The Jazz Centre Collections Series: Jazz on Film

The Jazz Centre’s celebration of Jazz on Film continues in this review of stories behind the movies. The Jazz Singer (1927) was the first ever “talkie”, and although it only partly used sound and didn’t really contain any jazz, the music connection was made. Jazz bands and orchestras became “go to” music providers. After that great intro, film got carried away by the shock-horror side of jazz, which had mesmerised the press for years – booze, fallen women, gangsters, evil impresarios, drugs and poor, talented musicians struggling to victories against the odds. The soundtrack to the carnage turns out to be a lot of enjoyable music, often of amazing quality. Reputations were indeed made and lost, while building a valuable legacy of music. Come and hear some of the highs and lows: nostalgia guaranteed. You might need a hanky!