On this beautifully articulated brick facade is a glass (plexiglass?) sign noting that in 1939-40, the famous Jazz pianist “Jelly Roll” Morton lived here in Central Harlem, on West 131st Street.
Born sometime around 1890 in New Orleans, Jelly Roll began to play the piano in a brothel at age 14. He took the nickname “Jelly Roll” – slang for female genitalia – and left New Orleans to tour throughout the US.
In 1915 “Jelly Roll Blues” was one of the first jazz compositions to be published and later in life, Jelly Roll repeatedly claimed to have invented Jazz as a musical art form.
Below is a photo of Jelly Roll from 1941:
To hear Jelly Roll’s “Jelly Roll Blues”, click on the YouTube link below:
Raise Your Voice – Tell Mayor Eric Adams What You Want (and what you don’t!)
NYC Speaks is asking you for your thought/wishes for your community.
They’ll take what you write to the mayor. Please fill out the survey – they can’t read your mind…