Blues for Greasy (1950)- Lester Young & Ella Fitzgerald -LIVE!

Life Magazine photographer Gjon Mili joined with jazz producer and Verve-label owner Norman Granz to produce the short film “Jammin’ the Blues“ in 1944 with Lester Young, Red Callendar, Harry Edison, “Big“ Sid Catlett, Illinois Jacquet, Barney Kessel, Jo Jones and Marie Bryant. The film was nominated for Best Short Subject at the 1945 Academy Awards, but didn’t win. The pair came together again in 1950 to shoot footage of leading jazz artists of the day, but when funding dried up, the film ceased production and sat on shelves for 50 years (except for a few snippets which found their way onto bootlegs). Blues For Greasy is one of those pieces shot by Gjon Mili and Norman Granz, using musicians from his Jazz at the Philharmonic tour. Harry ’Sweets’ Edison: trumpet Lester Young: Tenor Sax Flip Phillips: Tenor Sax Bill Harris: Trombone Hank Jones: Piano Ray Brown: Bass Buddy Rich: Drums Ella Fitzgerald: Vocals