Jammin' the Blues (1944)
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- Approved
- 10min
- Documentary, Short
- 05 May 1944 (USA)
- Short
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:
Awards:
- Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 1 win.
- See more »
Photos and Videos
Cast verified as complete
| Lester Young | ... |
Self - on Tenor Sax
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| George 'Red' Callender | ... |
Self - on Bass
(as Red Callender)
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| Harry Edison | ... |
Self - on Trumpet
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Marlowe Morris | ... |
Self - on Piano
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| Sidney Catlett | ... |
Self - on Drums
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| Barney Kessel | ... |
Self - on Guitar
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| Jo Jones | ... |
Self - on Drums
(as Joe Jones)
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John Simmons | ... |
Self - on Bass
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Illinois Jacquet | ... |
Self - on Tenor Sax
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| Marie Bryant | ... |
Self - Singer and Dancer
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| Archie Savage | ... |
Self - Dancer
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| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
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Garland Finney | ... |
Self (uncredited)
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| Knox Manning | ... |
Narrator (uncredited)
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Directed by
| Gjon Mili | ||
Produced by
| Gordon Hollingshead | ... | producer |
Cinematography by
| Robert Burks | ... | (photographed by) |
Editing by
| Everett Dodd | ... | film editor |
Art Direction by
| Roland E. Hill Sr. | ... | (as Roland Hill) |
Sound Department
| Charles David Forrest | ... | sound |
Additional Crew
| Norman Granz | ... | technical director |
Production Companies
- Warner Bros. (presents)
Distributors
- Warner Bros. (1944) (United States) (theatrical)
- Warner Bros. (1946) (United Kingdom) (theatrical)
- Warner Bros. (1954) (United States) (theatrical) (re-release)
- MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1995) (United States) (video) (laserdisc)
- Warner Home Video (2006) (United States) (DVD) (included with "Passage to Marseille")
- Warner Home Video (2009) (United States) (DVD) (included in the "Warner Bros. Big Band, Jazz & Swing Short Subject Collection")
- Warner Home Video (2015) (United States) (Blu-ray) (included in "Passage to Marseille")
Special Effects
Other Companies
Storyline
| Plot Summary |
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. Written by garykmcd |
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| Parents Guide | Add content advisory for parents » |
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Additional Details
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Did You Know?
| Trivia | Reportedly, during the filming of this short, Bette Davis and Humphrey Bogart paid a visit to the set and observed filming (hearing that something great was happening). According to one musician, Bogart came up to him and said, "Are you getting paid good money for this? If you aren't, you should strike!" See more » |
| Movie Connections | Featured in Added Attractions: The Hollywood Shorts Story (2002). See more » |
| Soundtracks | Midnight Symphony See more » |
| Quotes |
[first lines]
Narrator: This - is a jam session. Quite often, these great artists gather and play, ad lib, hot music. It could be called a midnight symphony. See more » |