The Last Of The Blue Devils - The Kansas City Jazz Story (2005)

A magnificent documentary on a fabled time and place in American musical history, an "open city" with a wild and woolly nightlife of booze, gambling and prostitution, supported by the mayor who took his city and said "to hell with prohibition, let's party." This musical documentary chronicles the Kansas City blues and jazz scene, and includes interviews and archival footage of many of the greats, notably, the big-band sound of Count Basie and his Orchestra, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie and his Quintet, and Ernie Williams, who called himself "the Last of the Blue Devils."
Last of the Blue Devils is an affectionate backward glance at the Kansas City "blues" scene of the 1930s. Established as a mecca for jazz musicians during the Prohibition Era, K.C. spawned some of the best musical talent of the era. The film's nostalgia is leavened with mild outrage in noting that, while many of the best blues men were permitted to strut their stuff before white audiences, none were allowed to utilize anything other than "colored only" facilities. Count Basie is the biggest "name" represented in the film, though this should not diminish the contribution of such dynamos as Big Joe Turner, Walter Page and Jay McShann. LAST OF THE BLUE DEVILS was produced and directed by Bruce Ricker, who later turned out a praiseworthy documentary on Thelonious Monk.

Setlist:
01. OPENING TITLES: "South" (Vintage Recording), Bennie Moten Orchestra [2:53]
02. "PINEY BROWN BLUES" ("18th & Vine"), Big Joe Turner & Jay McShann [4:11]
03. GETTING REACQUAINTED "Jay's Blues," Jay McShann "Jesse's Blues," Jesse Price [4:52]
04. Enter The Count [1:30]
05. "MOTEN SWING" Count Basie Orchestra [3:54]
06. Remembering Bennie Moten [2:32]
07. "JUMPIN' THE BLUES," "HOOTIE'S BLUES," "AFTER HOURS," Jay McShann's Big Band [3:32]
08. Ernie Williams On Drums [1:48]
09. Tribute To Lester Young [1:32]
10. "LESTER LEAPS IN" Featuring Paul Quinichette, Eddie Durham & Charles McPherson [6:01]
11. TENOR BATTLE "Jumpin' at the Woodside" Count Basie Orchestra Featuring saxophon [2:41]
12. TRIBUTE TO ANDY KIRK "Until the Real Thing Comes Along" [2:06]
13. TRIBUTE TO CHARLIE PARKER With Buster Smith "Hot House" (Vintage Television Clip) [4:47]
14. Basie'S Musical Reminiscence [4:02]
15. "SHAKE, RATTLE & ROLL" Big Joe Turner [3:49]
16. ONCE UPON A TIME IN KANSAS CITY With club owner Milton Morris [6:24]
17. "ROLL 'EM" Big Joe Turner and the Jay Mc Shann Big Band [6:47]
18. Walter Page Remembered [3:10]
19. DRUM DUO Jo Jones and Baby Lovett Tap by Speedy Huggins [4:30]
20. "NIGHT TRAIN" Count Basie Orchestra Featuring saxophonist Jimmy Forrest [5:43]
21. "PINEY BROWN BLUES" ("18th & Vine") Reprise Big Joe Turner and Jay McShann [3:42]
22. "ONE O'CLOCK JUMP" Jay McShann Big Band [2:55]
23. "ONE O'CLOCK JUMP" Count Basie Orchestra [2:08]
24. THE COUNT STEPS OUT "Moten Swing" (Vintage Recording) Bennie Moten Orchestra [4:42]

Extra:
- Audio commentary by director-producer Bruce Ricker
- 19 minutes of outtakes, including the musical numbers "Honey Hush"; "Rose Garden"; "Chains fo Love"; and "Shake, Rattle and Roll," performed by Big Joe Turner and Jay McShann


Features:
- Interactive Menu
- Direct Scene Access