''Jelly's Last Jam'' is a

musical Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the Character (arts), charac ...

with a book by George C. Wolfe, lyrics by Susan Birkenhead, and music by

Jelly Roll Morton Ferdinand Joseph LaMothe ( Lemott, later Morton; c. September 20, 1890 – July 10, 1941), known professionally as Jelly Roll Morton, was an American blues and jazz pianist, bandleader, and composer of Louisiana Creole descent. Morton was jazz ...

and Luther Henderson. Based on the life and career of Ferdinand Joseph LaMothe, known as Jelly Roll Morton and generally regarded as one of the primary driving forces behind the introduction of

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

to the American public in the early 20th century, it also serves as a social commentary on the

African-American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from any of the Black racial groups of Africa. ...

experience during the era. LaMothe was born into a

Louisiana Creole Louisiana Creole is a French-based creole language spoken by fewer than 10,000 people, mostly in the U.S. state of Louisiana. Also known as Kouri-Vini, it is spoken today by people who may racially identify as white, black, mixed, and Native ...

family that was established and free before the Civil War.

Plot

The musical opens with the recently deceased Morton in a state of limbo, looking back on his life. He is reluctantly guided by the mysterious 'Chimney Man,' who forces him to recall the more painful moments of his life when he attempts to ignore or embellish them. Born into an old and wealthy mixed-race Creole family in

New Orleans New Orleans (commonly known as NOLA or The Big Easy among other nicknames) is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 at the 2020 ...

, the young Morton rebels against his upbringing by going into the streets and absorbing the rhythms of the vendors and poor blacks, meeting blues musician

Buddy Bolden Charles Joseph "Buddy" Bolden (September 6, 1877 – November 4, 1931) was an American cornetist who was regarded by contemporaries and later jazz scholars as a key figure in the development of a New Orleans style of ragtime music, or "jass ...

. When his Creole grandmother discovers his new lifestyle, she disowns him. Forced to go on the road, Morton becomes a prominent composer and musician, and the self-proclaimed creator of jazz. His sadness over his family's rejection causes him to stress his Creole ancestry and claim that there are 'no black notes in my song.' Eventually his pride and racism cause him to betray his best friend and the woman he loves. In his later years, as the Jazz culture continues to grow, Morton is largely forgotten and reduced to dealing with crooked music publishers and gangsters, eventually dying of a knife wound in the colored wing of a

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

hospital. At the moment of his death, Morton at last admits to his heritage - "Ain't no black notes in my song/I was wrong/ I was wrong." At this moment, the shadows of the people in his life surround him to congratulate him, and Morton takes his place in history among the other Jazz legends.

Production history

Los Angeles (1991)

''Jelly's Last Jam'' premiered at the Mark Taper Forum, Los Angeles, California, in March 1991. Directed by Wolfe, Obba Babatunde played Jelly Roll.

Broadway (1992-1993)

The Broadway production opened at the Virginia Theatre on April 26, 1992, and closed on September 5, 1993, after 569 performances and 25 previews. The musical was directed by Wolfe,

choreographed Choreography is the art of designing sequences of movements of physical bodies (or their depictions) in which motion or form or both are specified. ''Choreography'' may also refer to the design itself. A choreographer creates choreographies thr ...

by Hope Clarke, with tap choreography by Gregory Hines and Ted L. Levy, scenic design by Robin Wagner, costume design by Toni-Leslie James, and lighting design by

Jules Fisher Jules Fisher (born November 12, 1937) is an American lighting designer and producer. He is credited with lighting designs for more than 300 productions over the course of his 50-year career of Broadway and off-Broadway shows, as well extensiv ...

.Wolfe, George C. and Birkenhead, Susan
"Production History"
''Jelly's Last Jam'', Theatre Communications Group, 1993, , pp. xv-xviii In addition to Gregory Hines and Savion Glover as the older and younger Morton, the cast included Keith David as the Chimney Man, Tonya Pinkins as Anita, Ann Duquesnay as Gran Mimi, Stanley Wayne Mathis as Jack the Bear, Mary Bond Davis as Miss Maime and Ruben Santiago-Hudson as Buddy Bolden. Stephanie Pope, Mamie Duncan-Gibbs and Allison M. Williams appeared as the musical trio the Honies, with Ken Ard, and Brenda Braxton appearing in the show's ensemble. later in the show's run, Phylicia Rashad, Brian Stokes Mitchell and

Ben Vereen Benjamin Augustus Vereen (né Middleton; October 10, 1946) is an American actor, dancer and singer. He gained prominence for his performances in the original Broadway productions of the musicals ''Jesus Christ Superstar'', for which he received ...

joined the cast, replacing Pinkins, Hines and David respectively. An original cast recording was released by Decca Broadway.

New York City Center Revival (2024)

The musical was mounted by New York City Center

Encores! Encores! is a Tony Honors for Excellence in Theatre, Tony-honored concert series dedicated to reviving United States, American Musical theatre, musicals, usually with their original orchestrations. Presented by New York City Center since 1994, E ...

on February 21, and ran through March 3, 2024. The production was directed by Robert O'Hara with choreography by Edgar Godineaux and tap choreography by Dormeshia. Nicholas Christopher starred as Jelly opposite Billy Porter as the Chimney Man, Joaquina Kalukango as Anita and

Leslie Uggams Leslie Marian Uggams (; born May 25, 1943) is an American actress and singer. After beginning her career as a child in the early 1950s, she garnered acclaim for her role in the Broadway theatre, Broadway musical ''Hallelujah, Baby!'', winning a T ...

as Gran Mimi. Pope, Duncan-Gibbs and Williams reprised their roles as the Hunnies from the original Broadway production. Okieriete Onaodowan and Alaman Diadhiou also starred as Buddy Bolden and Young Jelly.

Song list

All songs are written by

with additional music by Luther Henderson and lyrics by Susan Birkenhead, unless indicated. ;Act I * "Prologue" - The Chimney Man * "Jelly's Jam" (based on "

King Porter Stomp "King Porter Stomp" is a jazz standard by pianist Jelly Roll Morton, first recorded in 1923. The composition is considered to be important in the development of jazz.Magee, Jeffrey. "'King Porter Stomp' and the Jazz Tradition", p.46, ''Current Musi ...

") - The Hunnies, Crowd * "In My Day" - Jelly, The Hunnies * "The Creole Way" (Music by Luther Henderson) - Young Jelly, Amede, Viola, Ancestors * "The Whole World's Waitin' to Sing Your Song" (based on "My Little Dixie Home")- Jelly, Young Jelly, Street Crowd * "Michigan Water" - Miss Mamie, Buddy * "The Banishment" (composed of "Get Away Boy" (music by Henderson) and "Lonely Boy Blues" (traditional)) - Gran Mimi, Young Jelly, Jelly * "Somethin' More" (based on "Pretty Lil") - Jelly, Jack, The Chimney Man, The Hunnies, Dancers * "That's How You Jazz" (based on "Salty Dog") - Jelly, Jack, Dancers * "The Chicago Stomp" (based on "Burning the Iceberg") - Jelly, The Chimney Man, The Hunnies, The Red Hot Peppers, Chicago Crowd * "Play the Music for Me" - Anita * "Lovin' Is a Lowdown Blues" - The Hunnies * " Doctor Jazz" (Music by King Oliver and Walter Melrose, additional lyrics by Susan Birkenhead) - Jelly, Crowd ;Act II * "Good Ole New York" - The Chimney Man, The Hunnies, New York Crowd * "Too Late, Daddy" (music by Henderson - Jelly, Harlem Crowd * "That's the Way We Do Things in New Yawk" - Jelly, The Melrose Brothers * "Jelly's Isolation Dance" - Jelly * "The Last Chance Blues" - Jelly, Anita * "Creole Boy" - Jelly * "We Are The Rhythms That Color Your Song" - Company

Cast and characters

Notable cast replacements

Broadway (1992-1993)

* Jelly Roll Morton: Brian Stokes Mitchell * Chimney Man: Ken Ard,

* Anita: Phylicia Rashad

Awards and nominations

Original Broadway production

Reception

John Lahr wrote the introduction to the printed script of ''Jelly's Last Jam'', and noted that the musical "reclaims the gorgeous power of tap dancing as part of musical story telling".

References

{{reflist

External links

Internet Broadway Database listing
1992 musicals All-Black cast Broadway shows Biographical musicals Broadway musicals Cultural depictions of jazz musicians Plays by George C. Wolfe Musicals set in the 20th century Musicals set in Los Angeles Musicals set in New Orleans Musicals set in the United States Tony Award–winning musicals