"An expression of modern-day invention worth looking into!"

Here, via YouTube, is a pretty interesting five-minute film, "Record-making with Duke Ellington." According to whoever posted it on YouTube, it's a "promotional short for Irving Mills' short-lived Master and Variety labels." (Irving Mills, of course, is the "Joe Primrose" who took credit for "SJI.")

There's a little bit, very staged, of Ellington directing his band, but the real point of the film is to show off the technical wonders of making the physical record, described by a breathless announcer. But you know what? He should be breathless. The process is really cool!

For the record, found this on the WFMU blog.