As the days grow short and temperatures drop, it’s a good time to cozy up on the couch and dig into your must-watch movie list. Luckily, through streaming or a good old-fashioned movie rental from Seattle’s Scarecrow Video, jazz fans can get their hands on a variety of interesting jazz documentaries.
From intimate biographies to sweeping looks at the music’s most iconic jazz festivals and record labels, here’s a selection of widely-celebrated jazz documentaries sure to entertain and deepen your understanding of this rich American artform.
Jazz: A Film By Ken Burns (2001)
No list of jazz documentaries would be complete without this 2001 documentary from revered documentarian, Ken Burns.
Jazz is a 10-part documentary series, based on 75 interviews, more than 500 pieces of music, 2,400 still photographs and more than 2,000 archival film clips. It gives an encyclopedic look at the birth and growth of jazz music in America, from the style’s roots in New Orleans to its heyday as America’s popular music in the ‘40s and ‘50s.
Though at times a bit dry, Jazz is worthwhile viewing, whether you’re looking to sharpen your understanding of jazz music or get lost in this enthralling and thorough history.
Keep on Keepin’ On (2014)
This documentary centers on the touching relationship between legendary jazz trumpeter and educator Clark Terry and his protégé, 23-year-old blind piano prodigy Justin Kauflin.
A snapshot of the four years Kauflin spent preparing for a prestigious jazz piano competition, Keep on Keepin’ On features a host of interesting interviews and cameos, including from singer Dianne Reeves, drummer Terri Lyne Carrington, pianist and composer Mulgrew Miller, trumpeter and composer Quincy Jones, trumpeter Arturo Sandoval, and pianist Herbie Hancock.
The documentary, released a year before Terry’s death, is a moving capstone on the trumpeter’s illustrious career, and an uplifting reminder of the power of mentorship.
I Called Him Morgan (2016)
Another documentary about a beloved jazz trumpeter, Lee Morgan, I Called Him Morgan, delves into the relationship Morgan had with his common-law wife, Helen Morgan, who shot him dead during a gig at a New York City jazz club in 1972.
The feature-length documentary, which weaves together jazz history, delicate human drama, and true crime, explores Lee and Helen’s love story, Lee’s impressive career, and his shocking murder that still stumps friends and collaborators to this day.
Made by Swedish filmmaker Kasper Collin, music critic Nate Chinen called the critically-acclaimed documentary a “powerful and empathetic” film.
Bill Evans: Time Remembered (2015)
In this documentary tribute to jazz pianist Bill Evans, director Bruce Spiegel details the turbulent life of this well-regarded master, who had his big break when he began playing with trumpeter Miles Davis in 1958.
Through interviews with Evans’ family, as well as clips from the few interviews he gave during his life, Time Remembered offers rare insight into his personal life. Evans died in 1980 at age 51, as a result of his long time, and largely private, struggle with drug addiction.
Drawing on mesmerizing archival footage, and more than 40 interviews, including with celebrated musicians like singer Tony Bennett, singer John Hendricks, and drummer Paul Motian, this documentary is regarded as “essential viewing” for jazz lovers.
Chasing Trane (2016)
Filmmaker John Scheinfeld outlines the fusion of spirit and creativity that made John Coltrane into a mythic musical great in this powerful documentary. Scheinfeld has also directed documentaries about the jazz legacies of Herb Alpert and Sergio Mendes.
As Chasing Time tells Coltrane’s biography, it interweaves Coltrane’s music, remembrances from friends and collaborators like Benny Golson, Sonny Rollings, and McCoy Tuner, as well as readings and narration from actor Denzel Washington.
Ultimately, through interviews with former president Bill Clinton and philosopher Dr. Cornel West, the film captures how the impact of Coltrane and his music goes well beyond traditional jazz musicians and fans.
Lady Be Good (2014)
Created by Seattle-based director Kay D. Ray, Lady be Good: Instrumental Women in Jazz shines a light on a little-explored side of jazz history—the women jazz instrumentalists orchestras of the ‘20s, ’30s, and ‘40s who clawed their way to success, at a time when jazz was particularly regarded as a man’s music.
Throughout the film, Ray highlights groundbreakers like pianists Lil Hardin Armstrong and Mary Lou Williams, as well as the ceiling-shattering all-women jazz orchestras of the World War II era, like the International Sweethearts of Rhythm.
Through interviews with women musicians and band leaders, rare photos, and previously unseen recordings and video footage, Lady Be Good fills important gaps in the annals of jazz history.
Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool (2019)
Created by filmmaker Stanley Nelson, Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool details the life of one of jazz’s most recognizable icons, trumpeter Miles Davis.
Birth of the Cool, which was made with full access to the Miles Davis Estate, leverages never-before-seen footage, including studio outtakes, rare photos, and new interviews with artists like Ron Carter, Quincy Jones, Carlos Santana, Wayne Shorter. Davis’ family members, including his son Erin Davis and nephew Vince Wilburn, are also interviewed in the film, illuminating Davis’ complex personal life.
As it follows Davis from his start at The Julliard School through his six-decade musical career, Birth of the Cool paints a full and intriguing portrait of this celebrated musician and controversial man.
Jazz on a Summer's Day (1960)
Jazz on a Summer’s Day is an oldie but goodie.
Set in 1958 at the Newport Jazz Festival, one of the most important and long-standing jazz festivals in the U.S., this concert documentary drops viewers right into the action, as if they were there attending this star-studded music festival.
That year, legendary American commercial photographer Bert Stern decided to attend the festival and film what he saw. Along with documenting what it takes to put on this beloved festival, which still continues today, Jazz on a Summer’s Day artfully captures live performances from Louis Armstrong, Anita O’Day, Thelonious Monk, and even gospel legend Mahalia Jackson.
A charming snapshot of an amazing era in jazz and American musical history, Jazz on a Summer’s Day was restored and rereleased in 4K for its 60th anniversary in 2020.
Thelonious Monk: Straight, No Chaser (1988)
In 1988, Clint Eastwood’s production company, Malpaso Productions, and director Charlotte Zwerin, made a documentary about the eccentric, trailblazing bebop pianist and composer Thelonious Sphere Monk.
Made only a few years after Monk’s death, the film features posthumous interviews with those close to Monk, as well as footage of live performances by the pianist and his band. Much of the historic footage was collected in the 1960s by director and cinematographer Christian Blackwood and his brother Michael Blackwood, who were commissioned by West German public television to make a one-hour special on Monk that took decades to air.
Chock full of music and rare footage of the offbeat musician on and off stage, the documentary is an “intimate portrait…made with the same freedom of spirit that defines Monk’s artistry,” according to the Criterion Collection, a highly-regarded video distribution company dedicated to publishing iconic films from around the world.
Blue Note Records: Beyond the Notes (2018)
Blue Note Records, which delves into the history of one of jazz's most important record labels, offers a striking alternative to the biographical or concert-focused jazz documentary.
This award-winning documentary, made by writer and director Sophie Huber, reveals the history and vision behind Blue Note Records, which has released well over 1,000 jazz records, including classics like the 1964 Lee Morgan record, The Sidewinder, and alto saxophonist Cannonball Adderley’s 1958 masterpiece, Something Else.
Using material from recording sessions, archival footage, and interviews with historic Blue note artists, this documentary details the ways in which Blue Note Records trusted musicians, championed their innovation and social consciousness, and played a vital part in not only jazz, but the future of music altogether.
Whether you’re a long-time jazz fan or just starting to explore the genre, these 10 documentaries offer something for everyone—and may help you build out a new playlist of jazz to listen to before the credits roll. So, dim the lights, grab the popcorn, and let yourself be transported.
