WWOZ and Indywood Movie Theater are teaming up to present three special music documentary and film selections to coincide with Jazz Fest this year. Charlie Steiner, WWOZ’s video director, chose films that collectively reveal a great variety of cinematic approaches to exploring musicians and their music, and showcase many genres of music - traditional to experimental, jazz to rock and world.
On Friday, April 24, WWOZ presents "The Harder They Come" at Indywood at 9pm, a film starring Jimmy Cliff, the closing act at Jazz Fest that night. "The Harder They Come" introduced the world to reggae. Although this is a feature film rather than a documentary, it has many valuable elements that realistically explain the origins of reggae while mirroring the actual life of Cliff, a country boy from the Blue Hills who came to Kingston to make it in what, he found, was a corrupt music business. The soundtrack for this movie was a huge seller and includes many great cuts from pioneering reggae artists in addition to Cliff.
On Saturday, April 25 at 9pm, WWOZ presents "Monterey Pop," which many consider to be the greatest rock film ever created. The 1967 Monterey Pop Festival itself was the model for all subsequent large rock festivals, including Woodstock two years later. Director D.A. Pennebaker and his crew of the best cinema verite cameramen of the time were fortunate that the music happened to be incredible. Monterey marked the first time that a large American audience saw Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin give literally incendiary performances. Short interviews and shots of the audience perfectly reveal the hippie ethos of that year’s summer of love in the San Francisco Bay area. Where else will you see young people riveted equally by The Who and Ravi Shankar?
On Sunday, April 26 at 9pm, WWOZ will present "Miles Electric: A Different Kind of Blue," a Miles Davis documentary shot at the Isle of Wight Festival in 1970. Director Murray Lerner was not able to acquire rights to his footage from the festival until many years later, and first made Message to Love, with excerpts from the entire festival. Later, he made several films on individual artists, including this one, based on interviews made at the time of editing with all the musicians (except Davis, who had passed away). "Miles Electric" includes the entire fantastic 45 minute set. The interviews give a fascinating insider’s view of working with the genius of late 20th century jazz, and insight into not only Davis but also each of his specially selected accompanying musicians for this gig, including Herbie Hancock, Keith Jarrett, Chick Corea, Dave Holland, Ron Carter, Jack DeJohnette and more. There are also fascinating clips of artists such as Carlos Santana and Joni Mitchell, who describe the impact Miles Davis had towards their own music.
Besides the WWOZ programming, Indywood will also be screening three local music documentaries during Jazz Fest: The Whole Gritty City (a feature on New Orleans high school brass bands), We Won’t Bow Down (on the Mardi Gras Indians) and Faubourg Treme: The Untold Story of Black New Orleans. And finally, Tommy will be on their silver screen in honor of The Who, who are closing the festival on Saturday, April 25.
See trailers for the weekend's features below:
