Based on the life and career of Ferdinand Joseph LaMothe, known as Jelly Roll Morton and generally regarded as one of the primary driving forces behind the introduction of jazz to the American public in the early 20th century, it also serves as a social commentary on the African-American experience during the era.

Born into an old and wealthy mixed-race Creole family in New Orleans, the young Morton rebels against his upbringing by going into the streets and absorbing the rhythms of the vendors and poor blacks, meeting blues musician Buddy Bolden.

In his later years, as the Jazz culture continues to grow, Morton is largely forgotten and reduced to dealing with crooked music publishers and gangsters, eventually dying of a knife wound in the colored wing of a Los Angeles hospital.

[2] In addition to Gregory Hines and Savion Glover as the older and younger Morton, the cast included Keith David as the Chimney Man, Tonya Pinkins as Anita, Ann Duquesnay as Gran Mimi, Stanley Wayne Mathis as Jack the Bear, Mary Bond Davis as Miss Maime and Ruben Santiago-Hudson as Buddy Bolden.

[2] later in the show's run, Phylicia Rashad, Brian Stokes Mitchell and Ben Vereen joined the cast, replacing Pinkins, Hines and David respectively.

Nicholas Christopher starred as Jelly opposite Billy Porter as the Chimney Man, Joaquina Kalukango as Anita and Leslie Uggams as Gran Mimi.