Glimpsing Greatness
While much of the collection remains to be preserved, a small number of films have been restored thanks to a Missouri Historical Records grant from the Missouri State Archives. Here we present several short clips:

Small       Large	A Date with the Duke/Perfume Suite This combination of a live performance mixed with animation is a highlight of the Baker Collection. In the eight minute short, Ellington performs his “Perfume Suite.” An assortment of animated perfume bottles participate as musicians with Ellington on the piano.
Small       Large	Sarah Vaughan in Paris A Universal International release with Herb Jeffries and his band, this short film was shot in Paris and is subtitled in French. Sarah Vaughan sings “Don’t Blame Me” and “It’s Your Turn to Cry Over Me.”
Small       Large	“Murder in Swing Time” This Condor Pictures/RKO short is a musical comedy featuring Kansas City native June Richmond and Les Hite and his orchestra. All of the dialogue is in rhyme. Musicians testify through their instruments before a judge as to their culpability in a murder. Each player is declared not guilty. The judge’s final verdict after hearing all of the testimony is “the law books say you gotta swing.”
Small       Large	“That’s the Spirit” Cora LaRedd, one of the top jazz dancers of the 1930s, performs to the music of the Noble Sissle Band in this production by the Vitaphone Corporation. When this short appeared, The Film Daily described LaRedd’s dancing as “sensational,” and the performance as “red hot rhythms done with plenty of class and pep.”
Small       Large	Billy Eckstein and His Band at the Playboy Club Billy Eckstein, one of the great jazz troubadours of the 40s and 50s, makes an appearance on Hugh Hefner’s “Playboy Club.” Back

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