When Black Performers Starred in Soundies

[mahatmakanejeeves]

It's worth a trip to the library to read this. The article is in the Saturday-Sunday edition.

Essay: In the 1940s, a now-forgotten film technology called Soundies gave Black performers a rare chance to reach audiences on their own terms

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When Black Performers Starred in Soundies

The article mentioned this Soundie. It's been viewed something like 2.5 million times.

Jam Session
12,076 views Dec 11, 2017

Library of Congress
226K subscribers
For more information and to download this film, please visit https://www.loc.gov/item/mbrs00078987/

The musical short film features Duke Ellington and his orchestra performing "C Jam Blues." The film recording, made in late 1941, was released in 1942 as a Soundie, a musical film played on jukebox-like devices found in social clubs and bars. Recorded for RCA Victor Records in 1942, the song continued to be a staple of the Ellington repertoire. Ellington appeared as a character in short subjects and feature films as early as 1929, and is featured in 1959's "Anatomy of a Murder." He appeared as himself in countless films, documentaries and television shows, and his music is heard in hundreds more. Named to the National Film Registry in 2001.

This one was mentioned too. I've posted this video before.

Reelblack is a great channel.

Soundies: Jazz And Jive (1940s) | Early Music Videos
266,454 views Aug 7, 2019

reelblack
1.07M subscribers
Soundies were an early form of music video. Developed prior to television, they played on 16mm film projectors that were viewed on small screens like a video jukebox and captured some of the top artists of the day. This reel, preserved by the Prelinger Archive features Rhythm and Blues performers .Enjoy!

Delta Rhythm Boys in "Take the 'A' Train" (1941).
2:43 Fats Waller in "Your Feet's Too Big (1941).
5:49 Count Basie Orchestra in "Take Me Back, Baby" (with vocal by
Jimmy Rushing) (1941).
8:21 "Preacher and the Bear" featuring The Jubalaires (vocal quartet)
11:25 "Ring Those Bells" (Black children vocal quintet, unidentified;
Possibly The Cabin Kids.)
12:19 The Ali Baba Trio in "Patience and Fortitude" (1946)
(featuring Valaida Snow singing and playing jazz trumpet -
with trio of guitar, bass and accordion!)
15:01 "Rocco Blues" featuring Maurice Rocco (piano and vocal)
17:54 Gloria Grey sings "Oh By Jingo" (looks later, circa 1950 or so)
20:35 "I Want A Man", sung by Annisteen Allen and accompanied by
Lucky Millinder and his Orchestra (huge big band)(1943).
25:33 Woman jazz harpist (LaVilla Tulos) playing "Swanee River"
( a title list of Soundies has this entry as "Swanee Swing" ).

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Reelblack's mission is to educate, elevate, entertain, enlighten, and empower through Black film. If there is content shared on this platform that you feel infringes on your intellectual property, please email me at [e-mail] and [e-mail] with details and it will be promptly removed.

A Zoot Suit (with a A Reet Pleat) [1942] | Dorothy Dandridge & Paul White
201,710 views Oct 12, 2019

reelblack
1.07M subscribers

Dorothy Jean Dandridge (November 9, 1922 – September 8, 1965) was an American film and theatre actress, singer, and dancer. She is perhaps one of the most famous black actresses to have a successful Hollywood career and the first to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in the 1954 film Carmen Jones.[3] Dandridge performed as a vocalist in venues such as the Cotton Club and the Apollo Theater. During her early career, she performed as a part of The Wonder Children, later The Dandridge Sisters, and appeared in a succession of films, usually in uncredited roles.
In 1959, Dandridge was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Porgy and Bess. She is the subject of the 1999 HBO biographical film, Introducing Dorothy Dandridge. She has been recognized with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Dandridge was married and divorced twice, first to dancer Harold Nicholas (the father of her daughter, Harolyn Suzanne) and then to hotel owner Jack Denison. Dandridge died under mysterious circumstances at age 42.

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Reelblack's mission is to educate, elevate, entertain enlighten, and empower through Black film. If there is content shared on this platform that you feel infringes on your intellectual property, please email me at [e-mail] and [e-mail] with details and it will be promptly removed.

Harold Nicholas - Mister BeeBe (1944) | That's Reelblack Entertainment
6,145 views Oct 12, 2019

reelblack
1.07M subscribers
Harold Lloyd Nicholas (March 17, 1921 – July 3, 2000) was an American dancer specializing in tap. Nicholas was the younger half of the tap-dancing pair the Nicholas Brothers, known as two of the world's greatest dancers. His older brother was Fayard Nicholas. Nicholas starred in the MGM musicals An All-Colored Vaudeville Show (1935), Stormy Weather (1943), The Pirate (1948). and The Five Heartbeats (1991).

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Reelblack's mission is to educate, elevate, entertain enlighten, and empower through Black film. If there is content shared on this platform that you feel infringes on your intellectual property, please email me at [e-mail] and [e-mail] with details and it will be promptly removed.

[Rocknation]

1. Just as I was about to throw in the towel on finding this soundie

Last edited Mon Dec 20, 2021, 10:13 PM - Edit history (1)

I found it!

Rocknation

[mahatmakanejeeves]

2. Got your Cab Calloway AND your Nicholas Brothers right here.

I've posted this before. If you haven't seen it, are you ever in for a surprise.

The drummer is Jo Jones.

Stormy Weather, Full Cast & Crew

Jumpin Jive - Cab Calloway and the Nicholas Brothers
12,685,118 views Jul 31, 2006

laughland
12.1K subscribers

Here's a clip from the movie "Stormy Weather" (1943) featuring Cab Calloway and his orchestra performing "Jumpin Jive". After awhile they let the Nicholas Brothers jump in and lend their feet to the action.

[brush]

3. Thanks so much for posting. Great Black history.