Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #40714 in DVD
• Released on: 2000-03-14
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Color, Dolby, DVD, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 85 minutes

Amazon.com essential video
Part concert documentary, part pop-cultural time capsule, Bert Stern's Jazz on a Summer's Day chronicles the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival with an approach as deceptively relaxed, even impulsive, as the music itself. Still photographer Stern sidesteps more formal documentary conventions such as narrative voiceovers to wander purposefully from festival stage to boarding-house jam sessions, taking in the parallel color and motion of the America's Cup preparations when he isn't capturing rich color footage of the performances and the celebratory mood of the concertgoers. In the process, he documents American jazz at a notably golden moment in its development--diverse, adventurous, and still broadly popular, this was jazz not yet under the shadow of rock and youth culture, played by an integrated artistic community a few short years away from social and political turmoil that would boil divisively to the surface during the '60s. To say Stern was rolling film in a jazz Camelot is overstatement, but only slightly so.

Stern's circular approach and wonderful eye achieve a breezy languor at the expense of more comprehensive coverage of the festival's bumper crop of strong jazz, blues, and gospel musicians. Perhaps inevitably, the camera lingers on Louis Armstrong, Anita O'Day, Mahalia Jackson, Dinah Washington, Thelonious Monk, Gerry Mulligan, and George Shearing. Avid fans of later styles may be frustrated by the fleeting glimpses of other musicians such as Eric Dolphy and Art Farmer, or the honor roll of classic jazz stylists whose Newport sets weren't included in the film, but such omissions seem forgivable, if not necessary, to Stern's serendipitous design. --Sam Sutherland

Additional features
The DVD release benefits from a crisp remastering of Stern's original cinematography, which captures often vivid, highly saturated colors. The 5.1 audio mix, apparently pulled from monaural elements, opens up the sound without attempting a more precise directional presentation. Menu options include chapter access to individual performances, a complete festival playlist, Web links, and a 30-minute interactive documentary with director Stern, including additional scenes. --Sam Sutherland

Customer Reviews

Phenomenal Work of Art
Contrary to some comments on this list, this film is not a documentary or concert film. It is a visionary work of art. It's like Robert Franks' book THE AMERICANS coming to life. If you don't know what that is about, see for yourself. This is the America that Kerouac loved. And if you don't know what that means, find out before it's too late.

This film is really about a summers day in America in 1958. As a musician, a Jazz lover, a poet and a film buff, this film is the best of all worlds. It is pure poetry. It is like seeing the world through Kerouac's heart-filled eyes. Eyes we all have, but forget in our daily malaise. Notice the minute particulars, the spontaneous nature of life. Speaking of Beats, if you look real close you can see Gregory Corso in a couple of audience shots.

Jazz on a Summers day is about time and place. It freezes a moment in time and makes it eternal. A time when jazz was common music of american culture. A summers day when people living in the cold war and the Eisenhower era kick off their shoes and truly live. It is filled with moments of deep sighs, AH. Like, the shot of the young girl singing along with Satchmo, if that's not art I don't know what is. The performers too, Mahalia Jackson is a great bodhisattva/angel. The cinematography is vibrant. You've never seen the fifties this real.

I actually love the parts that digress from the festival. Even though I regret not seeing all of Monk. But it's still magnanimous, and contrary to another comment, the stage announcer that says Monk is "unconcerned" should be understood as Monk is on a different level. He makes music for different reasons. If you don't what that means, just listen. Monk will whisper to you in a dream.

This was a time when the music was more than just refined listening for museums and chamber halls, it oozed into everything. Seeing the boating footage with the Jazz, it's just poetic. Jazz is part of life. It is the expression of life. The people are having a good time on a summers day. A day that seems so far away. This will never happen again. Not like this. This is what great films and art are made of.

There is beauty in every waking moment my friends. Just look. Breathe. Feel. Thank you Bert Stern.

jazz on a summers day
I live in Gloucestershire, England and could not find this DVD in UK. Thanks to Amazon and the Web, my copy arrived in (...)days! I first saw this wonderful film many years ago and I remember how it affected me. A passion for jazz AND photography makes this film the perfect vehicle to soak up the atmosphere of the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival. I would have been 8 years old when it was filmed and even at that early age, I was into Monk, Mulligan and Shearing. George lives just up the road from me and I know him quite well. He would have been 39 in 1958.

The film is beautifully shot, focusing on the performances, the music and atmosphere, but without a documentary. It doesn't need one! The way Bert Stern moves from artiste to audience is superb. Cool performers and guys in the audience, young and old all on the "afterbeat". Wonderful to see Monk playing "Blue Monk", Anita O'Day singing "Georgia Brown". Dig that hat!! And Mr Shearing with quintet, performing a late slot - fantastic!

The icing on the cake is an interactive journey, narrated by Mr Stern, behind the scenes of the film. He tells you his thinking, his emerging appreciation of jazz and his roots in photography. This is interlinked with specific sequences from his unique film. As the liner notes say "I was just . . . basically a photographer who wanted to make a movie before I was 30 . . . it was a form of a documentary and had a lot to do with photograhy . . . it wasn't something that I had ever seen before and it just intrigued me . . . it's more of of a happening. . . interpretive, happening . . ."

The quality of the video and audio is brilliant. If you appreciate photography or jazz, or like me . . . both, this film is a real must. Highly recommended! Regards to all, JON' B.

Great Jazzmen - Poor Movie
This is without a doubt a video any serious jazz enthusiast must have. Not because it is such a great movie, as the liner notes pompously want to imply. On the contrary, what's so great about this movie is that one can see and hear many jazzmen in action. It's actually a shame we don't get more, since for long endless sequences we are kept starving for the protagonists, namely those who make the music and are the main reason for this video.

Here is the reconstructed list (missing from jacket and film) of the performers, in order of appearance:

1.The Jimmy Giuffre (ts) - Bob Brookmeyer (vtb) - Jim Hall (g) trio

2.Thelonious Monk (p), Henry Grimes (b), Roy Haynes (d)

3.The Sonny Still (ts) - Sal Salvador (g) group

4.Anita O' Day

5.The George Shearing Quintet

6.Dinah Washington, with probably Terry Gibbs (vibes), Urbie Green (tb), Max Roach (d)

7.The Art Farmer - Gerry Mulligan Quartet

8.Big Maybelle, with an ad-hoc orchestra

9.Chuck Berry

10.The Chico Hamilton Quartet, with Eric Dolphy (fl)

11.The Louis Armstrong All Stars, with Trummy Young(tb), Barney Bigard (cl), probably Arvell Shaw (b), Danny Barcelona (d), joined by Jack Teagarden on Rockin' Chair

12.Mahalia Jackson

All perform at the top of their form. This is not to say, however, that the video is not marred by some deficiencies. Most annoying is the talking on top of a performance, the excessive and lengthy shots of a not-too-competent public, lengthy extraneous scenes with unexciting landscapes, and a general attitude of putting jazz music in the background. There are some nonchalant omissions: such as the unmentioned band with a singer, not shown, between appearances 1. and 2., rehearsing "Do Nothing Till You Hear from Me" with an Ellington-sounding reed section. Also between 1. and 2., and between 4. and 5., we have to swallow the looks and music of a Dixieland band (Ely's Chosen Six ?) the members of which do not seem to know that jazz playing is about generating swing; and some other boring pseudo-classical and classical stuff between 2. and 3. (with flute, cello, guitar) and 4. and 5 (classical cello playing Bach).

In my subjective opinion, the best performances are those by:

Thelonious Monk, playing his masterpiece Blue Monk, unfortunately marred by some inconsequential and unnecessary talking (about the weather!) over his great solo. Notice the strange (for today) comment about his being "unconcerned", as well as the failure to recognize Monk's deep sense of the blues and respect for the tradition.

The Sonny Stitt's group playing Blues Walk, unfortunately cut at the beginning and again dented by a superimposed voice presentation. Notice the marvelous solo by Sal Salvador on guitar, while the camera moves to boats instead of focusing on his wonderful hands - funny also that we mostly see his left hand only, as if he were playing single-handed; same for Stitt. It seems the cameramen had not yet learned about zooms, movements etc. Enhanced by (short) shots of a beautiful black lady in blue.

Big Maybelle, who is as lovely as her voice is hoarse. Beautifully accompanied by Buck Clayton - great solo on his trumpet - and Jo Jones (d), both ex-Basie alumni well immersed in the spirit of the traditional blues. Too bad we do not hear more of that broad-toned saxophonist seen at the far right before the performance and heard in the riffs. Slightly marred by lengthy shots of a not-too-good-looking red-clad lady who does not seem to know how to dance.

Chuck Berry playing his Sweet Little Sixteen, who modestly demonstrates what king Elvis has never learned, with shots a man who does really know how to dance (cut above the head! maybe because he was dark-skinned?). Only slightly marred by a solo on the clarinet, probably by Peanuts Hucko, who tries hard to get in the heat of the mood without quite succeeding (perhaps the saxophonist mentioned above would have done better). All the same, a great performance.

Louis Armstrong's All Stars. Satchmo, in spite of the sorry state of his lips, well visible, shows his mastery of the trumpet: the note he slides and recaptures twice in Lazy River, and always the powerful presence of his no-nonsense and sensual tone, for which he is justly famous. Barney Bigard is heard little in Tiger Rag, Trummy Young practically not at all, Danny Barcelona does not get too much in the way - even the abused and fearsome When the Saints, heard last, gets through without problems - and Jack Teagarden is seen and heard singing Rockin' Chair with Louis. Of whom we admire also the initial jokes about his European acquaintances, with his colorful way of talking, which shines in its originality, opposed to the boring formality of the show master (Willis Conover?).

Mahalia Jackson, with the deep, moving intensity of a great jazz singer (even though she sings the gospel: about Our Heaven, Our Lord, etc.) and the tender freshness of a little girl - she was 47 at that time. A simple accompaniment of piano and bass lets her presence and soul dominate the place.

Of course one can't forget the dazzling, professional and exciting show by the great Anita O' Day, an example of exceptional vocal technique. The interventions by Art Farmer in the Gerry Mulligan group, the latter quite disappointing, and by Eric Doplhy in an otherwise boring and pretentious performance by the Chico Hamilton Quintet. Dinah Washington's interplay with the vibraphonist, probably Terry Gibbs, in All of Me is also a good moment - with a great trombone player, probably Urbie Green. While most of what was praised at the time, such as the music by Hamilton, Shearing (some Latin stuff, put to shame by any old Cuban or modern Salsa band), Mulligan and Giuffre, has terribly dated with time and lost universality - not so for Monk and the others singled out above.

To conclude, this is a video worth seeing. And studying. Many times. Even at the cost of closing one's eyes occasionally and glossing over some irritating poor choices of images and other esthetic misjudgments. But we can be happy the filmmakers allow us to see those great jazzmen in action, most of them dead by now, over forty years after the edition of the Newport Jazz Festival, in color and with excellent sound.