Ma Rainey is a highly regarded, strong-willed blues singer who has recently been contracted by white producers to record an album. The story takes place in 1927, when the first recording session is scheduled for Ma by her manager Irvin to take place at
Paramount's Recording Studios in Chicago. Seasoned Georgia Jazz Band members Toledo, Cutler, and Slow Drag arrive on time without Ma, which frustrates producer Mel Sturdyvant. They are soon joined by Levee Green, the band's overconfident trumpeter, who has shown Sturdyvant his original compositions in the hopes of getting his own record deal. The other musicians find Levee's behavior disrespectful to Ma. Teased by the rest of the band about his ability to deal with white men, Levee relates how his mother was gang-raped in front of him. His father killed four of the rapists but was then lynched and burned. Ma arrives an hour late with her lady friend, Dussie Mae, and her nephew, Sylvester. Immediately, she clashes with Sturdyvant and Irvin, making numerous demands. Insulted that the
Coca-Cola she was promised has not been provided, Ma refuses to sing until Slow Drag and Sylvester bring her one. Later, she insists to Sturdyvant that the opening words of the album be spoken by Sylvester (who has a pronounced
stutter) so he can receive royalties. As a result, the group has to do multiple takes of the song "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom," much to the frustration of the producers and Levee. Ma confides to Cutler that her white bosses are only interested in her voice and would otherwise regard her as "just a dog in the alley", which he understands and sympathizes with. Meanwhile, Levee and Dussie Mae have sex in the practice room before being interrupted by Slow Drag. The group finally manages to get through the first track after multiple takes, but discovers an equipment failure has caused it not to be recorded. The band blames Levee, who they think tripped over a wire while eyeing Dussie Mae, though it is revealed to have been damaged already. Their argument leads the religious Cutler to tell a story about a preacher he once knew who got stranded in a small town and was humiliated by a group of white men who tore up his Bible and forced him to dance under threat of death. The uncaring Levee brushes off the story by retorting that if there was a God, he would care for black people, which he never has. Cutler attacks Levee in anger, and the young man forces him back with a knife while continuing to belittle his beliefs. The group finally finishes recording, but Ma fires Levee soon afterward; believing his reckless ambition and uncompromising attitude to be detrimental to the band. Levee meets with Sturdyvant about his original songs, but learns that the producer will only buy the rights to the songs and never intended to give him a deal. Levee subsequently suffers a mental breakdown and, after Toledo accidentally steps on his new shoes, fatally stabs him in the back with the knife in a fit of rage. Cutler and Slow Drag leave in horror just as an incensed Ma storms out, leaving behind the broken and despondent Levee who embraces Toledo's corpse. Sometime later, Sturdyvant is recording one of Levee's songs with a band consisting entirely of white musicians (supposedly
Paul Whiteman's Orchestra). ==Cast==