1. John Henrik Clarke: A Great and Mighty Walk
John Henrik Clarke talks about Black history.
2. Diva Janus (디바 야누스)
(디바 야누스)
3. Is That Black Enough for You?!?
A look at the Black revolution in 1970s cinema, from genre films to social realism, from the making of new superstars to the craft of rising auteurs.
It has an average vote of 7.3 on TMDB.
4. Eastwood After Hours
On October 17, 1996, veteran and contemporary jazz greats gathered for a select soiree on the stage of New York's Carnegie Hall, saluting a guy more noted for making popular films than for making sweet music. But as any fan of Clint Eastwood, especially after he started directing 30 years ago, will attest, the award-winning star is also an inveterate jazz lover who has uniquely integrated that musical form into the scores of his films. Join Joshua Redman, Christian McBride, Flip Phillips, Charles McPherson, James Rivers, Slide Hampton, Hank Jones, Thelonious Monk Jr., the Kyle Eastwood Quartet, the Carnegie Hall Jazz Band and more for this scintillating celebration of film and music.
5. Fire Music
Although the free jazz movement of the 1960s and '70s was much maligned in some jazz circles, its pioneers - brilliant talents like Ornette Coleman, Cecil Taylor, Sun Ra, Albert Ayler, and John Coltrane - are today acknowledged as central to the evolution of jazz as America's most innovative art form. FIRE MUSIC showcases the architects of a movement whose radical brand of improvisation pushed harmonic and rhythmic boundaries, and produced landmark albums like Coleman's Free Jazz: A Collective Inspiration and Coltrane's Ascension. A rich trove of archival footage conjures the 1960s jazz scene along with incisive reflections by critic Gary Giddins and a number of the movement's key players.
It has an average vote of 7 on TMDB.
6. Bill Laswell - World Beat Sound System: Live at Soundstage
Throughout three decades, Bill Laswell has been a constant innovator, fusing seemingly disparate genres into a whole new sound. Touching upon everything from worldbeat, funk, rock, hip-hop and jazz, there are no limits to his experimental approach. Among his many talents is his ability to bring together well-matched singers and players to create a distinct style that defies easy classification. His Soundstage episode embodies his unique approach, transcending any genre boundaries and delivering an engaging performance. From the World Beat of Tabla Beat Science, to the jazzy flavors of Pharoah Sanders backed by Material, it’s an exciting mix. Other surprises include a rocking Buckethead set that includes a little breakdancing and songs by Praxis. The show culminates with an all-star performance, funked up by Bootsy Collins.
It has an average vote of 10 on TMDB.
7. Henry Browne, Farmer
Henry Browne, an African American farmer, and his family are profiled in this film. The important job of a farmer during times of war is highlighted, specifically his efforts growing peanuts and cotton. This role is made even more poingnant when they visit the eldest son who is a cadet in the 99th Pursuit Squadron.
It has an average vote of 4.8 on TMDB.
8. TETHERS
Prepare for an eye-opening journey into the heart of identity and division. 'Tethers' is a groundbreaking interview-style documentary that delves deep into the complex tapestry of cultural differences, racial tension, and the ethnocentric divide between Africans, African Americans, and Foundation Black Americans.
It has an average vote of 10 on TMDB.
9. Pages in the dream factory (Pagen in der Traumfabrik - Schwarze Komparsen in deutschen Spielfilmen)
Until 1942 around 100 German propaganda films were made, that were set in Africa. They were produced in Germany, with Black Germans and Africans living in Germany. Who were these Black extras and how did they come to Germany? Why did they work in film-making? Which roles did they play and what messages did they send? What were their daily experiences as Black people during the Weimar Republic and the Nazi Regime?
10. Founder Girls
In this kaleidoscopic ode to girlhood, young campers find freedom, sisterhood, and themselves at a historically Black summer camp.
11. Jazz Hot
JAZZ HOT is a major discovery, a unique sync sound film recorded of Django Reinhardt, greatest of jazz guitarists, here with violinist Stephane Grappelli and the Quintet of the Hot Club of France.
It has an average vote of 4.5 on TMDB.
12. Charlie Parker: Bird Songs (Charlie Parker - Bird Songs)
In 1955, on his report, a medical examiner wrote in the box: age, “about 53 years”. Charlie Parker nicknamed Bird just died, at 34. His death will be the ransom of a life that was not denied to the excesses or the consuming flame of genius. His wildest improvisations will open the door to future jazzmen. Between shadow and light this film will pay tribute to one of the greatest musicians of the 20th century.
It has an average vote of 6.8 on TMDB.
13. Underbart är kort - en film om Monica Zetterlund (Underbart är kort - en film om Monica Zetterlund)
A portrait of Swedish jazz singer Monica Zetterlund.
It has an average vote of 7 on TMDB.
14. Talmage Farlow
A documentary about the life and career of American jazz guitarist Tal Farlow
It has an average vote of 5 on TMDB.
15. Sapelo
Sapelo is a feature-length documentary film that journeys within a unique American island to tell the story of two young brothers, their adoptive mother, and the last remaining enclave of the Saltwater Geechee people.
It has an average vote of 6 on TMDB.
16. Midori: Sayonara, Goto-San. (さよなら、後藤さん。)
Sayonara, Goto-san. is a recording of Midori's final show at Tokyo LIQUIDROOM on December 30, 2010, released on DVD on April 6, 2011.
It has an average vote of 10 on TMDB.
17. Daybreak Express
Set to a classic Duke Ellington recording "Daybreak Express", this is a five-minute short of the soon-to-be-demolished Third Avenue elevated subway station in New York City.
It has an average vote of 7.267 on TMDB.
18. Bird: Not Out Of Nowhere
Kansas City PBS is proud to present a documentary that looks back at the years Charlie “Bird” Parker spent in Kansas City and his lasting legacy on the Kansas City jazz scene. Bird: Not Out of Nowhere features rarely seen archival footage of Parker, interviews with musicians and historians, and live performances from Kansas City’s most talented jazz musicians.
It has an average vote of 6 on TMDB.
19. Show Girls
Show Girls celebrates Montreal's swinging Black jazz scene from the 1920s to the 1960s, when the city was wide open. Three women who danced in the legendary Black clubs of the day - Rockhead's Paradise, The Terminal, Café St. Michel - share their unforgettable memories of life at the centre of one of the world's hottest jazz spots. From the Roaring Twenties, through the Second World War and on into the golden era of clubs in the fifties and sixities, Show Girls chronicles the lives of Bernice, Tina and Olga - mixing their memories with rarely seen footage of the era.
20. Komeda, Komeda...
A feature- length documentary on the life and work of jazz musician and composer Krzysztof Komeda.
