Stomp progression explained

In music and jazz harmony, the Stomp progression is an eight-bar chord progression named for its use in the "stomp" section of the composition "King Porter Stomp" (1923) by Jelly Roll Morton. The composition was later arranged by Fletcher Henderson, adding greater emphasis on the Trio section, containing a highly similar harmonic loop to that found in the Stomp section.^[1] It was one of the most popular tunes of the swing era, and the Stomp progression was often used.

Following the success of "King Porter Stomp", many other compositions were named after the tune, although many of these "stomps" did not necessarily employ the stomp progression.^[2]

Harmonic progression

Magee (2014) describes a two-measure three-chord harmonic loop: F–F⁷—C⁷–C⁷.^[1]

The progression is based on the last section of the piece, bars 57 to 64 in the original sheet music for piano^[3] or the Fake Book lead sheet,^[4] where the chords for the last ten bars of the piece are:

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G

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⁄

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G

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⁄

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D^7/A

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⁄

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D^7

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⁄

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G

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⁄

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G

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⁄

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D^7/A

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⁄

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D^7

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⁄

G^7

⁄

G

⁄

D/A

A

Bm

D/A

G

⁄

G

⁄

D/F

Bm

A

D/A

G

G^6

D/F

A

D^9

⁄

⁄

⁄

∥

In pieces where the progression is repeated, this becomes something like:

∥:

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G^7

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G^7

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D^7/A

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D^7

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G^7

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G^7

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D^7/A

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D^7

G^7

G^7

D^7/A

B^7

E^7

A^7

D^7

∥

which is, ignoring the temporary tonicization of G, and treating the key as that of the trio and stomp sections, D:^[5]

∥:

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IV^7

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iv^7

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I^7

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IV^7

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iv^7

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I^7

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I^7

IV^7

iv^7

I^7

VI^7

II^7

V^7

I^7

∥

The last two measures contain the ragtime progression.

Influence

Many bands and composers have used the Stomp chord progression to write new compositions, writing new head tunes or melodies, but using the chord changes to, as Morton phrased it, "make great tunes of themselves".^[6] Examples include Benny Carter's "Everybody Shuffle" (1934).^[6] See contrafact.

Other examples include:

• Larry Clinton and Bunny Berigan's "Study in Brown"^[7]
• Fats Waller's "Soothin' Syrup Stomp"
• Cab Calloway's "At the Clambake Carnival"^[7]
• Harry James's "Jump Town" and "Call the Porter"^[7]
• Benny Goodman's "Slipped Disc"^[7]
• Duke Ellington's "Bojangles (A Portrait of Bill Robinson)" (1940) chorus riff^[6]
• Sy Oliver's "Well, Git It!" for Tommy Dorsey's Orchestra (1942)^[6]
• Willie Bryant Orchestra's 1935 recording of George Gershwin's "Liza", eight-bar tag ending^[6]

Notes and References

1. Magee, Jeffrey (2004). The Uncrowned King of Swing: Fletcher Henderson and Big Band Jazz, np. Oxford. .
2. Schuller . Gunther . Gunther Schuller . 2002 . Stomp . subscription.
3. Magee (2001), 28, cites: Morton . Ferd "Jelly Roll" . King Porter Stomp . Edwin H. Morris & Company . MPL Communications, Inc. . 1924.
4. Book: Rodin, Sid. Sonny Burke. Ferdinand "Jelly Roll" Morton. King Porter Stomp. Jazz Fake Book (unofficial compilation). 1987. 3. 208. Edwin H. Morris & Company, a division of MPL Communications.
5. Magee (2001), p.27.
6. Magee, Jeffrey. Web site: "'King Porter Stomp' and the Jazz Tradition" . 2018-06-03 . bot: unknown . https://web.archive.org/web/20121220223454/http://jazzstudiesonline.org/?q=node%2F780 . December 20, 2012 ., p.46, Current Musicology, 71-73 (Spring 2001-Spring 2002), p. 22-53.
7. Magee (2002), cites: Schuller, Gunther and Martin Williams (1983). "Liner notes to Big Band Jazz: From the Beginnings to the Fifties", p.14. Smithsonian RD 030.