Clarinet Marmalade

Clarinet Marmalade, later Clarinet Marmalade Blues, is a 1918 dixieland jazz standard composed by Larry Shields and Henry Ragas of the Original Dixieland Jass Band. It is played in the key of F major. It was recorded by Fletcher Henderson in 1926 and Frankie Trumbauer in 1927.

The original Victor 1918 recording by the Original Dixieland Jass Band is described as a "small-combo ensemble piece with strong links to the march tradition". It was dominated by Larry Shields's solo on clarinet, accompanied by Henry Ragas. "Clarinet Marmalade" was one of the landmark compositions of early jazz and was a very popular jazz standard in the 1920s; the Original Dixieland Jass Band's sound was widely emulated during this period. In 1919, the song became a staple of the touring James Reese Europe band.

The 1918 release on Victor, recorded on July 17, 1918 in New York, was the B side to "Mournin' Blues", 18513-B. The songwriting credit on the original 1918 ODJB release lists Larry Shields and Henry Ragas as the composers.

Fletcher Henderson's 1926 recording increased the popularity of the tune. He is credited with "transforming it into a vehicle for hot soloists and ensemble riffs, including a new introduction and the steamlining omission of several transitional passages." Henderson's version of "Clarinet Marmalade" was an inspiration for several standards of the period such as "Sugar Foot Stomp" and "King Porter Stomp". It was recorded in the 1927-1929 period by musicians such as Berlyn Baylor, Ted Lewis, Phil Napoleon, Lud Gluskin and Bill Carlsen.

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