Jammin' the Blues (1944)

This Warner Bros. short is a jam session with several outstanding African-American jazz musicians, including Lester Young. Darkly lit and with a mood that matches the music, the film was ... See full summary »

Director:

Gjon Mili

Stars:

Lester Young, George 'Red' Callender, Harry Edison

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 1 win.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Lester Young	...	Himself - on Tenor Sax
George 'Red' Callender	...	Himself - on Bass (as Red Callender)
Harry Edison	...	Himself - on Trumpet
Marlowe Morris	...	Himself - on Piano
Sidney Catlett	...	Himself - on Drums
Barney Kessel	...	Himself - on Guitar
Jo Jones	...	Himself - on Drums (as Joe Jones)
John Simmons	...	Himself - on Bass
Illinois Jacquet	...	Himself - on Tenor Sax
Marie Bryant	...	Herself - Singer and Dancer
Archie Savage	...	Himself - Dancer

Storyline

This Warner Bros. short is a jam session with several outstanding African-American jazz musicians, including Lester Young. Darkly lit and with a mood that matches the music, the film was groundbreaking in its day and was a showcase for then lesser-known musicians and entertainers who would not otherwise have had exposure to a much larger audience.

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Plot Keywords:

jitterbug | musician | jazz | session | dancer | 

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Genres:

Short | Music

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 May 1944 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros

Technical Specs

Runtime:

10 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Guitarist Barney Kessel is the only white performer in this film. He was seated in the shadows to shade his skin, and for close-ups, his hands were stained with berry juice.

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Connections

Featured in Added Attractions: The Hollywood Shorts Story (2002)

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Soundtracks

"On the Sunny Side of the Street"
(1930) (uncredited)
Music by Jimmy McHugh
Lyrics by Dorothy Fields
Performed by Marie Bryant

User Reviews

Amazing

Wow, it is hard to believe this film was made in 1944. If it were released today, sixty years later, it would still be regarded as stylish and avant-garde. I caught this on a cable channel in the US called Turner Classic Movies (TCM). It was the lead off short in a series of musical shorts compiled to form a two or three hour special. I cannot stress how ahead of it's time this film was. The photography was very clever, such as using Lester Young's hat as a indefinable symbol in the opening shot, pulling back as Lester raises his head revealing his face. A "jam" session opens the short, Marie Bryant sings "On the Sunny Side of the Street" with velvety perfection, then another number which features jitterbug dancers. A good film to show today's artists that clever ideas didn't begin with their generation.

Good news for Jazz fans, I understand Rhino has released a compilation titled ‘Hollywood Swing & Jazz' comprised of numbers from these old musical shorts, which features, among others, the Marie Bryant number from this film.