Steamboat stomp – Free Jazz Lead Sheet
Eb to Ab Major – Jelly Roll Morton 1926
Steamboat Stomp by Ferdinand Joseph LaMothe (1926) is a New Orleans jazz piece in Eb to Ab Major. The tune showcases ensemble interplay and collective improvisation, characteristic of the early New Orleans style. Ferdinand Joseph LaMothe contributed to the rich tradition of New Orleans jazz through this memorable composition. The piece exemplifies the vibrant musical culture of the city that gave birth to jazz.
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Support the projectAbout this song:
steamboat stomp, composed by Jelly Roll Morton in 1923, is an exuberant New Orleans jazz instrumental that captures the rhythmic vitality of early jazz. The tune is characterized by energetic ensemble interplay and danceable syncopation.
The first recording was by Jelly Roll Morton and His Red Hot Peppers in Chicago, highlighting his inventive arrangements and stride piano style. Later revivals by traditional jazz bands and swing ensembles celebrated its spirited character.
The composition employs a multi-strain structure with call-and-response sections, polyrhythms, and improvisational breaks, making it a classic example of early jazz orchestration and parade-style performance.
About the composer: Jelly Roll Morton
Ferdinand Joseph LaMothe, known as Jelly Roll Morton, was an American jazz pianist and composer born in New Orleans around 1890. He is best known for his role in preserving jazz's improvisational roots through notation and for compositions like "Jelly Roll Blues" and "King Porter Stomp."
