This week’s installment dives into the wild origins of “balling the jack.” From steam trains to juke joints, this phrase went from a railman’s command to crank up the speed to a symbol of living life at full throttle—whether in dance, bed, or the gamble of life itself. Explore how this fiery expression influenced the rhythms of jazz, blues, and swing, and check out how Bessie Smith and others brought it to the spotlight.
Browsing: Bessie Smith
Throughout history countless women have given the blues a unique stamp.
To conjure, one of the African cultural survivals very early noted in the New World, was mystical and required religious rituals. Discover it’s meaning in the blues!
Throughout history countless women have given the blues a unique stamp.
‘Paint the Roses’ documents a collaborative, streamed concert by the two artistic groups in December, 2020 at Miami’s North Beach Bandshell
This is the latest installment of our weekly series The Language of the Blues, in…
Maybe you’ve heard ‘bout Bessie Smith. Empress of the Blues. Powerhouse in music history. One of the greatest voices of all time. But she wasn’t the only Smith out there. The blues as we know it started with a Smith. And it wasn’t Bessie…
This is the latest installment of our weekly series The Language of the Blues, in…
A mean temper, with a mouth like a sailor, a penchant for whiskey, and a taste for both men and women, Bessie Smith lived a life that would drop the jaws of even the baddest rock star.
The first trailer of Queen Latifah playing Bessie Smith has just been released, and the short scenes show the actress & Grammy Award-winning