21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Recreation with Great Authenticity, May 9, 2000
This review is from: Robert Altman's Jazz 34 [VHS] (VHS Tape)
This is an exciting and interesting movie on historical Jazz. It also offers a proposal on how to deal with a problem that has never been entirely solved in jazz: how to re-create past music. In classical music you simply play the score, which contains more or less everything. But the essence of jazz is not in the score, but in all those non-objectifiable elements that are not in the score, namely, those collectively called "swing" (that's why the score is not the document in jazz, but only the recorded piece, which glorifies one particular instant).
Hence, how do you solve the problem? Do you play ancient jazz with exactly the same sound and accents (horrible) or do you use modern tricks (maybe kitsch)? Do you repeat note-by-note the original solos or do you play new improvised ones on top of the old arrangements? There have been various attempts: for instance, Lennie Niehaus' system in Clint Eastwood "Bird" to electronically remove ancient rhythm sections and superimpose Parker's solos on new rhythm sections (interesting but terrible). Tavernier with Dexter Gordon in "Round Midnight" skipped the problem and recorded new music.
In "Jazz '34", instead, we have a frech approach: that of letting modern jazzmen interpret those pieces. It is clear they pay their dues to the pioneers - the swing and freshness is there to testify this - but at the same time they are not shy about showing off their modern techniques and mastery of the overtones - especially tenor saxophonists, like Joshua Redman and James Carter, the latter being fond of mingling with the elders. Hence it is as if they had created musically a virtual, parallel Kansas City of 1934, which is distinct from the music of the time but claims the same validity.
Hence, also the re-created battle between Coleman Hawkins and Lester Young (Joshua Redman and James Carter, if not mistaken) on "Yeah, Man" has to be taken with a grain of salt: it's a fantasy, the ancient ones did not play that way, but the relationship between the two, to some degree, holds.
The music is fascinating and stands on its own and its quality is high enough to warrant the purchase of the movie. In addition we have Harry Belafonte's comments, interesting and pleasurable, and some shots of recreated Kansas City in 1934, which are simply fascinating, and from what I know look very authentic (no, I was not there, but Altman was).
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An Absolute Blast, June 12, 2001
This review is from: Robert Altman's Jazz 34 [VHS] (VHS Tape)
I agree with what the other two reviewers said, but I just thought I'd add some of the other musicians that I could think of who are on the movie. Saxophones- Redman, Carter, Craig Handy, David "Fathead" Newman, David Murray Clarinet- Don Byron Trumpet- Olu Dara, Nic Payton Bass- Ray Brown Piano- Geri Allen, Cyrus Chestnut Guitar- Mark Whitfield, Russel Malone These are only a few of the musicians, there's a bunch more and I apologize for not being able to think of the drummers or trombones. Anyways, I know that I always like knowing who is playing on what so I thought I'd pass on what I knew. I hope it was helpful.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Called the "Olympics Of Jazz" by Variety, August 30, 2000
This review is from: Robert Altman's Jazz 34 [VHS] (VHS Tape)
Variety called this film the "Olympics of Jazz", and what games they were! Altman assembled the greatest players of today to portray the greatest players of the thirties. This film would not normally be allowed to be made, as the costs would be prohibitve for "just a Jazz film". But since it was shot as performance backgrounds for the feature "Kansas City", Altman was able to make what may well be the greatest Jazz film ever. I'm not saying this because of my involvement (co-producer, editor), but because after seeing the film perhaps two hundred times, I'll still put it on for friends, or just my own enjoyment.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
