The tragedy and triumph of ‘Jelly’s Last Jam’

PASADENA, Calif. – Jelly’s Last Jam” is a stage musical you must see. The music is fast. The sensual backdrop of the one-time Broadway darling is furious and sometimes feels like a melting pot of unsatisfied desires. It has it all. 

Ambition. Sex. Ego. Friendship. Betrayal. Tragedy and redemption. Yep. All of it. And yet, “Jelly’s Last Jam” feels like it runs out of time trying to tell the complete story of Jelly Roll Morton, a legendary pianist and composer. 

Morton, a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee and the recipient of a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award honor, is considered a giant in pioneering the art of jazz, blending his ragtime piano skills with a new sound. 

Cress Williams in Jelly’s Last Jam // Photo by Jeff Lorch
Cress Williams in Jelly’s Last Jam // Photo by Jeff Lorch

The victim of a stabbing a few years earlier, Morton died unceremoniously at Los Angeles County General Hospital (now Los Angeles County USC-Medical Center) in 1941.  

This is where “Jelly’s Last Jam” picks up the storyline of Mortoin’s life, which ended at 50. With his spirit held up in the purgatory abyss while resting at the Jungle Inn after his tragic demise, Morton (played by John Clarence Stewart) is approached and given a proposition by Chimney Man about what to do with his soul. 

This version of Chimney Man is played by actor Cress Williams (Black Lightning). Williams does an excellent job of making Chimney Man a forceful antagonist and an empathetic ear to Morton’s potential for good going awash due to his undeniable arrogance. 

Chimney Man, who serves as the unofficial overseer of souls in the universe, presents Jelly with an opportunity to redo some of the things he did and to right the ship with the people he left behind. And there were quite a few people that Jelly alienated. Let’s start with the jazz community as a whole. 

Because of his pompous boastfulness that he was the originator of jazz, it has been reported that many of the jazz greats did not bother to attend Morton’s funeral, a sad commentary for someone whose recordings are stored in the Library of Congress. 

Jelly’s Last Jam” takes a look at a lot of societal issues that some might be considered to be taboo if spoken about. As a Creole man, Morton had some real colorism issues going on within his mental framework. 

As the show develops, Morton goes from a loving, kind man to his close friend “Jack the Bear (Wilikie Ferguson Jr.) to a raging bull who despises his buddy’s dark-skinned complexion. In a nutshell, Morton trashes his friend’s very existence as a man and as a Black man at a time when it didn’t matter if you were light-skinned or dark. 

Janaya Mahealani Jones, Naomi C. Walley, and Cyd Charisse Glover-Hill in Jelly’s Last Jam // Photo by Jeff Lorch
Janaya Mahealani Jones, Naomi C. Walley, and Cyd Charisse Glover-Hill in Jelly’s Last Jam // Photo by Jeff Lorch

Being Black did not have its advantages. Morton thought it did. But more on the artistic front, “Jelly’s Last Jam” covers a lot of ground in the singing and dance department. One of the highlights is seeing a young Morton (Doran Butler) woo the crowd with some serious tap-dancing skills.    

Speaking of dancing, the Hunnies (Naomi C. Walley, Janaya Mahealani Joes, and Cyd Charisse Glover-Hill) bring sensual heat with their prancing and sure-fire vocals on musical numbers such as “Jelly’s Jam,” “In My Day,” and “Lovin Is a Lowdown Blues.” 

The steadiness of the show, though, is put in the hands of Anita (played by Jasmine Amy Rogers), Morton’s on-and-off love interest. Rogers is wonderful in the role of Anita. Anita is deliciously charming. She is also a tough cookie, providing depth to offset Morton’s over-the-top bluster. 

Jasmine Amy Rogers in Jelly’s Last Jam // Photo by Jeff Lorch
Jasmine Amy Rogers in Jelly’s Last Jam // Photo by Jeff Lorch

Rogers, Williams, and Stewart give “Jelly’s Last Jam” a power trio. Williams’ booming voice and steady presence as Chimney Man gets your attention immediately and stays with you during the production. Rogers as Anita brings balance and context to Morton’s life. She loves Morton but she won’t put up with his pompous attitude. 

While his soul is stuck between Heaven and Hell, Morton looks over his life and realizes that there are things he wishes he could do differently. For one, he now understands that the people he loved the most were the ones he treated the worst. The main message (and there are many) of “Jelly’s Last Jam” is atonement. 

This is something we all seek. Stewart as Morton gives a master class to illustrate this point. Be good today. Don’t have regrets later, because you may not get a redo.

“Jelly’s Last Jam” is at the Pasadena Playhouse through June 23, 2024   

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