King-Of-Jazz
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King-Of-Jazz 55 images |
 St-Louis-Blues In 1929, Kenneth W. Adams and W.C. Handy wrote a short film treatment based on Handy's famous song "St. Louis Blues" and convinced the film studio RCA Phototone of the idea of making a short film. Phototone hired Dudley Murphy (director of the 1924 French avante garde classic Le Ballet Mechanique!) to direct a two-reel short to be shown before the featured attraction, much the same way newsreels and cartoons where throw in as an added attraction before films in those days. At W.C. Handy's suggestion, Bessie Smith was picked to be the star of the film. Bessie had scored a huge hit in 1925 with her recording of "St. Louis Blues", which had featured Louis Armstrong on cornet. The film was shot in June of 1929 in Astoria, Long Island and was shown between the years 1929 to 1932. It was Bessie Smith's only film appearence. The film features a top notch Jazz band that includes, James P. Johnson on piano, Thomas Morris and Joe Smith on cornet, as well as the Hall Johnson Choir. The film had an all African American cast. The co-stars were dancer/actor Jimmy Mordecai as Bessie's good for nothing boyfriend and Isabel Washington Powell as the other woman. |
 St-Louis-Blues Poster |
 Symphony-In-Black Symphony in Black, A Rhapsody of Black Life" is Duke Ellington's second movie. It was directed by Fred Waller for Adolph Zukor at Paramount Pictures and was released in 1935. One of the most interesting aspects of this short film is the lack of stereotypical, racist depictions of African-Americans which mar most early jazz films. This film presented Ellington as composer that was on the same level as someone like George Gershwin the famous composer of "Rhapsody In Blue". Duke Ellington and his Orchestra are portrayed as professional, dignified musicians. The symphony, is divided into four parts; "The Laborers," "A Triangle," "A Hymn of Sorrow" and "Harlem Rhythm" and each section features The second part of the symphony "A Triangle," features solos by Barney Bigard and Joe Nanton as well as vocals by Jazz singer Billie Holiday making her film debut in the "Triangle" section of the symphony. |