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Jelly Roll Morton: Ferdinand Joseph Lamothe's Fame

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Jelly Roll Morton By Devin Strzempa

On October 20, 1880, Ferdinand Joseph Lamothe was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. He was to the son of two racially mixed Creole parents. He would later become a famous jazz pianist and played a huge role in the Harlem Renaissance.

He began playing the piano at age 10 and started performing in front of an audience at just 12 years old. He played in the red-light district bordellos in New Orleans, Louisiana. Ferdinand mainly played ragtime and the blues. However he mixed a little Caribbean dance music in his songs as well, which closely resembled the new jazz music. While playing at the bordellos, he earned the nickname, Jelly Roll. Young and confident, Jelly Roll Morton set off playing

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