-
New Orleans Music Documentary ‘Up From The Streets’ Gets Virtual Cinema Release
A new documentary, Up From The Streets, on New Orleans music arrives via virtual cinema on May 15. The film features interviews with NOLA musicians Branford Marsalis, Wynton Marsalis, Harry Connick Jr. and more as well commentary from Keith Richards, Robert Plant, Sting and Bonnie Raitt, among others. Keep reading »
-
Wynton Marsalis on Creating Score for ‘Bolden’ Biopic Without Jazz Pioneer’s Music
Jazzman Wynton Marsalis faced one of the most unusual challenges of his career when he agreed to score “Bolden,” the drama based on the life of early jazz pioneer Buddy Bolden: No recordings survive, so Marsalis had to create Bolden’s music from scratch. Keep reading »
-
Wynton Marsalis Imagines Buddy Bolden’s Jazz On-Screen: ‘He Was Bringing Fire’
As much as jazz could possibly have an inventor, that person would be Charles “Buddy” Bolden. But although he is celebrated as a seminal figure in jazz at the turn of the 20th century, very little is actually known about the African-American cornetist and composer’s life. There are no existing recordings of Bolden, who spent more than 20 years in an asylum before his death in 1931. Keep reading »
-
Director Dan Pritzker Talks About The Long-Awaited Musical Film ‘Bolden’
Coming out this week from Abramorama is the biopic Bolden, who created improvisation in New Orleans in the early 1900’s and pioneered the musical art form we now call JAZZ!!! Directed by Dan Pritzker from a script written by Pritzker and David N. Rothschild, the film stars Gary Carr, Erik LaRay Harvey, Yaya DaCosta, Reno Wilson, Karimah Westbrook, JoNell Kennedy, Robert Ri’chard, Serena Reeder with Michael Rooker and Ian McShane. Keep reading »
-
Van Morrison, Wynton Marsalis attended ‘Bolden’ screening after closing Jazz Fest on Sunday
Jazz Fest headliners Van Morrison and Wynton Marsalis somehow evaded post-fest traffic Sunday night to attend a Canal Place screening of “Bolden,” the new film about the early 20th-century New Orleans cornet player who is generally considered to be the first true jazz musician. Keep reading »
-
Wynton Marsalis and his brothers salute their pop at Jazz Fest
Ellis Marsalis, the 84-year-old jazz pianist extraordinaire, was honored at the 50th Anniversary New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival with a concert commemorating his contribution to the crescent City music scene as both a musician and teacher. Keep reading »
-
How Wynton Marsalis helped resurrect the musical voice of Buddy Bolden
For Dan Pritzker, the decision was a no-brainer. He wanted to make a movie about New Orleans cornetist Buddy Bolden, the mysterious, nearly mythological figure credited with having pioneered the improvisational music form that would become jazz, and he needed someone to provide the “voice” of Bolden’s horn. Keep reading »
-
Wynton Marsalis on Bringing the Story of Jazz Originator Buddy Bolden to the Big Screen
Like many music fans, even now, Wynton Marsalis did not grow up familiar with the Charles “Buddy” Bolden story. But the dramatic tale of the singing cornetist—a key figure and to some the inventor of jazz—eventually became an inspiration that made Marsalis the perfect choice to helm the music for Bolden, the upcoming biopic based on his life. Keep reading »
-
The Dignity of His Sound: Wynton Marsalis Talks About The Buddy Bolden Movie
Wynton Marsalis describes the movie Bolden, which is directed by Daniel Pritzker, and will be released on May 3, as a “mythical account” of New Orleans cornetist Buddy Bolden. Keep reading »
-
Wynton Marsalis performs in tribute to Ellis Marsalis at Jazz Fest
Last week, Ellis Marsalis Jr. was honored in New York at the gala for Jazz at Lincoln Center, which was founded three decades ago by his son Wynton Marsalis. Keep reading »