Synopsis
The highlights of the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival.
Review
Jazz on a Summer’s Day was originally released in 1959. Directed by commercial and fashion photographer Bert Stern and Aram Avakian, the film documents the 1958 Newport Jazz festival in Rhode Island, USA. I adore jazz music, so I was excited to watch this. I’m not sure what I was expecting, but I thoroughly enjoyed the film
Widely considered to be one of the best concert films of all time – and believed to be one of the first – Jazz on a Summer’s Day is an immersive cultural experience, rich in beautiful, warm saturated colours that creates a true summer vibe. It’s a documentary of its time that embraces the uniqueness of the Americana aesthetic – I really felt like I was in the 1950s.
The film’s low budget meant that Stern and Avakian had limited, inexpensive cameras so the footage they shot ends up being surprisingly subjective and intimate, which makes the film all the more special. It makes you wish you were there. The filmmakers’ decision not to narrate was a good shout because it means you can focus on the music and enchanting visuals without being taken out of the experience.
Structurally, the film is a combination of jazz performances from some of the best musicians of the day – including Louis Armstrong, Chuck Berry, Anita O’Day, and Mahalia Jackson – cutaways to America’s Cup yacht race occurring at the same time in the town’s harbour, and various shots of Rhode Islanders enjoying everyday life and dancing and partying.
The performers are wonderful and showcase various types of jazz – there’s something for everyone at this festival. The shots switch between long close-ups of the performers and audience members at various stages of engagement; there are people jiving, babies dancing, people eating, people reading. I like that the filmmakers didn’t cut away from people who weren’t dancing because it’s far more realistic to show different kinds of audience members.
I was surprised at the number of white performers at the festival, especially given the fact that jazz tends to be dominated by the black community, and I am a little annoyed that the filmmakers chose to keep the camera on the white performers for extended periods as opposed to cutting a good deal during the black performances. However, I was so happy to see the likes of Louis Armstrong really lose themselves in their music; their passion really shines and it’s an utter joy to watch.
My favourite scene was Nathan Gershman smoking in a dark room as he plays an emotive Bach composition. The close-ups and the lighting are put together in such an artistic way that it conjures images of Expressionist artists like Edvard Munch, who infused his work with his personal thoughts and feelings.
The scene shifts between Gershman’s playing, children frolicking at a park, and young people dancing on the roofs of buildings. The whole scene is wonderfully Romantic, and a great example of how documentary films can be enchantingly visual.
Jazz on a Summer’s Day is a love letter to jazz, an outstandingly beautiful piece of documentary cinema.
