Jump for Joy (1941 revue)


Jump for Joy is a 1941 musical revue by Duke Ellington that opened on July 10, 1941, at the Mayan Theater of Los Angeles and ran for nine weeks.
It included many hit songs by Ellington that became pop and jazz standards like "I Got It Bad " and "A Drum Is a Woman".

Reception

The musical received rave reviews, and both Orson Welles and Charles Chaplin considered buying the show, but were refused, as the show was collaborative in nature and the writers did not want it to be owned.
Despite the original success, "it never made it to Broadway, but it made it to history".

Political message

Contrary to other all-African-American revues of the time, it was very outspoken on racial matters, with the songs "Jump for Joy", "Same Old South" ".
The production team received protestations and death threats. Duke Ellington described it later in his life as "the first 'social significance' show".