Air Mail Special

"Jam Session" is a short film that is a 'Soundie'...an early sort of music video that was played on specially built jukeboxes from 1940-1947. These jukeboxers were unusual because they not only played music but video...like music videos of the modern era. And, if you are curious about this an other soundies, you might want to buy yourself a copy of "Soundies the Ultimate Collection"...a 4 disc set of about 200 of these films.

"Air Mail Special" features Count Basie and his orchestra. They perform a tune of the same name...all during which black people jitterbug (a fast, athletic sort of dance of the day). It's a shame the clothes worn by the participants is pretty conservative...no zoot suits or chains in sight. This is probably because many looked down on these jitterbuggers...much like folks looked at the Beatles and many other later bands. As far as the tune goes, it's okay...nothing special.

Count Basie and his band play "Air Mail Special", while dancers jitterbug.

It's one of more than two thousand "soundies" produced between 1939 and 1947, meant to be played on a device called a Mills Panoram. For seven years they could be found in bars, night clubs, and other places where people would gather. Think of them as music videos, available for viewing at a dime a song.

Making judgments about which version of a jazz song is best is a mug's game. There's certainly amazing energy in this version. My favorite remains Ella Fitzgerald's scat version, because, well, it's Ella Fitzgerald. But if you prefer this rendition, I wouldn't blame you.

This was another Soundie I watched on YouTube. In this one, Count Basie does a little rhyming rapping before going into this Benny Goodman instrumental composition. While he's playing, plenty of couples are jitterbugging constantly until, one by one, they get tired and start to fall down on the floor. One of the couples that keeps going seem to dance the same one every time the camera is on them. I'm sure it's the same sequence shown over and over. Guess who wins? Anyway, this was another "music video" of a certain period that played on Panorams (film jukeboxes) at various restaurants, bars, and train or bus stations. So on that note, Air Mail Special is worth a look for anyone interested in this sort of thing.