The record changer (Jan-Dec 1944)

The Record Changer, August 1944 SAVOY COZY COLE'S ALL STARS 512: OL' MAN RIVER (3 32-bar choruses: % arranged; M trumpet; *4 tenor sax; V> piano; % arranged; 1 arranged for tenor sax.) WRAP YOUR TROUBLES IN DREAMS (3 32-bar choruses: % trumpet; % arranged; % piano; % tenor sax; M trumpet; XA arranged; % arranged; % piano; % trumpet.) Cozy Cole, drums; Coleman Hawkins, Foots Thomas, Bud Johnson, reeds; Johnny Guarnieri, piano; Emmet Berry, trumpet; Mack Shopnicl{, bass. SESSION JIMMY YANCEY 12001: YANCEY SPECIAL/ETERNAL BLUES (Piano solos). 12002: MIDNIGHT STOMP/HOW LONG BLUES (Organ accompaniment). 12003: PALLET ON THE FLOOR/HOW LONG BLUES (Piano solos). KING OLIVER 1: KING PORTER/TOM CAT (Cornet solos, piano accompaniment by Jelly Roll Morton; reissue of Autograph 617.) JELLY ROLL MORTON'S KINGS OF JAZZ 2: HIGH SOCIETY/FISH TAIL BLUES (Jelly Roll Morton, piano; Lee Collins, trumpet; "Balls" Ball, clarinet; Roy Palmer, trombone; reissue of Autograph 606.) JELLY ROLL MORTON 3-A: LONDON BLUES (Piano solo; originally issued, on Rialto.) EZRA HOWLETT SHELTON 3-B: DEAREST DARLING (Piapo rag solo; originally issued on Autograph.) Paradoxical New Orleans By JOHN McLINN ROSS New Orleans, the Crescent City, Queen of the South and Hub of the Americas, is. one of the greatest paradoxes in the United States. Heralded as the most historical city in the country, it is at the same time modern and Old World. I speak of it as a Negro, a New England Negro of three generations. I respect its traditions of historical interest, delight in its legends and folklore, yet abhor its paradoxical prejudices. The city of New Orleans is divided by Canal Street. On one side is downtown; on the other, uptown. The original city, now known as the Vieux Carre, bounded by Canal, Rampart, Esplanade and th^ Mississippi River, is downtown. Uptown is the portion of the city started by the American -influx in the early 19th century. Some of the people who live downtown have never crossed Canal Street. To them uptown is figuratively foreign soil. Though downtown has in recent years gone far beyond the original bounds of the Vieux Carre, it still retains its identification. And downtown is the land of the Creole. The Negro Creole is just as proud of his heritage and background as the white. The same blood runs through his veins; the same heritage is common to both. The Creole speech, while Americanized to a great extent, still keeps the pattern of bygone days. Older Creoles still use a patois which is predominately French, and the younger ones, though educated by American standards, still retain the old intonation. Indeed it is only in recent years that the downtown Creole has maintained any social relation with the uptown Negro. His creed is expressed well by the phrase — "Je suis Creole, moi!" While the modern joint and beer parlor has invaded the Creole section, one hears the jazz of Count Basie and Duke Ellington in the joint, and the Creole lullaby in the house next door. The almost unintelligible cries of the street vendors still fill the streets of the Creole section and the bargaining of housewives, in Creole patois, may be heard any morning at the market. Creoles are mainly Catholic and religiously attend their church. The deplorable feature of that is, to me, the fact that there are no Negro priests in the city. Whites and Negroes live side by side, yet are separated on street cars, busses and in the theatres. Some theatres admit no Negroes at all. This however does not bar the Creoles and Negroes of lighter skin from "passing" if they wish. Truly New Orleans is a paradox, a city full of prejudices — the white prejudice toward the Negro, the Creole toward the American, and the native Orleanian toward the rest of the population. 47