JEFFREY M A G E E

23

"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

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

" 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

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

JEFFREY M A G E E

25

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)

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 musicianseven 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 ) .

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,

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CURRENT MUSICOLOGY

JEFFREY M A G E E Table 1

27

"King Porter Stomp": A discography, 1923-1942*

Date 1923 1924 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 Artist/Group Jelly R o l l M o r t o n 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 Jelly R o l l M o r t o n Fletcher Henderson and His Orchestra Fletcher Henderson and His Orchestra Cab Calloway and His Orchestra Matrix N o . Gennett 5289 Olympic 1463 rejected Autograph 617 Pathe Actuelle 036211 rejected 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

1925

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

1926 1928 1932

May 17 July 13 December 16 May-July August September 12 September 27 April 6 December 14 February 7 M a r c h 28 May 28 July 14 July 27 January 27

1938

[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 Jelly R o l l M o r t o n Erskine Hawkins and His Orchestra G l e n n M i l l e r and His Orchestra Harry James and His Orchestra Jelly R o l l M o r t o n Metronome Ail-Star Band Teddy B u n n Zutty Singleton and H i s Orchestra Jelly R o l l M o r t o n Cab Calloway and His Orchestra Bob Crosby and His Orchestra Circle 73-69 rejected Bluebird B-7839

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.) Interlude X4 Trio Cie Dl, Stomp Cxi6

L [: A i 6 : ] A^

[: B i 6 : ]

Cx'i6

?
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

1939 1940

1942

*Adapted and expanded from Richard Crawford and Jeffrey Magee (1992), which was compiled from Brian Rust (1982).

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

CURRENT MUSICOLOGY Example 1 (cont.)

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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 Rights Reserved 8 |fl fU
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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). 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

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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

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 .

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

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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

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) I = Introduction A = First strain B = Second strain X = Interlude C = Trio C x = Stomp 1 C x ' = Stomp 2 T = Tag ending 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

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

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

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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
Reeds

1*1

9.

AW

Di,

Brass

fa V\7\

(' f

1 m"m 1 *

a:
G

t
Dt

g:
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

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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 -

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 ,

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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,

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 thatdespite 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 versionswas 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,

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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).

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

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Et7

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

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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

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 registersall 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

Gl.6

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 .

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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).

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

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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 comesmaster 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

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.

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

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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 majorsboth undergraduate and graduatework 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 recordingsa canonof 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).

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). References A l l e n , Walter C. 1973. Hendersonia: The Music of Fletcher Henderson and His Musicians. H i g h l a n d Park, N.J.: Published by the author. Berlin, Edward A . 1980. Ragtime: A Musical and Cultural History. Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press. Burns, Ken. 2000. fazz: The Story of America's Music. Columbia/Legacy 61432. Bushell, Garvin, and M a r k Tucker. 1988. fazz from the Beginning. A n n A r b o r : University of Michigan Press. Connor, D. Russell. 1988. Benny Goodman: Listen to His Legacy. Studies i n Jazz, no. 6. Lanham, M d . , and L o n d o n : The Scarecrow Press, Inc. and the Institute of Jazz Studies. Crawford, Richard, and Jeffrey Magee. 1992. fazz Standards on Record, 1900-1942: A Core Repertory. C B M R Monographs, no. 4. Chicago: Center for Black Music Research. Dance, Stanley. [1974] 2001. The World of Swing: An Oral History of Big-Band fazz. New York: Da Capo Press. Dapogny, James, ed. 1982. Ferdinand "felly Roll" Morton: The Collected Piano Music. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press and G . Schirmer, Inc. Dapogny, James, and Dave Jones, n.d. "King Porter Stomp" unpublished score and essay based on Fletcher Henderson's 1933 recording. Driggs, Frank. 1962. D o n Redman, Jazz Composer-Arranger. In fazz Panorama, edited by Martin Williams, 91-104. New York: Crowell-Collier.

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