Jazz is not only heard but also seen—read our critics’ takes on live videos and documentaries.
Given guitarist John Abercrombie’s recent passing, you may be inclined to view Open Land, a film by directors Arno Oehri and Oliver Primus, as something … Read More “Open Land: Meeting John Abercrombie (ECM)”
Is it possible to be a fan of jazz and not be a fan of Blue Note Records? At once a kind of steward station, … Read More “Blue Note Records: Beyond the Notes (Eagle Rock) “
In the opening moments of Bill Evans, Time Remembered, a new documentary by Bruce Spiegel, bassist Chuck Israels admits that, despite his long tenure in … Read More “Bill Evans: Portrait in Jazz”
Viewed in retrospect, historic events tend to take on an air of inevitability: What we know happened becomes what had to happen. Lee Morgan’s tragic … Read More “Frankie & Johnny, Helen & Morgan”
Early in the new documentary Chasing Trane, Benny Golson recalls his friendship with John Coltrane, complaining that the iconic saxophonist made him do all the … Read More “John Coltrane: Love & Heart & Spirit”
German bassist Eberhard Weber, closely identified with the ECM sound, has long been appreciated for his unique voice as an instrumentalist, playing a custom-designed five-string … Read More “Eberhard Weber: The Jubilee Concert”
Extras include insight-filled featurettes
A bizarre action-movie narrative derails Don Cheadle’s long-anticipated jazz flick
Spirit and story top biography in Robert Budreau’s inventive “Born to Be Blue”
Read More “The New Chet Baker Biopic: Fact, Fiction & Poetic Truth”
The Unity Sessions strives to capture the connections, both musical and extramusical, shared by the members of guitarist Pat Metheny’s most recent working group, the … Read More “Pat Metheny: The Unity Sessions“
