This is an amazing little film. It features such amazing Black-American performers as Lionel Hampton, Count Basie, Cab Calloway, Nat King Cole and Sarah Vaughn—among many others. In addition, there are some comedy acts by the likes of Nipsy Russell and Mantan Moreland . It's a great historical piece—allowing us today to see so many talented folks, but it also manages to be darned entertaining as well.
These acts perform in front of a live audience and a few of the highlights include:
Bill Bailey doing many of the dances Michael Jackson did decades later. So, moon walking and the like have been around for some time!
Herb Jeffries sing a nice and rather impressive song. This man was a singing cowboy in the late 1930s—Black-America's answer to Gene Autry.
Joe Turner singing the original "Shake, Rattle and Roll". Like so many great tunes of the 1950s, it was later re-recorded by a White performer (Bill Haley) and became a top hit.
The tune "Dem Bones"—it was very, very catchy!
Mantan Moreland did an old routine made famous by him and his old partner. However, in this case, his partner's part was done by newcomer Nipsy Russell.
Cab Calloway brings down the house with "Minnie the Moocher"—a terrific song and one that seems timeless.
