Jazz Dichotomy: Artists, Innovators and Imitators January 16, 2009

Event: “Jazz Dichotomy: Artists, Innovators and Imitators”. Guest curator Pete Gowdy and Oddball Films present a screening of the rarely seen documentary “Mingus” juxtaposed with the jazz history documentary “Discovering Jazz”, both filmed in 1968. In addition, select shorts and clips profiling, utilizing or exploiting jazz will be shown, including the Ernest Pintoff animated “The Interview”, Norman McLaren’s jazz-scored experimental/art film “Begone, Dull Care”, “USA Dance: Echoes of Jazz”, Art Blakey performance footage and more.
Date: Friday, January 16th, 2009 at 8:30PM
Venue: Oddball Films, 275 Capp Street, San Francisco 94110
Admission: $10.00 RSVP Only to: 415-558-8117 or [email protected]
Web: http://oddballfilm.com/resources/events_parent.html

"Jazz Dichotomy”
Artists, Innovators and Imitators Screens at Oddball Films



On Friday, January 16th, Guest Curator Pete Gowdy and Oddball Films present an evening of Jazz on Film, focusing on the dichotomy of this great American art form- from revisionist history (downplaying the central role of black Americans), marginalizing it’s relevance (not “serious” music) and racism to exuberant performance and pure artistry. Two films from 1968: “Mingus”, the brilliant, vital, but troubling portrait of Charles Mingus on the eve of his eviction from his loft and the entertaining but rather sterile history piece “Discovering Jazz”. Select Jazz shorts and clips from both ends of the spectrum will highlight the program. All films 16mm. Showtime is 8:30PM and admission is $10.00. Seating is limited so RSVP is preferred to: [email protected] or 415-558-8117.

Films Include:

“Mingus” (B & W, 1968) dir. Thomas Reichman.

Tom Reichman's penetrating cinema verite look at the struggle of jazz icon Charles Mingus as he and his daughter face hard times. Rare and riveting footage of Mingus performing on stage in a nightclub near Boston, conducting a big band and composing and singing is inter cut with scenes of the proud musician in his cluttered New York loft, where-- while awaiting eviction-- from his failed dream of a jazz school-he speaks candidly on topics ranging from music to sex to racism. Mingus, originally from the Watts ghetto in Los Angeles worked his way up the musical ladder to become one of the greatest musicians in the history of jazz working with virtually everyone in the business. Throughout his career most of his music retained the hot and soulful feel of hard bop, and drew heavily from black gospel music while sometimes drawing on elements of Third Stream Jazz and free jazz. Yet Mingus avoided categorization, forging his own unique brand of music that fused tradition with unique and unexplored realms of jazz. He's influenced countless musicians and artists as diverse as the Alvin Ailey Dance Company and Joni Mitchell (whom he collaborated with).

In this film he is joined in performances by Dannie Richmond, Walter Bishop, John Gilmore (Sun Ra) and Charles McPherson playing such tunes as "All the Things You Are", "Secret Love", and "Take the ‘A’ Train". The film is also punctuated with some inspiring poetry. Charles Mingus is often considered the heir apparent to the great Duke Ellington both for his transcendent musicianship and his visionary compositions.
“Discovering Jazz” (Color, 1969) dir. Bernard Wilets

Beautifully lit, creatively shot and a wonderful print of this overview of Jazz history (from a series of films focused on different music styles). From the origins of Jazz through gospel, bop, cool and “funky”, this highly entertaining portrait features some nice, uncredited performances. The main problem is the sterility of the settings and the whiter than white whitey moments (especially the Choir sequence, which makes the Mormon Tabernacle Choir look like James Brown’s Fabulous Flames!). The polar opposite of the earthy, funky, angry and bluesy “Mingus”.

“Begone Dull Care” (Color, 1949) dir. Norman McLaren

A film without words. Vibrant abstract images drawn directly onto the film. “Begone Dull Care” shines with masterful use of scratching and painting on film stock. The film gives warmth and movement to compositions resembling a constantly morphing Jackson Pollock or Willem de Kooning painting, yet never fails to remind us of its very calculated aesthetics when it suddenly adapts to the score's slower movements and shifts from expressionistic and oversaturated explosions to minimalist vertical lines that vibrate accordingly to the score by the Oscar Peterson Trio. “Begone Dull Care” won six international prizes between 1949 and 1954.

“The Interview” (Color, 1960) dir. Ernest Pintoff

Animated short by the brilliant Ernie Pintoff has square interviewer befuddled by fictional hipster jazz musician Shorty Petterstein (voiced by Lenny Bruce) as the Stan Getz combo blows and riffs “off camera”. “Like, don’t hang me- I didn’t wanna fall up here in the first place!”

“USA Dance: Echoes of Jazz” (B & W, 1965)

Kinescope print of an episode from the TV series USA Dance, this clip features interpretive dance (choreographed by John Butler) set to a Gunther Schuller piece (based on a theme by John Lewis of the Modern Jazz Quartet). Schuller was the major exponent of Third Stream music, a synthesis of classical music and jazz improvisation.

Plus! Criminally silent but riveting footage of the Art Blakey Quartet from the late 50s/early 60s) tearing it up in a nightclub date. Blakey’s music will be “synced” as best as possible.

Curator Biography:
Pete Gowdy (aka DJ Chas Gaudi) is host of San Francisco’s Shellac Shack, a weekly 78 rpm listening party and a DJ specializing in vintage soul, punk and new wave. A graduate of the Vassar College Film Program, he is an associate producer of Marc Huestis Presents, the long-running movie legend tributes at the Castro Theatre.

Official Website: http://www.oddballfilm.com/resources/events_parent.html