| Jammin' the Blues | |
| Director: | Gjon Mili |
| Producer: | Gordon Hollingshead |
| Narrator: | Knox Manning |
| Cinematography: | Robert Burks[1] |
| Editing: | Everett Dodd |
| Studio: | Warner Bros. |
| Distributor: | Warner Bros. |
| Runtime: | 10 minutes |
| Country: | United States |
| Language: | English |
Jammin' the Blues is a 1944 American short film made by Gjon Mili and Norman Granz in which a number of prominent jazz musicians re-create the jam-session atmosphere of nightclubs and after-hours spots. It features Lester Young, Red Callender, Harry Edison, Marlowe Morris, Sid Catlett, Barney Kessel, Jo Jones, John Simmons, Illinois Jacquet, Marie Bryant and Archie Savage.[2]
Gjon Mili and Norman Granz, who was credited as technical director, shot the film over four days with the support of Warner Bros. head of short films, Gordon Hollingshead.[3] Barney Kessel was the only white musician in the film. His hands were stained with berry juice, and he was seated in the shadows to shade his skin.[4] [5]
Producer Gordon Hollingshead was nominated for an Oscar in the category of Best Short Subject, One-reel.[6]
In 1995, Jammin' the Blues was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".[7] [8]
The short was released on DVDs of the films Blues in the Night (1941) and Passage to Marseille (1944), the latter starring Humphrey Bogart.[9] [10]