These reflections lead us back to the highly influential figures of the past on which the legacy of Blue Note is built: Thelonious Monk, Bud Powell, John Coltrane, Art Blakey, Horace Silver and Miles Davis. Rare archival interviews and conversations with Blue Note musicians provide an intimate look into the creation and philosophy behind some of the most seminal tracks in jazz history.

But how many people have heard of Alfred Lion and Frank Wolff, to whom we owe the recorded memory of our Jazz legends? These two Jewish Germans emigrated from Nazi Germany to New York in 1939 and promoted Jazz Music, which at the time had received little serious attention from mainstream America. Without money or connections and speaking little English, the two men began to record practically unknown musicians, following their own taste and judgement, and thus establishing the legendary Blue Note label. “Blue Note - A Story of Modern Jazz” tells the story of Alfred Lion and Francis Wolff, of a friendship in exile and of uncompromising artistic excellence. Told by the musicians, by friends, associates and fans of the Blue Note recordings from all walks of life, the film recreates an era of American cultural history. Directed by German filmmaker Julian Benedikt (“Play your own thing”, available on EuroArts 2055748), it was the most successful movie about jazz ever to hit the worldwide cinemas. This testimony to the passion and vision of two men, interspersed with concert recordings and rarely seen archival footage, swings like the propulsive sounds that made their label so famous – a great music film! (EuroArts)

NTSC format, 90 mins.

PAL Format.

Sun Ra's poetry and mythological pronouncements were filmed in the Egyptian Room of the University of Pennsylvania's anthropology museum, in a sculpture garden in Philadelphia's Fairmount Park, in front of the White House in Washington, D.C., and inside and outside of the house he shared with key band members in the Germantown section of Philadelphia.

His photographer's eye for composition and subject matter is much in evidence in Stern's series of unforgettable images of the performers which include Thelonious Monk, Anita O'Day, Louis Armstrong, Dinah Washington, George Shearing, Chuck Berry, Big Maybelle ,Gerry Mulligan and peerless gospel singer Mahalia Jackson, the audience and the picturesque setting of Rhode Island that 4th July week-end. In 1999, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".

Oscar plays a couple of unaccompanied numbers: “I Should Care” (which he had recorded as a piano solo in 1968 for the LP ‘My Favourite Instrument’), and a particularly impressive version of “This Nearly Was Mine” (a not so well known composition by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II which Peterson would only record on one other occasion. NHO Pedersen joins the pianist for a duet on “On the Trail”, and the rest of the set features the trio with Barney Kessel on guitar.

As a bonus, we have added a splendid piano solo version of “Indiana” filmed at the 1975 Montreux Jazz Festival, in Switzerland, plus another London broadcast recorded a decade before the Ronnie Scott’s performance. This 1964 set presents one of the best trios Oscar Peterson ever had, with bassist Ray Brown and drummer Ed Thigpen.

Filmed in High Definition and presented in 16:9 Widescreen with Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound and PCM 24 bit / 48 kHz stereo audio options.

PAL format.

An up-close portrayal of Frisell, filmed by Daniel Berman at the Berkeley Church in Toronto. This rare solo session features an intimate look into his electric guitar and looping wizardry, and includes an exclusive interview with Frisell. On the taping of Solos Frisell comments, "It's a weird thing playing solo. I live for the interaction with other musicians because when you put something out there, you get something in return, and you are able to build momentum. When you perform solo, it just goes out into space, and you have to come up with ideas right away to follow it up. I learned to allow silence when playing by myself. There's really something special about one person sitting and playing guitar. I'm really happy with how this project turned out. Daniel created such an amazing atmosphere in which to play music." (Wiennerworld)

DAVID MURRAY, I’M A JAZZMAN (2008 - 53’) A slice in the life of saxophonist David Murray captured by the camera, a privileged testimony of a life merged with the story of jazz, as one of its ultimate heroes.

Featured artists: Cassandra Wilson, Gwo Ka Masters, Amiri Baraka & others.

DAVID MURRAY AND THE GWO KA MASTERS - LIVE IN SAINTE LUCIE (2008 - 46’)

This film, shot during a stopover at Sainte Lucie, an island in the West Indies, restores the energy of a masterful concert performed with traditional Guadeloupian drums – gwo ka – fused with supremely avant-gardist jazz.

DAVID MURRAY BLACK SAINT QUARTET - LIVE AT BANLIEUES BLEUES FESTIVAL

(2010 - 38’) A film in the form of a style exercise, or an exercise with style, pertinence and sensitivity, like a mirror in which jazz would be reflected.

Featuring Lafayette Gilchrist (p), Jaribu Shahid (b), Hamid Drake (d). (Wiennerworld)