Jammin' the Blues (1944)

Created under the guidance of jazz impresario and Verve Records founder Norman Granz, this short captures the spontaneity of a jam session and is one of few film records of black jazzers of the day including tenor sax legend Lester Young.

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:

national film registry | session | musician | jazz | tenor | 

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Genres:

Short | Music

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 May 1944 (USA)

Also Known As:

Играя блюз

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

Director Gjon Mili had been an award-winning still photographer for Life magazine but had never made a movie before.

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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 Lester Young, George 'Red' Callender, Harry Edison, Marlowe Morris, Sidney Catlett and Barney Kessel with vocals by Marie Bryant

User Reviews

One more time, for old time's sake.

Back in the forties, jazz was still very much caught in the shadow of its mothering countries determination that it was "the Devil's music", and so was very often neglected to being heard only in brothels, cheap bars, or if chance would have it, at home on your own record player should you have been so fortunate to have such money combined with a lack of reverence for current social climate. So, while it was becoming common during Cinema's golden age to slap out these jazz/blues musical shorts produced on low budgets and screened for the sake of making any buck the production company could, the experience of going to see this music performed on a giant screen where stars like Bogart and Hepburn would grace nevertheless was a fantastic one. Nowadays of course, jazz is very much regarded as stuffy old-man music that university professors and neurotic Jewish comedians listen to in between Strauss and Brahms. Not only this, but our very own 21st century devil music has hours upon hours of footage devoted to it, live, staged or otherwise—most of which exceeds the budget for Jammin' the Blues by staggering amounts. Why then, when watching this sixty year old relic do I get the impression that most music productions from here on in went down, rather than up- hill? The answer of course lies heavily in taste; many teenagers these days will look at this stuff and laugh before logging into YouTube and watching the latest Chipmunk music video, drooling over the tits, ass and "bling". But then, you have to wonder if said video would ever be considered by the United States National Film Registry as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". The answer, in all likelihood, is a blunt and simple no. But, I have to ask, why?

Well, simply put, Jammin' the Blues, although ostensibly a music video in all respects, is a little more than that. It defines an era, and it does so with an artistry that many films of the time were only just discovering—mainly in France. Combining the rhythm and blues of this great jazz band consisting of Lester Young, Red Callender, Harry Edison, Marlowe Morris, Sid Catlett, Barney Kessel (who, being the only white man in the band, had to be casted in shadow as to preserve the nation's delirium that white and black people could not coexist in such a unit), Jo Jones, John Simmons, Illinois Jacquet, Marie Bryant, Archie Savage and Garland Finney, with the stylish film-noir-type cinematography implemented by first-time director Gjon Mili (primarily known for his still photography until this time), Jammin' the Blues not only captures these great musicians at their peak, but also defines a musical and social era, as well as a cinematic one. Opening with a simple shot relaying the titles for the film gradually pulling back to reveal Lester Young's hat just as he takes the lead before divulging in many great shots highlighting each of the players in interesting and complementary angles, Mili achieves something unique and interesting to watch, something that's culturally significant and, well, downright entertaining at the same time. Most importantly however is that it's perhaps one of the most succinct and memorable miniature portraits of the jazz-age (little of which was deemed appropriate for the screen until long after its heyday) known to exist. For that reason amongst a multitude of others, Jammin' the Blues is a rare treat for all music and cinema fans alike, offering ten minutes with Young and Callender and the gang as they tear it up one more time for old time's sake.