Jammin' the Blues
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Jammin' the Blues is a 1944 American short film made by Gjon Mili and Norman Granz in which a number of prominent jazz musicians re-create the jam-session atmosphere of nightclubs and after-hours spots.
The film features Lester Young, Red Callender, Harry Edison, Marlowe Morris, Sid Catlett, Barney Kessel, Jo Jones, John Simmons, Illinois Jacquet, Marie Bryant and Archie Savage.[1]
Cast
[edit | edit source]- Lester Young – Tenor saxophone
- Red Callender – Bass
- Harry "Sweets" Edison – Trumpet
- Marlowe Morris – Piano
- "Big" Sid Catlett – Drums (First two songs, and intro of third)
- Jo Jones – Drums (for final song)
- Barney Kessel – Guitar
- John Simmons – Double bass
- Illinois Jacquet – Tenor saxophone
- Marie Bryant – Vocals and Female Dancer
- Archie Savage – Male Dancer
Songs
[edit | edit source]- "Midnight Symphony"
- "On the Sunny Side of the Street" – Sung by Marie Bryant
- "Jammin' the Blues"
Production
[edit | edit source]Gjon Mili and Norman Granz, who was credited as technical director, shot the film over four days with the support of Warner Bros. head of short films, Gordon Hollingshead.[2] Barney Kessel was the only white musician in the film. His hands were stained with berry juice, and he was seated in the shadows to shade his skin.[3][4]
Reception and legacy
[edit | edit source]Producer Gordon Hollingshead was nominated for an Oscar in the category of Best Short Subject, One-reel.[5]
In 1995, Jammin' the Blues was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".[6][7]
The short was released on DVDs of the films Blues in the Night (1941) and Passage to Marseille (1944), the latter starring Humphrey Bogart.[8][9]
See also
[edit | edit source]References
[edit | edit source]- ↑ AllMusic
- ↑ Hershorn, Tad, Norman Granz: the Man who Used Jazz for Justice (Univ. of Calif. Press 2011), p. 66
- ↑ Keepnews, Peter (8 May 2004). "Barney Kessel, 80, a Guitarist With Legends of Jazz, Dies". The New York Times.
- ↑ Hershorn, p. 69
- ↑ "The 17th Academy Awards (1945) Nominees and Winners". oscars.org. 4 October 2014. Retrieved May 29, 2019.
- ↑ "The 25 Films for '95 (February 5, 1996) – Library of Congress Information Bulletin". www.loc.gov. Retrieved 2020-11-17.
- ↑ "Complete National Film Registry Listing". Library of Congress. Retrieved 2020-11-17.
- ↑ Blues in the Night: DVD Talk Review of the DVD Video
- ↑ Humphrey Bogart – The Signature Collection, Vol.2: DVD Talk of the DVD Video
External links
[edit | edit source]- Jammin' the Blues at IMDb
- Jammin’ the Blues essay by Daniel Eagan in America's Film Legacy: The Authoritative Guide to the Landmark Movies in the National Film Registry, A&C Black, 2010 ISBN 0826429777, pages 374–375 [1]