Search - Jumpin' and Jivin', Vol. 1 on DVD

Fun collection from mostly terrible sources

Randy C. Baer | Los Angeles, California | 05/11/2009

(3 out of 5 stars)

"The 1940's saw the advent of the first video jukeboxes, actually small film monitors set up at bars, restaurants and other assorted venues. The films produced for these machines were called "Soundies". Despite mediocre production values and distracting cutaways, these miniatures provide a fascinating cultural window, as well as glimpses of some of the top jazz and pop performers of the day. This collection brings together a couple of dozen such performances. The problem is the source materials have so deteriorated that, several of the films are either unwatchable or unlistenable. Acorn Media appears not to have done any restoration. And, as far as I know, this stuff is all Public Domain now, so their costs were near nonexistant to begin with. So, if you value your media shekels, be forewarned. Still, if you spot this at your local library as I did, by all means take a gander at a sound and a time long passed and nearly forgotten."

Jumpin'&Jivin' ,Indeed

Alfred Johnson | boston, ma | 08/20/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I recently reviewed the work, in his prime in the 1960s, of jazz guitarist Wes Montgomery. There I noted that my interest in jazz, as such, was at the many places where jazz and the blues intersect. This volume of jazz- centered music from the big band era of the 1940s is a prime example of that statement. Not all of the twenty plus "soundies" (the old time version of MTV-type music videos for the benefit of the younger reader) from the 1940s and early 1950s here derives from the blues but a good number do. The compilers of this DVD have put, in one place at one time, many of the best big bands from that era, including Duke Ellington, Billy Eckstine and Count Basie. The production values on some of the material is not great but you are getting this for its look at cultural history, warts and all.

Moreover, there are two performers who perked my interest from the blues perspective. One was the incredible performances of Mr. Cab Calloway in his classic "Minnie The Moocher" and the, well, bluesy "Blues In The Night". I last recall seeing old Cab in the original John Belushi "Blues Brothers" film from the 1980s. That was nothing compared to these performances in his prime. Watch this. The other outstanding performance here is from Lena Horne. Yes, I know, I am supposed to be true-blue to Ms. Billie Holiday. And I am. Except last year I heard Lena doing "Stormy Weather" on a 1940s CD compilation and was blown away. Here on her "soundie" "Unlucky Woman" she does so again. So call me perfidious, okay.
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