finger towards him, while the other person looking on may be Theodore “Wingie” Carpenter. Moore was a drummer and singer from Washington, N.C. Trumpeter and bandleader Carpenter was from St. Louis, Missouri. Both were active in New York at the time of the photograph.
The photograph was taken by the New Orleans banjo and guitar player Danny Barker. He was a member of the bands of Benny Carter and Cab Calloway at the time of the photograph.
Shown in Oh, Mister Jelly (1999) edited by William Russell, page 42 (severely trimmed). Not shown in Mr. Jelly Lord (1980) by Laurie Wright. courtesy of Frank Driggs & Harris Lewine
© 2004 Ate van Delden Collection
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