Reviewed by Tony Cummings

Jazz is a hugely important musical genre. In fact, if you listen to the claims of this awe inspiring 15 part series, first shown on American public TV, then shown to critical acclaim (though at ludicrously late hours) on BBC 2 jazz is THE genre of the 20th century. Whether you do or don't agree with that, this breathtaking series, lovingly compiled by Ken Burns, is as good as documentaries get. Here is the whole astonishing story, from the gutbucket growl of the blues to the stomping joy of Louis Armstrong's Hot Five, from the daring bebop of Charlie Parker to the laconic cool Thelonius Monk, from the earliest days of slavery, to the emancipated times of smoke filled nightclubs. The history is told with a fact filled commentary, talking head interviews and often rare footage, some of which had never before been seen by a mass audience. I doubt whether a better music documentary has ever been made. And though this isn't quite the revisionist history the Church needs to rectify all those popular histories that trot out, how jazz was the Devil's music hated and vilified by church going bigots, there thankfully are hints of a less blinkered view, particularly in the first episode. Jazz suggest that all those 19th century holiness church musicians improving under the Holy Spirit's unction may have had something to do with the music's origins. Quotes like, "To us the blues are sacred.when I sing I let my soul sing out," or, when describing the vibrato at the end of a note suggesting it imitates "the sound of the people in the church" at least hint at a more measured perspective than the "jazz began in New Orleans red light district" myth. If any Cross Rhythms reader is serous about getting a clearer understanding of 20th century music they will want to investigate this beautifully made tribute to jazz in all its multifarious forms.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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