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The Cry of Jazz poster

The Cry of Jazz

1959 · 0h 34m · Documentary, Music

Filmed in Chicago & finished in 1959, The Cry of Jazz is filmmaker, composer and arranger Edward O. Bland's polemical essay on the politics of music and race - a forecast of what he called "the death of jazz." A landmark moment in black film, foreseeing the civil unrest of subsequent decades, it also features the only known footage of visionary pianist Sun Ra from his beloved Chicago period. Featured are ample images of tenor saxophonist John Gilmore and the rest of Ra's Arkestra in Windy City nightclubs, all shot in glorious black & white.

Directed by
Edward Bland
Starring
George Waller, Dorothea Horton, Melinda Dillon, Andrew Duncan
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6.1Smart score

The TMDB rating, pulled toward the movie average (6.03) as if it had 82 extra average votes. Few votes means more pull.

TMDB6.2

15 TMDB votes · IMDb page

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Criterion Channel: available in 2 countries
Subscription · 2Canada, United States

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avant gardeavant garde jazzfree jazzjazzjazz agejazz bandjazz singer or musician

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No other movies by this director, writers or cinematographer in the catalog.

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Best Documentary Movies of the 1950sBest Music Movies of the 1950sBest Documentary Movies of All TimeBest Music Movies of All Time