TJMS

Jelly Roll Morton famously introduced himself as the inventor of jazz. While that claim has been questioned over time, the New Orleans pianist undoubtedly planted the early seeds of innovation in the genre. Morton was born Ferdinand Joseph Lamothe on October 20, 1890, although some sources cite 1885. A Creole, Morton was of Spanish, French […]

TJMS

E. Russell Smith was a gangster and entrepreneur that carried the club scene of Seattle, Washington during the 1920’s. Nicknamed “Noodles,” Smith was known to…

NEW YORK – New York’s famed Cotton Club may have closed over a half century ago, but its reputation as a showcase for black talent…