Rounder Records announce the release of the first complete and unexpurgated 1938 Library of Congress recordings, on 7 CDs, plus a bonus CD of interviews of Jelly Roll Morton’s peers by Alan Lomax. Remastered from the original acetate discs at the Library of Congress using Sony Direct Stream Digital technology, and restored using the Cedar Cambridge™ system.  Includes Alan Lomax’s acclaimed biography, “Mister Jelly Roll,” plus a new 80-page book with an appreciation by John Szwed and many rare photographs.

Shellwood Productions announce the release of the following CD of Jelly Roll Morton piano rolls. The recordings, produced under the direction of Mike Lorenzini, utilize a fully restored Aeolian 88-note push-up Pianola and a top-class 208cm Sieler grand piano.  The CD features 17 Mike Meddings arrangements and 5 original Jelly Roll Morton piano rolls.  Shellwood Productions catalogue also includes CDs of the music of Harry Warren and Billy Mayerl played by Alex Hassan.

In the same period that Jelly Roll Morton began making acoustic recordings of his piano solos, he was also making piano rolls of his strongest material. This CD presents piano rolls that Morton made in 1924 and 1926, and producer Artis Wodehouse has done a remarkable job of recording them, capturing them with a convincingly live resonance. Morton was keenly aware of studio technology, and it’s fascinating to hear him exploit the extended playing time that the piano rolls provided him. Several of these pieces stretch past four minutes, and tracks like “Stratford Hunch” and “Dead Man Blues” allow Morton to extend his variations further than recording allowed, providing another opportunity to hear Morton’s innovative synthesis of ragtime, blues, and spontaneous inspiration. The piano sound compares favorably with even well-restored versions of Morton’s contemporaneous acoustic recordings for Gennett, with brighter highs and firmer bass notes. (Stuart Broomer)

Shellwood Productions announce the release of the following CD of J. Lawrence Cook piano rolls. The recordings, produced under the direction of Mike Lorenzini, utilize a fully restored Aeolian 88-note push-up Pianola and a top-class 208cm Sieler grand piano.  The CD features 31 piano roll recordings by the world’s most prolific music roll arranger.

Bob Greene, founder of the legendary “World of Jelly Roll Morton” band, delighted audiences during the 1970s and 80s with re-creations of tunes by Jelly Roll Morton’s Red Hot Peppers. The CD was recorded live during a concert in Hatfield, England in May, 1982.  This was to be the last appearance together of five of the original members of the band — the fabled Tommy Benford, Herb Hall, John Williams, Ernie Carson and Bob Greene.

International jazz pianist and Jelly Roll Morton devotee Butch Thompson performs piano solos of Jelly Roll’s music from “Perfect Rag” to “Don’t You Leave Me Here.” He has led his own trio since the mid-60s. During 1974-86 he appeared regularly on Garrison Keillor’s very popular radio series “A Prairie Home Companion.”

American composer and concert pianist Richard Trythall recorded his contemporary note-for-note transcriptions of 17 of Jelly Roll Morton’s solo piano works in 2001.  The CD, “Jelly Roll Morton Piano Music” has been hailed for “bringing alive the unbridled virtuosity of Jelly Roll Morton.”

Rare and unissued recordings of “Kansas City Frank” Melrose from the collection of Dr. John Steiner. Produced by Hal Smith, with authoritative biographical notes by Ida Melrose Shoufler and Hal Smith.

Document Records, who produce rare vintage Blues, Jazz, Boogie-Woogie and Gospel music, have issued two CDs, shown below, which include tunes by “Kansas City Frank” Melrose.