NFR Project: 'Jam Session' (1942)

 

NFR Project: ‘Jam Session’ (1942)

Dir: Josef Berne

Premiered 1942

3 min.

They were the first music videos. Known as “Soundies,” for a brief period they had a unique appeal to customers in bars, pool rooms, restaurants, and the like. Filmed musical c by a variety of entertainers were collected in a kind of visual jukebox – put in a dime, see and hear the artist.

First, you should read Mark Cantor’s comprehensive essay on the subject on the Library of Congress website. It says in part:

“The individual, three-minute films were ultimately produced by close to fifty separate concerns . . . Those who purchased a Panoram machine . . . received eight musical shorts each week, or nine during the war years, when a propaganda piece was added. There were more than 1,850 shorts released over a period of six years, and ‘Jam Session,’ featuring Duke Ellington and his Orchestra, was one of the best.”

There’s not too much more to add. The soundie in question takes place in a “joint” where the Duke and his men are tossing off a rendition of “C Jam Blues” with seeming effortlessness. Their relaxed, happy demeanor sets off their sharp professionalism. As each soloist takes his turn with the tune, the Duke grins and beats time on the piano.

Duke Ellington faced the same kind of racial discrimination as other Black artists did. The thing about the Duke was, he transcended it. He maintained a calm and genially commanding presence on stage, and it created a kind of safe space for those working with him. His beaming face and closing wink to the camera are priceless.

The NFR is one writer’s attempt to review all the films listed in the National Film Registry in chronological order. Next time: The Magnificent Ambersons.