Welcome
to the Northwest Film Center's 21st edition of Reel
Music. We've kept our eyes peeled over the last year for new works,
plus a few reprises, for our annual celebration of music and film.
Whatever your musical tastes, we hope that there is something in this
year’s eclectic lineup to warm your soul and get your new year off
on the right note. As always, our special thanks go to The
Oregonian and
Music Millennium for helping make it all
happen. Enjoy!
|
JAN
9 fri 7 P.M.
GUILD THEATRE
festival express
BRITAIN/CANADA 1970/2003
DIRECTOR: BOB SMEATON Buried in the film vaults for over 30 years
has been the record (46 hours of sound footage) of a one-of-a kind travelling
rock and roll review. In June, 1970, a CN train was chartered to cross
the Canadian heartland from Toronto to Calgary, carrying, among others,
The Grateful Dead, Flying Burrito Brothers, Great Speckeled Bird, Janis
Joplin, Bonnie and Delaney, New Riders of the Purple Sage, Eric Anderson,
Ten Years After, Traffic, The Band and Buddy Guy, for a series of concerts.
The “Million-Dollar Bash,” as Rolling Stone called it, was
a sort of Woodstock on wheels, the outdoor shows punctuated by partying
in the club car and free-spirited jamming between the assembled musicians.
The original production company (and the tour) went bankrupt and the unedited
footage fell into the void until producer Gavin Poolman doggedly ferreted
it out. Commissioning Bob Smeaton (THE BEATLES ANTHOLOGY, HENDRIX: BAN
OF GYPSIES) to shape the raw material, FESTIVAL EXPRESS is a unique time-capsule
that captures the tour performances, the rollicking week-long party and
the spirit of the early days of the rock concert era. “It was a
pretty wild ride. . .sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll at it’s
best.”—Rick Danko, THE BAND.
(90 mins.)
JAN 10
SAT 7 P.M.
GUILD THEATRE
THE HOWLIN’ WOLF STORY
US 2003
DIRECTOR: DON MCGLYNN As expected, McGlynn’s (LOUIS PRIMA,
CHARLES MINGUS, DEXTER GORDON, ART PEPPER) new film is the last word on
one of the blues greatest artists. Through uncut performances of classic
tracks, countless excerpts, interviews with surviving collaborators and
band members , intimate reflections from family and friends, the tragedy
of Wolf’s early years in the Mississippi delta, estrangement from
his devoutly religious mother, little known military service (in Oregon!),
and amazing musical legacy receive their just due. Includesd are performances
of many of the Wolf’s timeless cuts including “Moanin' at
Midnight,” “Shake for Me,” “Dust My Broom,”
“Smokestack Lightning,” “Killing Floor,” and “Back
Door Man.” (90 mins.)
Also screens February 7,
8:30 P.M. with Don McGlynn in attendance.
JAN 10
SAT 9:15 P.M.
GUILD THEATRE
visiting artist
SANDY BULL: NO DEPOSIT NO RETURN BLUES
US 2003
DIRECTOR: K.C. BULL In the early sixties, before such six-string
heroes as Ry Cooder, Leo Kottee and Richard Thompson impressed with their
ability to hop among and fuse musical genres, Sandy Bull glided from classical
and jazz to ethnic music and rock & roll with grace and verve. Incorporating
elements of folk, jazz and Indian and Arabic-influenced dronish modes,
Bull’s ethereal, psychedelic folk-rock recordings , which looked
beyond American roots music for its inspiration, and performances made
him a cult-hero to a generation of musicians and adventurous audiences.
In 2001 Bull died of lung cancer, but not before his daughter began to
fashion a personal portrait of a gifted musician and moving ode to a father
and daughter relationship. (44 mins.)
K.C. Bull will introduce
the screening.
WITH
HENDRIX & THE BLUES
US 2003
DIRECTOR: ALEX GIBNEY Produced as part of the Martin Scorsese’s
THE BLUES series , Alex Gibney’s short documentary features timeless
Hendrix live performances of "Red House," "Hear My Train
A Comin'," "Killing Floor," and many others as well as
commentary from former Howlin' Wolf guitarist Hubert Sumlin and Buddy
Guy. "The first guitarist I was ever aware of was Muddy Waters. I
heard one of his records when I was a little boy and it scared me to death,
because I heard all those sounds. Wow! What was that all about? It was
great. I like Muddy Waters when he had only two guitars, harmonica, bass,
and drum. Things like "Rolling And Tumbling" were what I liked—that
real primitive guitar sound."— Jimi Hendrix. (30 mins.)
JAN 11
SUN 2 P.M.
GUILD THEATRE
BLUEGRASS JOURNEY
US 2003
DIRECTORS: RUTH OXENBERG & ROB SHUMER In the tradition of WOODSTOCK
and JAZZ ON A SUMMER’S DAY, BLUEGRASS JOURNEY weaves together extended
performances, behind the scenes interviews and laid back event ambiance
to celebrate one of America’s great musical genres. Set largely
at the Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival in upstate New York, Oxenberg and Shumer’s
affectionate portrait celebrates musical virtuosity, audience dedication
and a fine time being had by all. Among the performers caught in concert
and workshop settings are The Del McCoury Band, Tim O’Brien, Jerry
Douglas, Peter Rowan, Tony Rice, Rhonda Vincent, Nickel Creek and a host
of others. (86 mins.)
WITH
KING OF BLUEGRASS:
THE LIFE AND TIMES OF JIMMY MARTIN
US 2003
DIRECTOR: GEORGE GOEHL Known for his flamboyant dress and brash
behavior, Jimmy Martin is the rebel child of bluegrass music. Once a rhythm
guitar player for bluegrass pioneer Bill Monroe, Martin helped create
what is known as the "high lonesome" sound with his aggressive
rhythm guitar and strong, high vocal range. KING OF BLUEGRASS tells the
story of his lifelong quest to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry (an
honor which he has never received) and captures the essence of this colorful
figure in the twilight of his years. Ralph Stanley, Tom T. Hall, Marty
Stuart, JD Crowe, and others are also on hand with their takes on the
wild man of bluegrass.(66 mins.)
JAN
11 31 SUN 5 P.M.; SAT 8:45 P.M.
GUILD THEATRE
OSCAR ALEMAN:
A SWINGING LIFE
ARGENTINA 2002
DIRECTOR: HERnAN GAFFET In the land of tango, guitarist Oscar Aleman
(1909-1980), was the King of Jazz. In Europe, he astounded Louis Armstrong,
and Duke Ellington tried to lure him away from Josephine Baker, who cherished
him as the best member of her Parisian orchestra. With the rise of Hitler
he returned to Buenos Aires where he attracted an enormous following for
his brilliant, jazz-infused music and showmanship, emerging as one of
the most popular performers of the era and one of the world’s greatest
guitartists. Gaffet’s film documents Aleman's exciting life and
the tragic family history he had to overcome while it recaps the story
of the golden age of Argentine music. (104 mins.)
Join us after the screening
at the Blue Monk, 3341 SE Belmont, for an evening of reel live music.
Admission $7.
JAN 13
TUE 8 P.M. & 10:30 P.M.
MISSION THEAtRE - Visiting artist
WORLD PREMIERE:
THE LOSERS CLUB
US 2004
DIRECTOR: PIERRE OUELLETTE Born and bred in the age of hot rods
and surfin’ music, Portland guitarists and band leaders Jim Mesi
and Steve Bradley both became local legends in the Portland music scene
in the 1970s. Mesi, who toured with BB King, cemented his position as
a world-class blues guitar player while Bradley became an anchor in the
local club scene with his quirky songwriting, singular guitar style and
inventive rock and roll bands. Over the year, both artists have pursued
their musical visions with dedication, brought their craft to polished
perfection and played night in and night out on virtually every stage
in Portland. Ouellette, a guitarist himself (an original member of Portland
‘60’s band Don and the Good Times) explores the lives of these
two journeymen performers as they rock on across the tides of pop music
trends, changing clubs and audiences and the siren calls to change the
game for fame and fortune. (60 mins.) Cosponsored by Mcmenamins. The Film
Center’s visiting artist programs are sponsored by the Independent
Film Channel.
Following the screening Bradley,
Mesi and All-Star Company will perform live. Mission Theatre, 17th &
NW Glisan, Special Admission $8, includes live performance.
JAN 14
WED 7 P.M.
GUILD THEATRE
BOOKSHELF ON TOP OF THE SKY
GERMANY 2002
DIRECTOR: CLAUDIA HEUERMAN Over the last two decades, composer
and saxophone player John Zorn has become a cult figure in the modern
music world. Straddling the worlds of jazz, klezmer and avant-garde performance,
Zorn first rose to prominence in the jazz scene, making a name for himself
as a hipster and virtuoso in the days when punk and new wave met in the
New York music scene. Heuermann delves into Zorn's world of radical ideas
and collaborations with such diverse musicians as Bill Laswell, Mike Patton,
Bill Frisell, Fred Frith, Dave Douglas and Ikue Mori. “Sincerity
is what’s important. Therefore I don’t do anything which would
make it ‘different’. I play even the strongest of hardcore
because I sometimes feel it’s right”. —JZ. (82 mins.)
JAN 15
THU 7 P.M.
GUILD THEATRE
FIVE SIDES OF A COIN
US 2003
DIRECTOR: PAUL KELL, JANA RITTER Exploding the myth that Hip-Hop
is merely 'rap music,' FIVE SIDES OF A COIN is an in-depth look at the
worldwide phenomenon of Hip Hop, the most pervasive pop music culture
today. Featuring interviews and footage of Hip Hop's pioneers, insiders,
critics and fans, including Afrika Bambaataa, Grandmaster Flash, Jazzy
Jay, Gil Scott-Heron, Run DMC, Jurassic 5, De La Soul, Dilated Peoples,
Beat Junkies, Q-Bert, Mix Master Mike, The Pharcyde, DJ Spooky, The Stereo
MC's and many more, as well as critics who deplore its elements of violence/ganster
glorification.
(70 mins.)
WITH
HIP HOP HOPE
US 2002
DIRECTOR: DARRELL WILKS Wilks captures the perspectives of a group
of New York Hip Hop artists immediately following the World Trade Center
disaster. Examining an underground viewpoint largely unexplored by the
American media, Wilks' street interviews suggest that the terrorist attacks
simultaneously changed a lot and at the same time, nothing at all. Rappers,
poets and other musical artists comment on their continuous struggle to
address issues of race, class and evolving black culture in America as
they help create it. They translate the pain and joy of the soul through
the simplest yet most powerful of instruments, their voices. (63 mins.)
JAN 16
FRI 7 P.M.
WHITSELL AUDITORIUM
SHANDA
ZIMBABWE 2002
DIRECTORS: JOHN AND LOUISE RIBER Oliver Mtukudzi, affectionately
known as Tuku, is considered a national treasure in his native Zimbabwe.
Gifted with a deep and soulful voice, he is one of Africa's most prolific
songwriters and performers. SHANDA (meaning "work") combines
personal interviews, archival photographs and footage, and performances
with his band the Black Spirits that capture the energy and splendor of
this powerful music. (70 mins.)
JAN
16 FRI 7 P.M.
GUILD THEATRE
SOUL OF A MAN
US 2003
DIRECTOR: WIM WENDERS Wim Wenders's (BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB, WINGS
OF DESIRE, PARIS TEXAS) loving tribute to the blues, presented earlier
this year as part of Martin Scorses’ THE BLUES, deserves to be seen
on 35mm. Wenders uses a hand-cranked Lumière camera to re-imagine
the lives of Blind Willie McTell and Skip James , and fabulous archival
of J.B. Lenoir to fashion a very personal meditation–part history,
part pilgramage–on the origins of one America's greatest native
art forms. "These songs meant the world to me. I felt there was more
truth in them than in any book I had read about America or in any movie
I had ever seen. I've tried to describe, more like a poem than in a documentary,
what moved me so much in their songs and voices."— Wim Wenders
(100 mins.)
WITH
HENDRIX AND THE BLUES
See January 10 description
JAN
16 FRI 9:30 P.M.
GUILD THEATRE
ROCKERS
JAMAiCA/US 1978
DIRECTOR: TED BAFALOUKOST ROCKERS was made after the stunning success
of THE HARDER THEY COME (1972), which introduced reggae music and Rastafarian
life to a whole new audience. In the story, Leroy "Horsemouth"
Wallace, who has been a drummer in reggae bands, decides to try and give
his fellow musicians an even break by becoming a record distributor. When
local gangsters rip him off and stop his budding music venture cold, his
fellow musicians decide to rob the robbers. With the help of musician
friends, Peter Tosh, Dennis Brown, Jacob Miller, Bunny Wailer and many
others, Horsey stages a breezy uprising which benefits all of the people
from his community. Included in the soundtrack is music by Burning Spear,
Bunny Wailer, Third World, Peter Tosh, Jacob Miller, Gregory Isaacs, Kiddus
I, Junior Murvin, Big Youth and Dillinger. (100 mins.)
JAN
17 SAT 7:30 P.M.
GUILD THEATRE—VISITING ARTISTS
UNKNOWN PASSAGE: THE DEAD MOON STORY
US 2004
DIRECTORS: JASON SUMMERS, KATE FIX For years now, Dead Moon, Portland's
never-give-an-inch rock 'n' roll pride has stayed the course, earning
a cult-like folowing in Europe as well as in their own back yard. Legendary
guitarist and vocalist Fred Cole, his wife, bassist and vocalist Toody,
both of whom still play it hard, heartfelt and rough-hewn past the age
of 50, and their essential drummer, Andrew Loomis, have been the epitome
of the DIY aesthetic long before it became the alternative fashion. Described
by some as “a missing link” back to ‘70’s West-coast
punk and garage, this power trio rocks on with their distinctly raw and
hauntinhgly authentic music. New York filmmakers Jason Summers and Kate
winningly capture the band in performance, recount the winding road and
drop in at their frontier-mini-mall in Clackamas, home to Tombstone Music,
Tombstone Records, unique rock legacy and remarkably independent spirit
. (90 mins.)
Jason Summers and Kate Fix
will introduce the film.
The Film Center’s visiting artist programs are sponsored by the
Independent Film Channel.
JAN
18 SUN 2 P.M. 7 P.M.
GUILD THEATRE
KHACHURIAN
US 2003
DIRECTOR: PETER ROSEN KHACHATURIAN follows the struggle of a man on both sides of the Soviet machine during Stalin-era Russia to produce great classical music. Based on the memoirs of famed Armenian composer Aram Khachaturian (1903-1978), perhaps best known for 'Saber Dance', Rosen combines rare archival materials from Russian and Armenian archives with interviews, amazing performances and family mementos to explores the fine line a man had to tread between being a loyal party functionary and a fighter for artistic freedom. As the Deputy Chairman of the powerful Composer's Union, and a Communist party functionary, he wielded great influence over the course of Russian music. As personal friend to dissident composers such as Shostakovich and Prokofiev, his assignment to commission the 'Battle Symphonies' so loved by the Party provides a fascinating study of Soviet cutural politics and music of the era. (83 mins.)
JAN
21 WED 7 P.M.
GUILD THEATRE
ONE NIGHT WITH BLUE NOTE
US 2002
When Bruce Lundvall and Michael Cuscuna revived the Blue Note record
label in 1985, a reunion concert was held at Town Hall in New York City.
The concert brought together some of the most well-known names associated
with Blue Note and in jazz . For over three and a half hours one jazz
legend after another took the stage playing their signature recordings
, together creating an extraordinay evening of jazz performances. In various
configurations: Freddie Hubbard, Joe Henderson, Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter,
Tony Williams, Bobby Hutcherson, Stanley Jordan, Johnny Griffin, Curtis
Fuller, Walter Davis, Jr., Reggie Workman, Art Blakey, McCoy Tyner, Woody
Shaw, Jackie McLean, Cecil McBee, Jack DeJohnette, Charles Lloyd, Lou
Donaldson, Jimmy Smith, Kenny Burrell, Grady Tate, Stanley and Cecil Taylor.
(2hrs.)
JAN
22 THU 9:15 P.M.
GUILD THEATRE
OFF THE CHARTS: THE SONG POEM STORY
US 2002
"Songs into dollars! Poems wanted now! Jaime Meltzer¹s funny and
unexpectedly touching film documents the world of 'song-poems', wherein
ordinary folks send their heartfelt and sometimes bizarre lyrics to companies
advertising in the back of tabloids, which, for a fee, turn their poems
into actual records. The results are like nothing you¹ve ever heard. We
meet the producers, the studio musicians‹who crank out up to 20 songs
an hour‹and aficionados of the records, including Tom Ardolino of the
band NRBQ and Ellery Eskelin, son of the great song-poem stylist Rodney
Keith Eskelin. We also meet the lyric writers, most of whom have given
up hope of getting rich and keep on in the name of creative expression.
Peppered with should-have-been-smashes like the catchy 'I Am a Ginseng
Digger', 'Jimmy Carter Says Yes', and the quietly moving 'Nighttime Whispers',
OFF THE CHARTS is a testament to the far reaches of the human creative
spirit."‹SAN FRANCISCO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL. (63 mins.)
WITH
PLAYING FOR CHANGE
US 2003
DIRECTOR: MARK JOHNSON, JONATHAN WALLS The streets are alive with
the sound of music. Many assume that street musicians are basically panhandling
for money, but as PLAYING FOR CHANGE reveals, not everyone has the same
goals. Surveying the hobeds of New York, Los Angeles, and New Orleans,
Johnson and Walls discover a wealth of talented perfomers willing to trade
commerce for freedom and a connection with their audiences that doesn¹t
come in a club or in the studio. Showcasing five acts in each city, while
introducing many more, PLAYING FOR CHANGE reveals that great music can
happen anywhere. ³I became very proud of America. We search our whole
lives for powerful human moments where we realize we are alive. These
moments exist every day on the streets of America. (75 mins.)
JAN
23 FRI 7 P.M.
GUILD THEATRE
NINA SIMONE: LOVE SORCERESS
FRANCE 1976
The High Priestess of Soul¹s remarkable artistry defies classification.
From the 1950s until her passing away last year, she continually collapsed
musical boundaries, roaming across classical, jazz, blues, folk, pop,
and soul music. The unique perspectives and social protests in her songs
have inspired generations. And of course there is her voice‹ a potent
instrument unmatched in soulful emotion and deep texture. The many musical
moods of this legendary songstress are captured in this riveting performance,
captured in Paris in 1976. "This isn't so much a concert as a work of
performance art, of the best I've seen since 'Richard Pryor: Live In Concert'.²‹Jonathan
Rosenbaum, CHICAGO READER.
JAN
23 FRI 9 P.M.
GUILD THEATRE
THE SHANE MCGOWAN STORY: IF I SHOULD FALL FROM GRACE
IRELAND 2003
DIRECTOR: SARAH SHAREDuring the 1980s, The Pogues, led by iconic
singer Shane MacGowan, electrified audiences with ballads famed for their
passionate marriage of poetic storytelling and riotous delivery. Taking
its title from The Pogues classic album ³If I Should Fall From Grace with
God,² Share catches up with the Irish post-punk band¹s former frontman,
singer/songwriter Shane MacGowan. Filled with performances, the film celebrates
MacGowan¹s astonishing talent without shying away from the more painful
aspects of his famously chaotic life. Featuring interviews with MacGowan,
his former bandmates, longtime girlfriend Victoria Clarke and singer Nick
Cave. (93 mins.)
JAN
24 SAT 8 P.M.
GUILD THEATRE—VISITING ARTISTS
DE COMPOSER: RE-THEMED SOUNDTRACKS FOR FORGOTTEN
FILMS
Somewhere between the typical melodramatic orchestral accompaniment to
silent dramatic narratives that carried the infant cinema from its birth,
and the familiar contemporary practice of experimental video projections
that play behind bands in a club setting, is the DeComposer experience.
Joins us for a special evening of ephemeral films from the past accompanied
by live performances by some of Portland, Olympia and San Francisco's
most creative musicians- The Distance Formula: Johnee Eschleman, Daniel
Menche, the Sandman and Hans Grüsel's Kränken Kabinet The films
include Vanessa Renwick's new BRITTON, SOUTH DAKOTA (1938/2003); RUB-A
DUB DUB (1930), HEAVY WEIGHT BOXING CONTEST OF THE YEAR (1940), DAY AND
NIGHT (1959), MASTER HANDS (1936), a "capitalist realist" drama
from Chevrolet; an early Soviet newsreel; and THE RED STALLION'S REVENGE(1943),
in which a bear and a horse have their own heavyweight contest of the
year. Produced by the Oregon Department of Kick Ass. (2 hrs)
JAN
25 SUN 9 P.M.
GUILD THEATRE
PIAF...HER STORIES...HER SONGS
US 2003
DIRECTOR: GEORGE ELDER French
singer Edith Piaf (1916-1963), the "Little Sparrow," rose through
sheer talent and from humble beginnings to become one of the most famous
and highest-paid performers in the world. Though Piaf is gone, her spirit
lives in Raquel Bitton, one of the greatest interpreters of the music
from the Edith Piaf repertoire. Writer & artistic director Bitton's
stage show, in which she performs 20 of Piaf's classic songs and tells
stories about the singer's extraordinary life, forms the heart of her
tribute to Edith Piaf, which weaves vintage film clips and photographs,
and the memories of friends and collaborators, to tell the story of a
legend. (94 mins.)
JAN
29 THU 7 P.M.
GUILD THEATRE
BAMAKO IS A MIRACLE
SWITZERLAND 2003
DIRECTOR: SAMUEL CHARLAD Thelonious Monk meets the griots of West
Africa when Roswell Rudd comes to Bamako, Mali to record a session with
Toumani Diabate, the genius of the kora (the African harp-like instrument).
BAMAKO IS A MIRACLE wittily documents this remarkable meeting of cultures,
both musical and otherwise, capturing both the obvious conflicts between
producer Verna Gillis—who launched Salif Keita and Youssou N'Dour
in the western world—and the African musicians over differing concepts
of time and business. At the same time it also captures the magic of two
cultures birthing beautiful music and trans-cultural harmony. (53 mins.)
WITH
THE UNHEARD ROSWELL RUDD
US 2003
DIRECTOR: JEFF EASTMAN Most jazz critics consider Roswell Rudd
the father of the free jazz trombone. Over a five decade career that began
playing Dixieland, Rudd has had an amazing breadth of collaborations and
recordings with avant-garde musicians like Steve Lacy, Bill Dixon, Lee
Konitz, Cecil Taylor, Albert Ayler and Archie Shepp, while working with
ethnomusicology pioneer Alan Lomax, teaching and playing a variety of
commercial gigs. Maine filmmaker Jeff Eastmans’s affectionate portrait
provides informal history of Roswell's unique career, a fascinating conversation
on life, music and philosophy, and along the way capturing performances
by Roswell, solo in his own backyard, and with Steve Bernstein's Millenial
Territory Orchestra. (54 mins.)
JAN
30 FRI 7 P.M., JAN 31 SAT 7 P.M.
GUILD THEATRE
SCREAMING MEN
NORWAY 2003
DIRECTOR: MIKA RONKAINEN “To talk is silver; to shout is
golden.” SCREAMING MEN is a film about power, nationalism and firm
belief in your own art. Formed in Oulu, Finland in 1987, the idea was
to dress around 20 men in black suits, white shirts and black rubber ties,
and train them to shout, rather than “sing,”some of the most
beloved songs in the Finnish song heritage. Today, the “hit songs”
include passages from the Geneva Convention and other notable texts, screamed
at the top of their lungs. Words fail to describe the sound—you
just have to imagine fifty men of different sizes and lung capacity, screaming
words in carefully planned rhythmical patterns. Led by the conductor Petri
Sirviõ, the choir has travelled from an idea conceived in a remote
Finnish bar all the way to the front lines of modern European performing
arts, receiving the same reaction everywhere—shock, bewilderment,
but more often than not, exaltation. Like the choir, Ronkainen’s
bemusing film walks the line between the serious and the absurd. (76 mins.)
FEB
1 SUN 2 P.M., FEB 8 SUN 4:30 P.M.
GUILD THEATRE
STEPHANE GRAPPELLI:
A LIFE IN THE JAZZ CENTURY
great BRITAIN 2002
DIRECTOR: PAUL BALMER A self-taught musician, Grappelli interwove
a tender lyricism and vivacious swing to become the grandfather of the
jazz violin and one of jazz’s giants. Over the course of a 77-year
career, most famously with Django Reinhardt, Grapelli played with Yehudi
Menuhin, Geroge Shearing, Joe Venuti and Eddie Lang, Duke Ellington, Art
Tatum and a host of guitar greats including Martin Taylor, Diz Disley
and Coleridge Goode. In Balmer’s fascinating film, Grappelli recounts
his journey from busking on the streets of Paris, to clubs and on to performing
performing in the world’s greatest concert halls, intercut with
a wealth of digitally restored music clips including all the known footage
of his perfomances with Reinhardt and the Hot Club Quintet of France.
(128 mins.)
FEB
5 THU 7 P.M.
GUILD THEATRE
SAXOPHONE COLOSSUS
US 1986
DIRECTOR: ROBERT MUGGE SAXOPHONE COLOSSUS is Mugge’s dazzling
homage to Sonny Rollins, who many critics consider the greatest improviser
in the history of jazz. Part one of the film captures Rollins in concert
at Opus 40 in New York in 1986; part two documents the Tokyo world premiere
of “Concerto for Tenor and Orchestra,” a major new work. Along
with the new performance footage, Mugge weaves interviews and vintage
clips to craft a visually elegant portrait of an artist whose power and
imagination are inexhaustible. (101 mins.)
Presented in conjunction
with the Portland Jazz Festival, February 2–8, www.pdxjazz.com
FEB
6 FRI 7 P.M., FEB 7 SAT 2 P.M.
GUILD THEATRE — VISITING ARTIST
CHARLES MINGUS:
TRIUMPH OF THE UNDERDOG
US 1997
DIRECTOR: DON MCGLYNN “I am Charles Mingus, half black man,
half yellow man. . . I play jazz, I am a Negro.” declares the volatile,
uncompromising genius at the start of McGlynn’s riveting look at
the tortured musical life of the great composer and bass player. Over
the course of nine years of digging, McGlynn has unearthed a wealth of
rare performance clips, radio broadcasts, photographs and interviews to
fashion an indelible portrait of an artist of unparalled talent and complex,
paradoxical temprament.
(78 mins.)
McGlynn will introduce the
film. Presented in conjunction with the Portand Jazz Festival, February
2–8, www.pdxjazz.com
The Film Center’s visiting
artist programs are sponsored by the Independent Film Channel.
FEB
7 SAT 4:30 P.M.
GUILD THEATRE — VISITING ARTIST
LOUIS PRIMA: THE WILDEST
US 1999
DIRECTOR: DON MCGLYNN Louis Prima, with his wife Keely Smith, were
the king and queen of lounge culture in the 1950s and early ‘60’s.
Prima’s trajectory from New Orleans trumpeter-singer in the ‘30’s,
to 52nd Street and Hollywood hep-cat in the ‘40’s, to Rat
Pack God in the ‘50’s came via his witty fusion of Italian,
novelty, jazz, swing, rock and pop sensibilities, flamboyant personality
and keen showbusiness instincts. Through interviews with Smith, long-time
musical cohort Sam Butera and others from the golden age of the cocktail
nation, and a wealth of vintage performance clips (“Just a Gigolo,”
air“Jump Jive and Wail,” “That Old Black Magic”.
. .), Prima’s colorful career (and not so swinging personal affairs)
spring to life in most entertaining fashion. (90 mins.)
McGlynn will introduce the film.
Presented in conjunction with the Portland Jazz Festival, February 2-8, www.pdxjazz.com
FEB
7 SAT 7 P.M. GUILD THEATRE—VISITING ARTIST
KEEPING TIME: THE LIFE,
MUSIC & PHOTOGRAPHS OF MILT HINTON
US 2002
DIRECTORS: DAVID G. BERGER, HOLLY MAXSON, KATE HIRSON KEEPING TIME
is an affectionate and deeply moving documentary on the life of the celebrated
jazz bassist, Milt Hinton, a consummate working musician for more than
65 years and an outstanding photographer whose portfolio of over 60,000
images has meticulously documented jazz life. Following early professional
experience around the clubs, Hinton joined the famous Cab Calloway band
in 1936, staying for 15 years before deciding to settle down into studio
work where he estimated having played on over 1,000 recordings, including
those heart-rending final 1958 sessions by the doomed Billie Holiday.
The filmmakers knew their subject personally for many years and have had
access to his family, his friends, and to his photographic library. The
result is an honest portrait of a quite extraordinary American who fought
determinedly for his rights in a deeply divided society and through his
exceptional talent became the first black musician to be accepted into
the competitive world of the New York session player. His place in the
history of jazz is assured.—David Meeker. (60 mins.)
David Berger will introduce
the film.
Presented in conjunction with
the Portland Jazz Festival, February 2–8, www.pdxjazz.com
The Film Center’s visiting artist programs are sponsored by the
Independent Film Channel.
FEB
7 Sat 8:45 P.M.
GUILD THEATRE
HOWLIN’ WOLF
See Jan 10 for program description.
FEB
8 SUN 7 P.M. GUILD THEATRE —VISITING ARTIST
ALL THE NOTES: CECIL TAYLOR
US 2004
DIRECTOR: CHRIS FELVER, EDITOR: DAVID GILES
“Cecil Taylor
is one of the great liberators of music. Like Thelonious Monk and Ornette
Coleman, he follows in the tradition of Charlie Parker, creating a streaming
liberty that is as powerful as any artistic expression in American culture.
He is a master like Jackson Pollock in a kind of pantheistic all over
composition that synthesizes Bach and Bop without sentimentality. He emerges
in Chris Felver’s new film showing again and again his profound
architectural thinking concerning the shapes of sound. He is a theatrical
genius much like John Cage mobilizing much of the same madness in free
play. Beloved in Europe, but somewhat neglected in his own country, the
MacArthur’s Genius Award signaled toward his accomplishment. It
is time to understand abstract expressionism in music, a Cecil Taylor
trademark“.–David Shapiro. (75 mins.)
Cosponsored by Independent Film
Channel.
Chris Felver will introduce the film. Presented in conjunction with the
Portland Jazz Festival, February 2-8, www.pdxjazz.com