Alexander Hawkins Posted June 11, 2003 Report Share Posted June 11, 2003 Being just about to purchase my first DVD player, I wonder whether anyone would kindly share their favourite jazz DVDs? I'm curious about documentaries, and to a lesser extent, films (in the Clint Eastwood 'Bird' sense), but most of all, I'd love to here about DVDs with footage of actual performances! Thanks, as always, in advance! Red Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Claude Posted June 11, 2003 Report Share Posted June 11, 2003 (edited) My favourite jazz movies are: "Jazz-theme" movies: - Round midnight (main character played by Dexter Gordon) has a lot of concert scenes with Dexter, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Freddie Hubbard, etc Jazz Documentary: - Straight No chaser (Thelonious Monk) great studio and live rehearsals! - Jazz on a Summer's Day (Newport Festival 1959) Jazz concerts: - Miles Davis - Miles in Munich 1988 (much better DVD than Miles in Paris) - John Coltrane - Jazz casual series - Keith Jarrett Trio: Standards I & II I haven't seen Miles Davis Story, Triumph of the Underdog (Charles Mingus), A Joyful Noise (Sun Ra), which may also be very interesting. I found Bird ok, but not great. Edited June 11, 2003 by Claude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexander Hawkins Posted June 11, 2003 Author Report Share Posted June 11, 2003 Thanks for the input, Claude - I'll be sure to chase some of those up! I hadn't realised that 'Round Midnight had various 'concert' performances in it; sounds interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Fitzgerald Posted June 11, 2003 Report Share Posted June 11, 2003 An excellent source is www.ejazzlines.com - perhaps not the best prices, but great selection. There are many good concert DVDs - including some things that were rare/previously unissued. Several by Art Blakey, Stan Getz, the Montreal Jazz Festival series, the Village Vanguard series, the Jazz Scene USA shows, also the clip documentaries like "Trumpet Kings," "Piano Legends," et al. Also some imports that I haven't been able to see - too pricey at this point. What is also neat is that Gunter Hampel has been issuing DVDs of all his recent concerts. Most recent is from the Vision Festival, May 26, 2003 with Perry Robinson, Mark Whitecage, Lou Grassi, Prince Aleggs, and Ruomi. I would love for more artists to do this. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Late Posted June 11, 2003 Report Share Posted June 11, 2003 The Jazz Casual series is excellent. The Coltrane performance is especially nice. Coltrane lets go on "Impressions," and it's quite a ride. There's also a Sonny Rollins performance in this series, which is also nice, but probably not quite as inspired as Coltrane's performance. In my book Straight, No Chaser is indispensable. Perhaps the finest documentary on jazz (in part because of its generous amount of footage). I'd put that one on the tip-top of your list, followed closely by Triumph of the Underdog. The Jazz Scene U.S.A. series is also a good place to explore jazz on DVD. The sound isn't always the greatest, but visually this series is top-notch. I like the Teddy Edwards session (which is coupled with a Cannonball Adderley set) best of all. Next, I dig the Shelly Manne performance (which comes with a Shorty Rogers set), which highlights the comfortable-sweater tenor of Richie Kamuca. I don't know if Last Date is on DVD, but if it is, that's one to get too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sal Posted June 11, 2003 Report Share Posted June 11, 2003 Hey Red, One of my favorites is a Jack DeJohnette concert featuring Dave Holland, Herbie Hancock, and Pat Metheny. I can't remember the name of the DVD, but its from a jazz festival in Canada circa 1990. Its an amazing concert, and the DVD picture is very sharp, and the sound mix is a very nice Dolby 5.1. Check this one out if you have any interest in those musicians, its availiabe on amazon.com. Its a great one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Claude Posted June 11, 2003 Report Share Posted June 11, 2003 I was also interested in this DeJohnette/Metheny/Hancock/Holland DVD which looked very promising on paper. A friend passed me a CDR with live music from this band. I don't know if the recording was from the DVD or from a different source (I have seen a 2CD set around). I found the music to be too superficial. Especially Hancock's solos are often pure showmanship. The sound is also too distant, recorded like a pop concert. Entertaining stuff, but a missed opprotunity in my view. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacman Posted June 11, 2003 Report Share Posted June 11, 2003 (edited) also worth mentioning is the release of Ralph Gleason's old TV shows, "Jazz Casual". i picked up the Dave Brubeck episode a few weeks ago. next on the list is Coltrane. has anyone seen "Let's Get Lost"? it was a documentary about Chet Baker. i saw it in the theater and then a couple of years later on Video. haven't seen it on DVD yet. Edited June 11, 2003 by jacman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Late Posted June 11, 2003 Report Share Posted June 11, 2003 For whatever reasons, I think Bruce Weber is holding back the release of Let's Get Lost on DVD. This is pure speculation, however — no basis in any information. It should be on DVD. I've watched it about 40 times since it initially came out on VHS. It's one of my favorite (what would you call it) "jazz movies." I couldn't faithfully call it a documentary, because to me it's always seemed just as much about Bruce Weber as it is about Chet Baker. In a way, it's a sort of love letter put to film — and dolled up in noirish black and white, to boot. One caveat though: Flea is thoroughly annoying in every scene he's present. Why Weber let him in on this ... Jesus. And the opening scene too? Never has scat singing been so unforgivingly handled. Like a Calvin Klein ad gone terribly, terribly wrong. Really — it's the stuff of nightmares. (And, later, fast forward to: "Hey Chet, did Lee really get shot on the bandstand?" ... followed by, noticeably minus Chet, laughter.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexander Hawkins Posted June 12, 2003 Author Report Share Posted June 12, 2003 These are brilliant - thanks for the help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Claude Posted June 12, 2003 Report Share Posted June 12, 2003 (edited) For Europeans especially it might be interesting to know that Idem, the european licensee of the Jazz Casual videos has put out new DVDs (PAL & NTSC) which couple 3 Jazz Casual shows each (90 minutes total). Price is 16-20€ per disc. http://www.disconforme.ad/pages2/idem/jazz...zmasterscat.asp Particularly interesting in my view are the DVD with Gerry Mulligan/Art Pepper/Art Farmer and the one with John Coltrane/Sonny Rollins/B.B. King . The former DVDs with 2 shows always seemed to couple one "star" show with a less interesting one and were the same price, for only 60 minutes. Edited June 12, 2003 by Claude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted June 12, 2003 Report Share Posted June 12, 2003 Recently released: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceH Posted June 12, 2003 Report Share Posted June 12, 2003 Another vote for the Teddy Edwards "Jazz Scene-USA." I picked it up right after he passed away and have enoyed it a lot. If you can stand the lousy host I think you'll dig it too. (Actually, the host's silly attitude has a certain camp appeal.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BERIGAN Posted June 14, 2003 Report Share Posted June 14, 2003 Well, I will keep it short this time, as I managed to click on a link in an email and it wiped out a few paragraphs here...even though I had several browser windows open at the time Anyway, I just got a cheap dvd from passport video called Louis Armstrong, 100th Anniversary. Hosted by actress Paula Kelly(Who?) started off poorly, cut a 30's number in the middle, was about to turn off, then it got much better . Gerald Wilson and Red Holloway talk for a few minutes each, then the numbers start to really flow. Louis at the Hollywood Bowl, with Eddie Fisher , Bing and Louis do a TV version of Now You Has Jazz, Louis in front of the troops singing Hello Dolly, Velma Middleton with Louis in the 40's(She dances like a woman weighing 130, not 230 pounds) and some great TV appearances with Buster Bailey and Tyree Green, on trombone and Vibes, and singing with Sinatra as well...not bad at all for the 4 bucks I paid for the disc! I had to buy 100 bucks worth of stuff minimum to get it at buyritedvd.com but I saw it at this site as well,but never dealt with them http://classicvideovault.zoovy.com/product...DLOUISARMSTRONG I think it is on Ebay as well, and for less than 10 bucks, it is worth it, warts and all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint Vitus Posted June 14, 2003 Report Share Posted June 14, 2003 (edited) Click on the picture for the synopsis, which is a reprint of the back cover text shown in the picture. (I'm not in anyway affiliated with the merchant). Edited June 14, 2003 by Saint Vitus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christiern Posted June 14, 2003 Report Share Posted June 14, 2003 Nor am I affiliated with the merchant (although I wrote the narrative for this DVD). I don't get royalties, but thanks for bringing this DVD up. Since the producer picked a non-jazz person (stage director Lloyd Richards) to read the narration, I'm sorry we didn't have Paula Kelly--she would probably have been better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Gould Posted July 14, 2003 Report Share Posted July 14, 2003 Recently released: Can't recommend this one enough, unfortunately though, Amazon is no longer offering an additional discount if you purchase The Legend of Teddy Edwards with this one, produced and directed by the same man: But both films are highly recommended! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Gould Posted May 9, 2004 Report Share Posted May 9, 2004 Well, I went overboard on the Borders buy three get one free deal (you know they apply to DVDs, too, right?): Thelonious Monk, American Composer Celebrating Bird, The Triumph of Charlie Parker Art Farmer Live at the Smithsonian Benny Carter, Live at the Smithsonian Can't vouch for any of them yet, but I'm optimistic! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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