ReelBob: ‘JazzTown’ ★★½
By Bob Bloom
To a layperson with a fleeting knowledge who associates certain cities with jazz, New Orleans, Chicago, New York or Memphis may come to mind.
But as filmmaker-musician-composer-songwriter Ben Makinen’s documentary “JazzTown” shows, Denver also has a long tradition with this purely American musical genre.
Sprinkled between musical gigs are interviews with jazz musicians who are asked to define the genre. Their answers are as widely varied and diverse as the musical form itself.
“Jazz is freedom,’ singer Dianne Reeves says, while others see it as a form of expression or a way to express emotions.
The overlying theme of “JazzTown” is that the genre is whatever a musician, singer or listener feels it is at the moment.
The discussions and explanations about jazz are thoughtful, deep and sometimes intellectual.
“JazzTown,” at times, slips into repetition as many of the people interviewed say the same thing, though not in the same manner. More performance footage would have made Makinen’s point as well as the performers whom he interviewed.
One aspect that most of the musicians and singers point to is today’s difficulties in making a living as a jazz musician. Fewer people go to clubs to hear live music. “It’s mostly gray-hairs,” one veteran musician says.
The culprit is technology. People can listen to jazz on their phones or apps, watch performances on television or find a radio station that specializes in jazz either on the radio or a music streaming service.
Makinen’s movie, while a documentary, also is a love letter to the music and musicians who keep it alive as well as a city that continues to embrace its place in the jazz community.
I am a founding member of the Indiana Film Journalists Association. I review movies, 4K UHD, Blu-rays and DVDs for ReelBob (ReelBob.com), The Film Yap and other print and online publications. I can be reached by email at bobbloomjc@gmail.com. You also can follow me on Twitter @ReelBobBloom and on Facebook at ReelBob.com or the Indiana Film Journalists Association. My movie reviews also can be found at Rotten Tomatoes: www.rottentomatoes.com.
JAZZTOWN
Not rated
2½ stars out of 4
I am a founding member of the Indiana Film Journalists Association. I review movies, 4K UHD, Blu-rays and DVDs for ReelBob (ReelBob.com), The Film Yap and other print and online publications. I can be reached by email at bobbloomjc@gmail.com. You also can follow me on Twitter @ReelBobBloom and on Facebook at ReelBob.com or the Indiana Film Journalists Association. My movie reviews also can be found at Rotten Tomatoes: www.rottentomatoes.com.