During Jones’ tenure at Vocalstyle, other legendary Black pianists also recorded for them, including Ferdinand “Jelly Roll” Morton, Edgar Hayes and Charles “Cow Cow” Davenport. He continued recording for Vocalstyle until May 1926, producing just under 30 titles. Many regard Jones’ Vocalstyle performances as his most “life-like.” It is likely that “Up The Country Blues” was his first issued roll, dating from ca. Vocalstyle had previously recorded and issued the hand-playing of Black artists Charles Luckyth “Luckey” Roberts and Amanda “Mandy” Randolph in 1919. In 1924 Jones resumed piano roll recording, now for the Vocalstyle Music Co. This subject will be discussed in greater detail in the section on J.Lawrence Cook. Lawrence Cook started making arrangements for Imperial. Shortly thereafter, Imperial dropped artist credits altogether. At the same time Imperial went over to the practice of issuing “generic” artist credits such as “Jack Clyde” or “Burt Franklin,” who may have been unique individuals but cannot be positively confirmed as such. Jones’ recording activities with Imperial seem to have ended ca. “Blind” Boone each made a single roll for Imperial). It is notable that Jones was the only Black artist on the regular Imperial staff at this early date, (although both Jack Palmer (as “Deering H. He became one of their staff artists, along with Charley Straight, Roy Bargy, Al Eldridge, Arnold Johnson and others. About 1919 (probably when Wurlitzer ceased their hand-played recording operations) Jones moved on to the Imperial Piano Roll Co., also of Chicago.
He played ragtime, popular songs, one-steps and later jazz/blues oriented material on that label. of Chicago, who issued his playing on their “Rolla Artis” label. There are many other examples of Jones’ melodic creativity preserved on these roll performances.Īs stated in the first section, Clarence Jones started his roll recording career ca. That interlude could have easily been turned into a popular jazz song or novelty rag, but to Jones it was simply an idea “tossed off.” Fortunately it is preserved on this roll. One which I’ve always found hauntingly beautiful is in his Imperial roll of “Jelly Bean – The Curbstone Cutie” by New Orleans composer Joe Verges. These original interludes are to be found on both his popular rolls as well as the blues/jazz oriented material. Tishomingo Blues (as Clarence M.) Rolla ArtisĬlarence Jones had an incredible melodic gift, and frequently would play an interlude section of his own composition on many of his piano rolls. Lewis, Charles Warfield, Spencer Williams and numerous others. As will be seen, Jones similarly championed the music of blues and jazz composers such as Perry Bradford, Clarence Williams, Armand Piron, Steve J. His Vocalstyle roll of Thomas’ “Up The Country Blues” is possibly one of the finest examples of blues playing on any 88-note roll. Johnson section), but this is very clearly Jones’ playing style. His versions of “Houston Blues” and “Muscle Shoals Blues” were issued under the “Chet Gordon” pseudonym, which Clarence Johnson and others used as well (ref. Thomas compositions, and in most cases his rolls represent the definitive versions of these tunes.
Also, the original jazz interlude which Jones played on his Imperial roll of Clarence Williams’ beautiful “Play ‘Em For Mama, Sing ‘Em For Me” from 1922 begins with a triplet lick that Blythe (and Clarence Johnson as well) used innumerable times on their many piano roll recordings. For example, the very characteristic introduction to “A Good Man Is Hard To Find” on Jones’ Imperial roll (from 1919) was used by Blythe on his Capitol A-roll and 88-note rolls versions of the same tune, but dating some 6-8 years later. Jazz influences created by Jones and later used by Jimmy Blythe on his records and rolls abound.
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Knowing the full score from his ragtime playing days, Jones chose to include the trio, which is really every bit as much his original interlude section. with lyrics printed on the roll to sing, the trio section would normally have been eliminated. Since this version of “12th Street Rag” was issued as a “word roll,” i.e. Most notable is his playing of the trio section, which is so highly refined as to be essentially as much Jones as Bowman. He added original introductions to the first theme and trio section, along with numerous jazz embellishments. Stencil autograph usually stamped on his Imperial rollsĬlarence Jones played “12th Street Rag” as a blues/jazz number from start to finish.