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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 ... Read more

Reviews (25)

This isnt a "Concert Film", it is a time Capsule
A great Film, my only dissapointment was the ommision of theDuke Ellington set, closing the actual event. This is an art film, thecinemaphotography is outstanding. The use of shape and light is masterful. Musical Highlights that ARE included in my opinion, are Anita O'Day, Louis Armstrong, Mahalia Jackson, and Monk.

If you are a (open minded!) jazz fan, and a art genre fan this is the film you have been waiting for!

DVD Info: Excellent color and sharpness. Audio is in Dolby Digital Mono. Crisp clear tone. Extras include a complete playlist for all three days of the festival. An interview with Bert Stern (both text and audio) with accompanying documentary imagery relating to Mr. Stern's other works mentioned in interview. Much insightful discussion about the planning, filming and post production of the film. Very fascinating and well worth the price.

Now, it may be me, but it seems that i noticed some brief segments of footage in the DVD release that i never noticed on my VHS copy. But im not running the VHS again to check, this DVD is so much better!

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.

As hip as they come
Bert Stern has both an eye and an ear for jazz, par excellence, capturing the spirit of the Newport Jazz festival in its heyday. This is a wonderful showcase of performances, ranging from the detached Thelonius Monk to the super cool Anita O'Day. But, without doubt, the performance that stands out is that of Mahalia Jackson who brings the crowd to their feet with "40 Days" and then brings them to their knees with her closing psalm, so passionately felt.

The movie takes you through a figurative day, capturing the sea air of Newport, the quiet practice sessions, the ebb and flow of the crowd as it grows to its evening peak, with a rocking performance by Chuck Berry. The Satchmo takes a wonderful turn at the mike with Jack Teargarden joining him in a fun duet. Chico Hamilton is there in all his seriousness with Eric Dolphy highlighting the band's performance. George Shearer looks like he could be playing at the Hollywood Bowl.

I was hoping for more extras on the DVD. The movie leaves you craving for more music. The 50's were the peak of the hip jazz scene and this movie is as hip as they come.

An absolutely wonderful documentary of Jazz
While I've not seen other Jazz movies or documentaries, I've seen Jazz on a Summer's Day on both VHS and on DVD and enjoy it so much that I've watched it several times and just had to purchase it on DVD.

I have always loved the classic Jazz of the 1950's and 1960's and this film documents one of the best Jazz festivals around, and I think this was the first Jazz festival in what we now know as the Newport Jazz festival.

What I love about this film is how Bert Stern uses his movie camera to shoot the film, much like a still camera and framed the shots just the same. I find it works on motion film as on still photography, especially in this kind of documentary where your documenting a concert. I love the B-roll shots of kids playing, grown ups sunbathing, the dixieland jazz band, the couples driving their vintage autos, and of course the Yaught(sp?) club races and overall, I find that Bert Stern does an incredible job of showing the general atmosphere of the concert and the weather of late summer in Rhode Island.

I find this an incredible film that is worthy of multiple viewings. Not just for it's incredible of shooting techniques, but for the music that is represented here. Lots of great names such as Anita O'Day, Thelonious Munk, George Shearing, Dina Washington etc. I love Bert's use of the reflections of the boats on the water for the opening sequence, mated to Jimmy Giuffrie's live rendition of the Train and the River. All in all, I rate this film a definate 5.

A piece of yesterday, live and in color
Bert Stern was a still photographer who got the opportunity to take a film crew to the 1959 Newport Jazz festival. With limited time and film, Stern and his crew set out not just to record a musical event, but to record a social experience.

For the most part, he succeeds, although there is more than enough footage of a boat race on Chesapeake bay that day to last me for the rest of my life.

The film cuts from performances to reactions of the crowd, as any concert film would. It's interesting to see the wide difference in clothing styles that appealed to people in 1959. Everything from men in suits to greasers in denim can be seen dancing and grooving along with the music.

People living nearby the festival can be seen partying on their roofs and dancing, booze in hand, to the music. People of every age are shown bopping along with whoever is on stage at the time.

Highlights: Anita O'Day's spot-on performance, in spite of the fact that she's well into her much-ballyhooed drug and booze habit (in a recent radio interview she said she couldn't remember doing this gig after even watching the film); Louis Armstrong, Jerry Mulligan, and the rather out-of-place, clearly there-for-the-kids but dressed to the nines and behaving himself, Chuck Berry. Older jazz guys have no idea what to make of Chuck, and one guy, in an attempt to "jazz up" Berry's "Sweet Little Sixteen," starts playing some rather odd clarinet runs. Think "Sweet Little Bar Mitzvah."

There's a nice bunch of extras on here, too, including an interview with Stern that expalins a lot about what was going on.
If you like jazz, or documentaries, or just good music, this is a keeper. ... Read more

Description

Acclaimed as America's greatest gospel singer, Mahalia Jackson is the undisputed "Queen of Gospel Music." With a career of singing sacred songs that included appearances in television, radio, and concerts, this Mahalia Jackson collection brings you some of her greatest moments as she sings such gospel favorites as Just Tell Jesus, Sweet Hour of Prayer, You'll Never Walk Alone, Oh Come All Ye Faithful, Silent Night and many more. No fan of gospel music should be without this collection of classic performances. ... Read more

Description

Mahalia Jackson is the undisputed Queen of Gospel. In this 1950's performance, Mahalia combines the many influences that formed and helped create the Mahalia Jacksonexperience. Songs such as You'll Never Walk Alone, The Lord's Prayer, Come On Children, Let's Sing, Joshua Fit The Battle Of Jericho and the classic I Believe are all giventhe emotional Mahalia Jackson touch. This 14-songcollection is a rare opportunity to experience visually, as well as musically, the Queen of Gospel. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Political Nail Biter
The setting is a National Nominating Convention of one of the major parties for President. The top two contestants are intellecutal Secretary of State Henry Fonda and scare-tactic headline grabbing Senator Cliff Robertson. The scramble for delegates, the dangling of endorsements, blackmail, extortion, and double-dealing are all part of a days work when the Presidency is on the line and no one has enough delegates to seal the deal. This is an honest and exciting look at the world of politics. Not a trite clear cut good vs. evil morality play, the Fonda character is not without his faults, but a race to the finish line that the viewer is given no clue as to who will win and there are some curious detours along the way, but the plot never gets too complicated and the convention actually LOOKS like a convention unlike in many political films. A great supporting cast including Shelley Berman as a nervous ex-army buddy of Robertson's who just might have the "goods" on him and formerly black-listed hillbilly entertainer John Henry Faulk as "everybody's favorite son" southern Governor T. T. Claypool, a great character. Wonderful photography, the crisp direction you would expect from Schaffner and a marvelous closing shot. Don't miss it.

When conventions still mattered.
Pretty good political drama that takes itself seriously & gives you the feel of the way the national conventions used to be. After all, they selected our presidents.
Henry Fonda & Cliff Robertson are the main contenders, different as night & day. Fonda's character is the intellectual Secretary of State, slow to act or make major decisions. Robertson's character is an outspoken McCarthy-like Senator who shoots from the hip. Fonda's character is kind & everybody likes him except his estranged wife. He likes to fool around.
Robertson is a totally disagreeable tyrant whose beautiful wife adores him & he doesn't have time for sex. The other minor canidates are buffoons.
When neither man can get the nomination the threatened mud slinging begins. It seems that Fonda might be a nut job & Cliff has written proof. Robertson might be a closet queen & Henry has witnesses. To me the resolution wasn't particularly satisfying, but it still gets 3 1/2 stars. Movie done in a documentary style which was effective.

HEY!!
It was a pretty good movie, but it seems Gore Vidal is always writing "gay" themes into his stuff. I can never figure that out.

the best man
this a great political drama.excellent acting and a great
screenplay.it shows the way our political elections system
really works.I highly recommend this movie for those who
like to see a good political drama.

I See Why It's A Favorite With Real Politicians - Fine Film
Engrossing, absorbing film of Gore Vidal's hit 1960 Broadway play, this film is always remarked upon by veteran politicians of both parties around election time as a good film that shows you something of how politics work. *The Best Man* deals with a party political convention which must decide which candidate is "the best man" to run for President. Henry Fonda plays a candidate with elements of Adlai Stevenson (intellectual) and John F Kennedy (womanizer) while Cliff Robertson mixes bits of Barry Goldwater (ultra conservative) and aspects of Robert Kennedy (ruthless manipulator - obviously there's a bit of Nixon here, too, but Vidal is at pains to point out the ambiguity of loyalty to one party or theme when it comes to getting nominated - candidates of both parties must, and do, grab and hustle to get elected). When Robertson's character plans to release embarressing medical information about Fonda's, the latter must decide whether he will use an equally ruthless tactic (and reveal an even more sordid secret about Robertson) when he has already pledged (and sincerely wishes) to stay away from smear tactics (folks, this was the early sixties when politicians like Adlai Stevenson still gave some real thought to such notions!) If he refuses, he may lose the support of the aging, outgoing President which he desperately needs - and perhaps prove *himself* NOT to be "the best man" that we presume he is (if can't act ruthlessly and decisively to win, what will he do in the White House, if he needs to decide in a moment how to act to defend the country from invasion, say, the outgoing president scornfully tells him?)

The ending is quite exciting. This film holds up surprisingly well given its age. I understand now why politicians of both parties recommend this film. I'm not surprised it was successfully revived as a stage play on Broadway before the last elections. One thing: although this film is listed as being directed by Frank Schaffner, it was actually the author Gore Vidal who directed it behind the scenes, after first firing an aging, senile Frank Capra who had plans for a sentimental film complete with a scene showing Henry Fonda dressed up as Abraham Lincoln walking around the convention floor shaking hands!. Keep an eye for Vidal's cameo appearence about halfway through - he walks up and shakes the hand of Mrs Cantwell and Mrs Gammage as they walk through the hotel lobby (and who greet Vidal as "Mr Senator"!). ... Read more