Jam Session

"Jam Session" is a short film that is a 'Soundie'...an early sort of music video that was played on specially built jukeboxes from 1940-1947. These jukeboxers were unusual because they not only played music but video...like music videos of the modern era. And, if you are curious about this an other soundies, you might want to buy yourself a copy of "Soundies the Ultimate Collection"...a 4 disc set of about 200 of these films.

"Jam Session" features Duke Ellington and his orchestra playing something called "C Jam Blues". Unfortunately, like many of these Soundies, the picture quality, even after restoration, isn't particularly good. They are playing in a place made up like a restaurant and patrons keep popping in as he and his band plays.

Like all the Soundies, it's rather difficult to rate them. After all, they are pretty unique, though in some ways they are reminscent of the 1920s-30s Vitaphone shorts. But for historians, film and music buffs, they are gold and are well worth seeing and hearing.