Narrated by quincy jones, a great day in harlem masterfully recalls what was most likely the reatest assembly of jazz musicians ever at one place. A great day in harlem award winning documentary about the legendary 1958 group portrait photo of 57 jazz greats in front of a brownstone in harlem, new york city. This, coupled with the talking heads and stock footage and audio of. This documentary tells the background story of how a wonderful portrait of some of the worlds greatest jazz musicians was made in harlem in 1958. The story behind the iconic a great day in harlem photo. A look back at the iconic 1958 photo a great day in harlem. Rent a great day in harlem the spitball story 1998 on. A great day in harlem 1994 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. It was the subject of the 1994 documentary a great day in harlem and plays a pivotal role in the 2004 film the terminal, directed by steven. A great day in harlem is a wonderful documentary about a seemingly hohum subject the taking of a photograph. Jazz docu a great day in harlem art kane 1958 full by all that jazz don kaart. Netflixs black talent recreates iconic a great day in.
The musicians in the photo represented the full spectrum of. A great day in harlem was edited by veteran documentary editor sue peehl, whose many editing credits include two episodes of the acclaimed masters of american music series. The many faces of billie holiday, and the award winning the world according to john coltrane. This documantary short was shot during the jazz remembered photo shoot directed by the late gordon parks presented and made possible by. A great day in harlem harlem 58 the photograph part. Anyone with the misconception that the spirit of a particular music is not a direct reflection of the souls of the musicians who created it must see a great day in harlem, jean bachs small and. In august of 1958, in front of a harlem brownstone, firsttime photographer art kane assembled 57 of the greatest jazz stars of all time and snapped a picture that would live forever.
A must or should see for jazz fans, this film received an academy award nomination for best documentary feature. Fortyseven of netflixs phenomenal black talent from 20plus original shows, films and documentaries came together to create the photo a great day in hollywood, inspired by the iconic 1958 photo a great day in harlem. The picture was taken by freelance photographer art kane for esquire magazine on august 12, 1958. This acclaimed and legenday photo was made in 1958 on a street in harlem, new york. Inspired by the photo and collection of iconic jazz musicians, filmmaker jean bach created the documentary a great day in harlem which later went on to be nominated. Even when the photograph in question involves some of the greatest jazz musicians who ever lived, building a film around a static subject like a photograph is not an easy task. The musicians were gathered at 17 east 126th street between fifth and madison avenue. The photograph is also the focus for jean bachs wonderful documentary, a great day in harlem.
Now a new book reveals the story behind the historic image. I recall first seeing the lauded and multiply awarded jazz documentary a great day in harlem a dozen or so years ago on pbs, and while not a jazz fan nor aficionado, it was a short film only an hour that seemed to compress much of jazz history into a convenient package. The whole audacious idea was conceived by a man who none of the musicians knew, 33yearold art kane, who had made a name for himself as a magazine art director but whose passion was photography. Art kane a great day in harlem jazz portrait 1958 art. It was nominated for an academy award for best documentary feature director jean bach acquired an original home movie showing the 1958 photo shoot from musician milt hinton. Esquire published the photo in its january 1959 issue.
Rent a great day in harlem the spitball story 1998 on dvd and. Also sign me up for fanmail to get updates on all things movies. Photographer art kane took the most wonderful photograph in jazz history, featuring 57 of the best jazz musicians ever. Just about every jazz musician at the time showed up for the photo shoot which took place in front of a brownstone near the 125th street station. With rare insight, producer jean bach transforms one. In 1958 a photographer by the name of art kane was hired by esquire magazine with the intention of snapping a photo that encapsulated the golden age of jazz and the result has been deemed a great day in harlem. Enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing a great day in harlem near you. Nor did she realize that the photo had gotten another closeup only five years earlier in an oscarnominated documentary, a great day in harlem.
The richness of the oscarnominated documentary a great day in harlem a must for any jazz library grows more evident with each viewing. By illuminating this single, historic event, a great day in harlem is a. A great day in harlem is a 1994 american documentary film directed by jean bach about the photograph of the same name. Taken for esquire magazine, the photo looked like a class. A great day in harlem 1995 stream and watch online. Great day in the morning 1956 full movie download full hd. It was inspired by the famous photograph of the same name by art kane. A monument and a historic event in the hip hop culture. A great day in harlem is the story of a great photograph and much more.
Director jean bach constructed a remarkable documentary around a renowned 1958 photograph. This is an academy award nominated documentary released in 1995, narrated by quincy jones and produced by jean back. Born in new york city in 1929, rollins was a tenor saxophonist, leader and composer. Rent a great day in harlem the spitball story 1998 starring quincy jones and dizzy gillespie on dvd and bluray. Move your cursor over the photograph to identify each musician then. Jean bach, a radio producer of new york, recounted the story behind it in her 1994 documentary film, a great day in harlem.
Includes home movie footage of that day of the musicians arriving and greeting each other the morning of the shoot. Art kanes first photo assignment for esquire magazine in 1958 must have been his own personal everest. A great day in harlem or harlem 1958 is a blackandwhite photograph of 57 jazz musicians in harlem, new york city. One day on a whim i tried amazon which i have never used in my 52 years.
Duke ellington declared him, along with willie the lion smith, to be among the most important stride pianists. Finding a streaming service to buy, rent, download, or watch the jean bachdirected movie via subscription can be. With dizzy gillespie, milt hinton, marian mcpartland, art blakey. This documentary concert film captures the sounds and performances of some of the major jazz artists at the 1958 newport jazz festival. A great day in harlem 1994, directed by jean bach film. A great day in harlem 1994 a great day in harlem 1994. The story and sounds behind the most famous photo in the history of jazz. Memorializing a footnote to jazz history, the documentary a great day in harlem recalls the events and personalities surrounding a 1958 photo shoot for esquire magazine that gathered many of the.
A great day in harlem is an hourlong documentary film that brings to life a remarkable moment in the history of jazz a moment in which dozens of americas jazz legends unexpectedly gathered together for a photograph that would become emblematic of the golden age of jazz. Move your cursor over the photograph to identify each musician then click for bio. Jazz docu a great day in harlem art kane 1958 full youtube. A great day in harlem castle hill, unrated is jean bachs loving story of the making of that photo. A great day in harlem is the story of a great photograph. A great day in harlem is an engaging hourlong documentary recalling a 1950s photo session which assembled and immortalized some great names in jazz. Roberts later owned a popular bar in harlem called luckeys. Jean bach does the seemingly impossible with a great day in harlem. Not only does it tell the story of how the still image was crafted but utilises film stock shot on the day to create a greater context. Need to watch a great day in harlem on your tv or mobile device at home. The story and sounds behind the most famous photo in the history of jazz on discogs.
The documentary compiles interviews of all the top jazz musicians in. The film was nominated in 1995 for an academy award for documentary feature. The documentary compiles interviews of many of the musicians in the photograph to talk about the day of the photograph, and it shows film footage taken that day by milt hinton and his wife. She used hintons home video as the basis for her hourlong documentary. A great day in harlem a documentary about a photograph taken in 1958 by art kane of the jazz greats of the period. Buy art kane a great day in harlem jazz portrait 1958 art print poster, 24x35. Jazz documentarian jean bach has taken a piece of business that didnt fit in her oscarnominated 1995 film a great day in harlem the late bebop innovator dizzy gillespie telling the tale of. Jean bachs documentary covering art kanes great photo is an utter triumph. Jean bach is the director and writer of the 1994 film a great day in harlem, an oscarnominated documentary about one of the most iconic images in.
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