Trap Jazz

Filmed live at Tokyo Kosei Nenkin Kaikan on November 22, 2003

In the 1930s, jazz guitarist Emmet Ray idolizes Django Reinhardt, faces gangsters and falls in love with a mute woman.

This feature documentary offers a glimpse of contemporary Cuba’s rich musical culture through the experiences of renowned Canadian soprano sax player and flautist Jane Bunnett. Jane and her husband, trumpeter Larry Cramer, are surrounded by the charm of Old Havana as they connect with some of the city's finest musicians—like singers Bobby Carcasses and Amado Dedeu —for a recording session. Bunnett and Cramer then venture to small towns like Cienfuegos and Camaguey, where they hook up with local musicians and visit music schools. Global music fans will be captivated by the performances of Los Muñequitos de Matanzas, a celebrated Afro-Cuban rumba group, and Desandann, a 10-member a cappella choir that sings in Haitian Creole.

Captured in state-of-the-art High Definition and mastered in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound, The New Orleans Concert ignites a massive celebration of Big Easy music past and present - redolent in jazz, rollicking piano renditions, classic rhythm and blues, contemporary funk and rock & roll, all as steamy as a sweltering Delta summer's evening. New Orleans' legends, including Allen Toussaint, The Neville Brothers, and legendary drummer Earl Palmer, are joined by Steve Jordan, Bonnie Raitt, Keith Richards and Joss Stone to create this extraordinary musical extravaganza, reminding the world once again that New Orleans is far more than just one nation's treasure.

Bizet's Carmen gets a modern adaptation. Seducting, provocating, sensual. All the ingredients for a perfect drama. With her charm, Karmen gets out of many situations.

The documentary recounts the six-decade career of jazz singer Carol Sloane, lauded by critics and peers as one of the greatest jazz singers in history but still relatively unknown to the public at large, and follows her preparations for her final live recording at Birdland in New York City at the age of 82.

Motian In Motion is a documentary film about iconic jazz drummer Paul Motian, with rare footage of Paul playing and recording at the world renowned Village Vanguard, Birdland and other venues.

A collectively made filmic opera in 35 parts. The Black and predominantly queer art collective, an evolving line up of poets and artists from across the world, abstracts and reimagines opera in any traditional conception. Set to hip-hop, blues, noise, R&B and electronica, the piece uses the voice (chanting, singing, screaming; written by poet and activist Dawn Lundy Martin) as its primary tool, verbalising centuries of alienation, vulnerability and protest in the global African diaspora through its disruptive libretto.

In the Swedish city of Lethe, people from different walks of life take part in a series of short, deadpan vignettes that rush past. Some are just seconds long, none longer than a couple of minutes. A young woman remembers a fantasy honeymoon with a rock guitarist. A man awakes from a dream about bomber planes. A businessman boasts about success while being robbed by a pickpocket, and so on. The absurdist collection is accompanied by Dixieland jazz and similar music.

The Life & Times of Bobby Keys ... decades-long Sax player with The Rolling Stones, best friend to Keith Richards, and session player with John Lennon, Eric Clapton, Delaney & Bonnie, George Harrison, Dr. John, Joe Cocker, Harry Nilsson, Ian McLagan, Keith Moon, Etta James, Ronnie Wood, Sheryl Crow, Ringo Starr, Joe Ely, Warren Zevon, Billy Preston, Donovan, Marvin Gaye, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Carly Simon, Barbra Streisand, John Hiatt, Yoko Ono and B.B. King.

A documentary about Cairo Jazz Festival's Amr Salah and his struggle every year to bring people and arts together in a country where 70% of people are under 30 and the Officials do not care about culture too much.

One of the greatest jazz trumpeters of all time, Dizzy Gillespie dazzled the world with his talent as one of the pioneers of be-bop and Latin jazz, but with his puffed-out cheeks, bent trumpet and quick wit, he also was a great showman.

An egotistical saxophone player and a young singer meet on V-J Day and embark upon a strained and rocky romance, even as their careers begin a long uphill climb.

Toronto is regarded as the third largest jazz centre in North America. This film features a cross-section of jazz bands of that city: the Lenny Breau Trio, the Don Thompson Quintet and the Alf Jones Quartet. Their styles show creative self-expression, hard work, and improvisation.

Tradewinds in an intimate portrait and examination of the life of CHamoru jazz pianist, Patrick Palomo, whose musical style has combined CHamoru lyrics with the sounds and melodies of contemporary and classic jazz music. Although his music career has spanned decades and continues to influence the Guam music scene, the film explores how his legacy has paved the way for younger artists to follow in his path. Together with rising local talents, Shannon McManus, John Glaser, and Andrew Gumataotao, they form the group, Tradewinds. Together the group produces music highly influenced in the jazz style with lyrics in the CHamoru language. Tradewinds is a film that highlights the importance of language preservation and explores the definition of indigenous art.

German cultural documentary about the development of Jazz in New Orleans. Contains interviews with several musicians.

With socialite Tracy Lord about to remarry, her ex-husband - with the help of a sympathetic reporter - has 48 hours to convince her that she really still loves him.

Finland has long been the promised land for long hair and heavy rock music, however jazz has it’s own place here too! Then again maybe jazz is just the general name we give to music we can’t quite classify. And the original soundscapes brought forth by guitarist Heikki Ruokangas are just that; hard to classify. In Ruokangas’ creations, elements of jazz meld together with the strums and tweaks of modern classic guitars to create an aggressive medley of sound. The end result is a skillful and intense break from traditional guitar song.

Archie Shepp chez les Touaregs

Documentary about the Swedish clarinettist Putte Wickman featuring interviews and performances.