Jazz Notes with Mick Day S
ome weeks ago I acquired a video tape of the 1996 Robert Altman film
Kansas City, starring Harry Belefonte and Miranda Richardson. The film, which I had not previously seen, was not particularly my cup of tea but it did contain some pretty good impressions of the jazz being played in the 1930s and of Kansas, where Altman was born. The musicians involved included Joshua Redman, Ron Carter, Dave ‘Fathead’ Newman, David Murray and Victor Lewis. They and many others were shown in fairly realistic jazz club settings and gave credibility to the story. Jazz, of course, has been used in numerous films over the years and its connection with the cinema probably reflects the fact that each art form developed in the same era. The Al Jolson film The Jazz Singer is often quoted as being the first movie with a sound track: not so, nor was it anything to do with jazz! Made in 1927, it was soon followed by films which contained genuine jazz, either as a soundtrack or on screen and by the early 1930s short films showing the bands of the time were proving popular amongst the music fans and general public alike. Over the subsequent decades feature films based on real or fictitious jazz musicians have appeared. In the former category I enjoyed the Clint Eastwood production Bird made in 1988 with Forest Whitaker as Charlie Parker. How close the story was to the truth I have no way of knowing, but it seemed to follow most of the accepted stories of Parker’s life and the film was clearly made by a jazz fan. More recently Eastwood has taken the pianist Dave Brubeck as his subject and also used jazz written by his son Kyle in the soundtrack of Million Dollar Baby. The late 1940s and 1950s were a
particularly fruitful period for the Hollywood ‘biopic’. During this time the Dorsey Brothers, Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman and Gene Krupa were the subject of films claiming to show their life stories and Danny Kaye starred as bandleader Red Nicholls in The Five Pennies. Singer Billie Holiday was portrayed in Lady Sings The Blues (1977) by Diana Ross - not the most obvious choice if a real jazz sound is required. Ross, however, was good for the box
82 August 2011
office takings. Unfortunately, many jazz-linked films fall down either by using stars who may not accurately reflect the character they are playing or by including clichéd dialogue or storylines. For these reasons, perhaps, some of the fictional stories present a more satisfying take on the world of jazz. In these there is no need to try to identify the main character nor are factual inaccuracies so important. Arguably the best amongst these is the 1980s’ Round Midnight, in which top musician Dexter Gordon demonstrated his talent as a tenor sax player and also displayed a real acting ability. The story followed the life of an American jazz musician living, as many did at that time, in Paris away from the colour
prejudice to be found in New York. He is on a decline brought on by alcohol, but is ‘rescued’ to some extent
by friendships he strikes up. The tale is very believable, some first class jazz is on
offer and Dexter’s
acting was good enough for him to be nominated for the Best Actor award in the Oscars. If Round Midnight is the best example of a fictional jazz story then Jazz On A Summer’s Day surely qualifies as the most satisfying of the pure documentaries on jazz made for the cinema. In linking the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival with scenes of the America’s cup yachting race it captures an atmosphere which allows the music to speak for itself. Apart from the stage announcements there is just the visual and musical feasts to indulge in from the likes of Dinah Washington, Jack Teagarden, Louis Armstrong, and George Shearing. Jimmy Guiffre’s The Train and the River and the incredible performances by singer Anita O’Day remain strongest in the memory. Jazz is frequently used as background music in film. Sadly, this is often coupled with dark topics. For example, Johnny
Mandel’s music exquisitely played by Gerry Mulligan and other West Coast musicians in I Want To Live underscores the theme of the main character being on a murder charge and Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn penned the music for Otto Preminger’s Anatomy Of A Murder. Fortunately, we can look to some more joyous situations, such as Sonny Rollins and Tubby Hayes collaboration in the Michael Caine version of Alfie. By repute France closes down for
August to allow its subjects to enjoy their summer holidays. I’m not sure whether that also is the case with jazz promoters, but there are only a few gigs in the Four Shires area this month. Bicester’s annual jazz festival has been given a new look and appears as the Jazz Weekend. Final arrangements for the event on 6th and 7th in the town centre and the Village Outlet were still being made as this column was put together, but 01869 369055 will get you more details. I gather there will be strolling musicians from mid-morning together with bands and singers later in the day. Saturday’s music continues in the Village until 9.00pm. and on Sunday things draw to a close at 6.00pm. The Saturday also sees the town’s beer festival in Garth Park. This gets under way at 3.00 and continues into the late evening with jazz fans being entertained by Blake’s Heaven. Over the two days the musicians are expected to include Bryan Corbett, Bluesie Susie, Oxford Classic Jazz, Royal Castle Jazz Band, and Boulevard Swing. Returning star attraction is singer Esther Miller, who will be performing in the Village on Saturday from 4.00. Banbury’s Pete Lay Duo will be appearing at Carluccio’s Restaurant (01869 247651) in Bicester Village for an early evening set on Friday 5th and pianist Bruce Boardman can be heard there on 26th. Bruce is booked at the Stratford branch (01789 298607) on 4th and Pete will be there on 1st September. Pete is also performing at Villiers Hotel, Buckingham (01280 822444) over the lunch period on 7th August. Stratford Jazz Club (01789 264787) has a couple of Sunday evening gigs at 1 Shakespeare St. Midlands based Interplay Quintet are there on 7th and the fabulous saxophonist Simon Spillett will be holding his audience spellbound on 21st when he is supported by John Patrick, Zoltan Dekany and Miles Levin.
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