Sky Arts - Jazz: The Gift

Episode Ten
Irresistible
1949 - 1955
A generation of musicians, faced with the overwhelming genius of Charlie Parker, embraces the challenge of moving beyond his innovations. The visionary pianist, Thelonius Monk, infuses bebop with his eccentric personality to create a music all his own, while John Lewis and the Modern Jazz Quartet refine bebop’s balance between improvisation and composition.

Except for musicians, the Beats and true jazz initiates, few people are listening to Parker and bebop. Traditionalists complain that it is musical noise, while Louis Armstrong, the first jazz revolutionary, mocks it, too. Searching for a new audience, California musicians create a mellow sound called cool jazz. Dave Brubeck mixes jazz with classical music to produce the first a million-seller jazz LP, “Time Out.” In l955, wasted by the ravages of heroin, Charlie Parker dies at 34, and drugs are as much a part of his legacy to jazz as the genius of his music. One man remains determined to give jazz popular appeal on his own terms, the trumpet player Miles Davis. A one-time Parker sideman who finally broke heroin’s grip on his career, Davis moves beyond the cool sound he inspired and stands poised to lead jazz in a new direction.

Episode Eleven
The Adventure
1956- 1960
In the late 1950s, America's postwar prosperity continues, but beneath the surface run currents of change. Families move to the suburbs, watching television becomes the national pastime, and baby boomers begin coming of age. For jazz, it is also a period of transition. Old stars burn out, while young talents arise to make take the music in new directions.

In 1956, Elvis tops the charts, and Duke Ellington recaptures the nation’s ear with a performance at the Newport Jazz Festival. Meanwhile, new artists emerge to push the music in new directions: saxophone colossus Sonny Rollins, jazz diva Sarah Vaughan, and the stark, introspective sound of Miles Davis. His lush recordings with arranger Gil Evans expand the jazz audience and he becomes a cultural icon whose tough-guy persona comes to exemplify the very essence of cool.

As the turbulent Sixties arrive, however, two saxophonists take jazz onto uncertain into uncharted terrain. John Coltrane explodes the pop tune “My Favorite Things” into a kaleidoscope of freewheeling sound, while Ornette Coleman challenges all conventions with something he calls “free jazz.” Once again, the music seems headed for new adventures, but now, for the first time, even musicians are starting to ask; Is it still jazz?

Episode Twelve
A Masterpiece by Midnight
1960 to the Present
During the Sixties, jazz is in trouble. Critics divide the music into “schools” -- Dixieland, swing, bebop, hard bop, modal, free, avant-garde. Most young people of this time are listening to rock and roll. Though Louis Armstrong briefly outsells the Beatles with “Hello Dolly,” most jazz musicians are desperate for work and many head for Europe-- including bebop saxophone master, Dexter Gordon.

At home, jazz searches for relevance. During the Civil Rights struggle, it becomes a voice of protest for musicians like bassist Charles Mingus, and saxophonist Archie Shepp. Before his death, the avant-garde explorer John Coltrane links jazz to the Sixties' quest for a higher consciousness, producing a best-seller with his devotional suite called “A Love Supreme.” Miles Davis, after conquering the avant-garde with a landmark group quintet, combines jazz with rock and roll. His use of electric instruments launches a wildly popular sound called Fusion.

In 1976, when Dexter Gordon returns from Europe for a triumphant comeback, jazz has a homecoming, too. Over the next two decades, a new generation of musicians emerges, led by trumpeter Wynton Marsalis -- schooled in the music’s traditions, skilled in the art of improvisation, and aflame with ideas only jazz can express.

The musical journey that began in the dance halls and street parades of New Orleans at the start of the 20th century continues. As it enters its second century, jazz is still brand new every night, still vibrant, still evolving, and still swinging.

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Latest comments

loopguru

Sat 10 January 2009, 23:01

Great to have any jazz programme, but very disappointed that the last fifty years or so only gets a single episode. The problem is that an American-centric view of jazz is inclined to ignore the amazing European jazz and jazz/electronica scene that has built up over the last 15 years. What would be brilliant is a programme that explored this as well.

Bill Davidson

Sun 11 January 2009, 00:20

This is the best programme on jazz that I have ever seen. More please!!

J Bishop

Mon 12 January 2009, 09:32

I watched thsi on BBC ages ago and was delighted to see it reprised on Sky Arts

Graham Clarke

Mon 12 January 2009, 17:12

A super programme. Really sets the scene for this great modern art form.

Derek Tickner

Mon 12 January 2009, 21:33

Sorry !!! just read Eric Speak’s comment above, and your answer to my enquiry about ‘Box Sets’ it is out there already.

Nigel Kemp

Thu 15 January 2009, 11:00

I have just found this site after e-mailing Hanna Fayaz but my comments are still the same. Utterly outstanding. As a swing and bee bob enthusiast it is gratifying to see Jazz being so well represented on this programe. More of the same.

Paulus B.L.

Thu 15 January 2009, 18:34

Having been a jazz muscian, an Agent, a writer and whatever else in Jazz since the 4Os, I am just pleased with anything at all that even smells like JAZZ ! Perhaps once or twice on TV in the middle of the night if I am lucky, but it happens very, very rarely. Its OK, because I am.. used to it, so my thanks go to SKY ! PLEASE KEEP IT GOING NOW BOYS ! THANKS. Paul

Sonia Ellington

Thu 15 January 2009, 18:37

One of the best Jazz documentaries I have seen on TV thank God for SKy + !! I can now watch it at my leisure

JOHN DEVEREUX

Fri 16 January 2009, 23:58

Outstanding documentary,totally absorbing.I have had so much pleasure from watching this.Thank you so much.

jean newton norfolk

Sat 17 January 2009, 13:07

What a wonderful series please can we have more swing and jazz

Abbassi

Sun 18 January 2009, 20:28

Thankyou Sky Arts for a wonerful documentary, please keep more documentarty like this coming .

Caroline

Sun 18 January 2009, 20:56

Just wonderful!

Scott Ryan

Sat 24 January 2009, 18:55

Great series - BUT in the 1935/37 edition - althought the late, great Artie Shaw appears in a commmentary role his wonderful music - for some CRAZY reason - does not!? If you want to know what jazz is all about listen to Artie Shaw’s last recordings from 1953/54. Absolutely wonderful! Also in the same edition Billie Holiday is described as the “GREATEST female singer in the history of jazz”! Yes, she’s great. But PLEASE...that title belongs to another fantastic singer. The greatest woman singer of the 20th century: Miss Ella Fitzgerald!

Patrick Taylor

Tue 17 February 2009, 16:24

Jazz-The Gift. Splendid! Too many talking heads,as usual these days, but this programme ameliorated that quite a bit by letting the music go on behind the talker - quite clear but without obscuring the words. Very clever.
BUT WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO RUN IT AGAIN - I MISSED EPISODE 4 . HOW LONG HAVE I GOT TO WAIT FOR IT?

Sari from Sky Arts

Fri 27 February 2009, 10:01

For those awaiting a repeat of this series, we are looking at repeating Jazz: The Gift later on in the year.

PacerB

Thu 6 August 2009, 21:26

When will this be running again?

Tubbyshaw

Wed 7 October 2009, 10:35

Great series - more jazz from the archives please especially from the modal and hard bop era. Mmmmm… nice!

David Corbett

Mon 12 October 2009, 10:20

I remember when this series was originally shown on the BBC, in fact it is a BBC co-production. It was shown late in the evening in irregular time slots. Ken Burns has made many definitive documentaries and this series is no exception. I bought the DVD Box Set when it first came out in 2001. At the time I think it cost about £60.00 but well worth the money. If you want a definitive history of Jazz, buy it or watch the series on Sky, but do not miss it.

Patrick Skinner

Fri 16 October 2009, 13:38

A truly wonderful series which might just bring the beautiful American art form, jazz, to new generations. Garry Giddins - marvellous! A series like this, great though it is, can only scratch at the surface of what jazz meant to the radio and disc listeners of the 30s and 40s - with many great musicians like Benny Carter, Coleman Hawkins and Rex Stewart missed out or hardly mentioned, and too much time, perhaps, given to Duke Ellington and Benny Goodman - but this is just an encouragement to search the web for the wealth of fantastic early and middle period jhazz that is available on disc or download. Repeat as often as you wish and, please, dig up and repeat more jazz footage - and don’t forget the Europeans!

steve perry

Sun 18 October 2009, 16:20

brilliant series.
for once i wish the credits could be shown at the end in verrry slow motion

Rod

Fri 3 December 2010, 15:35

When oh when will this wonderful series be repeated?

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Music

Jazz: The Gift

The genius of jazz music

John Coltrane

Sarah Vaughan

Wynton Marsalis

Minor Hall

Duke Ellington

Louis Armstrong

Chick Webb

Count Basie

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