Gary Giddins

Zuza Homem de Jazz

Janaina Dalri

Andre Mehmari, Bob Dorough

What is the influence of Jazz on Brazilian music and the influence of Brazilian music on Jazz? The documentary Zuza Homem de Jazz draws a parallel between the two universes, featuring the renowned Brazilian musicologist Zuza Homem de Mello as the protagonist. It offers an intimate look at the writer and music journalist and highlights his long connection with Jazz, that dates back to the 1950’s, when Zuza was a student at the Julliard School of Music. The film was also shot in New York, where Zuza meets old friends in the jazz circuit and revisits memorable stories.

Satchmo: The Life of Louis Armstrong

Kendrick Simmons, Gary Giddins

Louis Armstrong, Hattie Winston

Satchmo. Theer are few people in this country - or around the world - who will not recognize that name. Louis Armstrong embodied twentieth-century American culture. He revolutionized the world of music and became one of the nation's most influential entertainers. No other performer of his era has such a profound effect as a singer as well as an instrumentalist.

Mary Lou Williams: The Lady Who Swings the Band

Carol Bash

Mary Lou Williams, Alfre Woodard

Jazz pianist Mary Lou Williams was a genius ahead of her time. From child prodigy to "Boogie-Woogie Queen" to groundbreaking composer to mentoring some of the greatest musicians of all time, she never ceased to astound those who heard her play. But for a Black woman in the early 1900s, life as a star did not come easy.

Saxophone Colossus

Robert Mugge

Sonny Rollins, Gary Giddins

Tenor saxophone master Sonny Rollins has long been hailed as one of the most important artists in jazz history, and still, today, he is viewed as the greatest living jazz improviser. In 1986, filmmaker Robert Mugge produced Saxophone Colossus, a feature-length portrait of Rollins, named after one of his most celebrated albums.

Thank Heaven! The Making of 'Gigi'

Leslie Caron, Drew Casper

Documentary on the making of Gigi

'S Wonderful: Creating An American in Paris

Gene Lees, Gary Giddins

This recently produced behind-the-scenes documentary digs into Gershwin's original work, the genesis of the cinematic adaptation, casting, the shoot, and the eventual reception of the film.

Celebrating Bird: The Triumph of Charlie Parker

Gary Giddins

Charlie Parker

A documentary about the legendary Jazz player Charlie (Bird) Parker.

The Wonderful World of Louis Armstrong

John Akomfrah

Louis Armstrong, Danny Glover

Louis Armstrong is one of the most recognizable figures in jazz, with his incomparable trumpet playing and beaming smile. This video profiles Armstrong from his humble beginnings in New Orleans through his career as America's Ambassador of Good Will. Film clips, vintage photographs and interviews with family, friends, fellow musicians and Armstrong himself are woven together to tell the story of this legendary personality.

Bing Crosby: Rediscovered

Robert Trachtenberg

Bing Crosby, Tony Bennett

Bing Crosby was, without a doubt, the most popular and influential multi-media star of the first half of the twentieth century, pulling audiences in with his intimate, laid-back voice and innate charm. Narrated by Stanley Tucci and directed by Robert Trachtenberg, this film explores the life and legend of this iconic performer, revealing a personality far more complex than the image the public had only thought they'd known.