Bucktown Blues, New Orleans Joys, Big Foot Ham, Kansas City Stomp, Tom Cat Blues, Frog-I-More Rag, London Blues, Original Jelly Roll Blues, Mamanita, Milenberg Joys (with NORK),Perfect Rag/Sporting House Rag, Shreveport Stomp, Stratford Hunch, 35th St Blues, London Blues (with band), The Pearls, Tia Juana, Wolverine Blues, Grandpa's Spells, King Porter Stomp, Mr. Jelly Lord (with NORK).
Morton’s approach seems to be all structure and form giving the notes. Pianism distinct from its voicing in the horns, is more like ragtime. A decade later there emerged the swing iteration of King Porter Stomp delivered by trained horn sections. Morton’s structures, breaks, runs and embellishments on solo piano anticipate modern jazz solo piano. From the perspective of original composition Morton anticipates Ellington and Monk where the piano states the composer’s complexity and is complete by itself.
If this were an LP it would get worn out. You can play this set any time anywhere. Actual performances by the composer, not piano rolls. The labor theory of value holds true with Morton who put a lot of work into every tune. His father was a bricklayer and Morton was a master of structural detail.
The tunes are sufficiently complex they do not lend themselves easily to memorization. Played in series like in the background of a tavern or on a concert stage they present a pathway of forms that opens from time to time onto the clearing of an iconic strain, KPS being the paradigm example.
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