THE PEARLS - Free Jazz Leadsheet

"The Pearls" was composed by Jelly Roll Morton and first recorded in 1923 during the early peak of Morton's career. It exemplifies his approach to combining ragtime roots with emerging New Orleans jazz idioms, using carefully structured arrangements.

Later performances by traditional-jazz pianists and ensembles helped preserve the tune as a Morton classic. The piece is built around contrasting strains typical of early piano rags, enriched by Morton's distinctive harmonic language and rhythmic "Spanish tinge" influence.