Hollywood Rhythm, Vol. 1: The Best of Jazz and Blues (1929-1941) Movie Review 2000

Almost all of these short films were produced by the Paramount studio (in Astoria, Queens) to fill the running times of their programs. (Three were not produced by Paramount.) They can be seen now as precursors to music videos. Some are simple staged performances. Others create light narratives to surround the playing. Great stuff for fans of the bands and the singers, including a young Billie Holiday and George Dewey Washington. Contents: "A Rhapsody in Black and Blue" (1932; Louis Armstrong), "A Bundle of Blues" (1933; Duke Ellington, Ivie Anderson), "Cab Calloway's Hi-De-Ho" (1933), "Ain't Misbehaving" (1941; Fats Waller), "Symphony in Black" (1935; Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday), "Jitterbug Party" (1934; Cab Calloway), "St. Louis Blues" (1929; Bessie Smith), "Hoagy Carmichael" (1939; with Jack Teagarden); "Ol' King Cotton" (1930; George Dewey Washington), "Black and Tan Fantasy" (1929; Duke Ellington, Fredi Washington, Arthur Whetsol), "Those Blues" (1932; Vincent Lopez).

Distribution

Kino International, 333 W. 39th St., Ste. 503, New York, NY 10018, Phone: (212)629-6880, Toll-free: 800-562-3330, Fax: (212)714-0871, Email: contact@kino.com, URL: http://www.kino.com

Available on DVD
Running time 123 minutes.

Cast and Crew

Genres

Music--Jazz