BULLET REVIEW: Jelly’s Last Jam

City Center Encores production, CITY CENTER, New York City

Limited run Feb 21 -Mar 3, 2024

https://www.nycitycenter.org/pdps/2023-2024/jellys-last-jam/

https://www.nycitycenter.org/pdps/2023-2024/jellys-last-jam/

Unlike everyone else in the electrified, screaming audience and every friend who has seen Jelly’s Last Jam, I didn’t love it.

Ok, ok, ok -this show did have some of the most exciting and skillful tap dancing and singing I’ve ever seen including the mesmerizing footwork of the extraordinary Alaman Diadhioiu as the young Jelly Roll; the riveting stage presence of Billy Porter as “Chimney Man” a messenger from beyond; the house rocking explosive vocals of Joaquina Kalukango and the deservedly revered veteran performer Leslie Uggams who at 80 still has her legendary performance chops.

It could be my narrow cultural lens but all that world class talent felt like a mismatch with the less than earth shaking story of Jelly Roll Morton and the themes of his life as a mixed race creole in turn of the century New Orleans with a grandmother who disowned him for playing jazz in a brothel and his own ego driven claim to be the sole inventor of jazz.

There was an interesting side treat. In a corner of the audience orchestra seats, a spotlight lit up four delightful sign language translators whose wonderfully expressive faces, hands and bodies simultaneously conveyed the dialog, movement and pulse of the music for hearing impaired audience members. This four person mini troupe artfully succeeded in not being a distraction but there were stretches when I could not take my eyes off them. During the curtain call the performers made acknowledging gestures of gratitude to the musicians and then to those four translators.

THEN TWO DAYS LATER UNDER THE HEADING OF WHAT AN AMAZING BURSTING WITH TALENT TOWN THIS IS — one of those translators was working his magic alongside singer, composer and Metropolitan Museum Artist in Residence, Toshi Reagon, in a performance walk-thru at the Met- and I got to thank him.