Jazz Films and Videos
We invite you to learn about jazz legends, styles, and history. Watch them all or choose a few favorites and immerse yourself in the world of jazz!
Films
Check out some of our favorite Jazz films, music videos, and past performances below. Choose a few or watch them all!
| Title | Summary | Watch | Trailer |
| The Jazz Ambassadors | The Cold War and civil rights collide in this remarkable story of music, diplomacy and race. Beginning in 1955, when America asked its greatest jazz artists to travel the world as cultural ambassadors, Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie, Duke Ellington and their racially diverse band members faced a painful dilemma: How could they represent a country that still practiced Jim Crow segregation? | Watch | Trailer |
| Blue Note Records: Beyond the Notes | A revelatory, thrilling and emotional journey behind the scenes of Blue Note Records, the pioneering label that gave voice to some of the finest jazz artists of the 20th and 21st centuries. | Watch | Trailer |
| Buena Vista Social Club | Aging Cuban musicians whose talents had been virtually forgotten following Castro's takeover of Cuba, are brought out of retirement by Ry Cooder, who travelled to Havana in order to bring the musicians together, resulting in triumphant performances of extraordinary music, and resurrecting the musicians' careers. | Watch | Trailer |
| Born to be Blue | A re-imagining of jazz legend Chet Baker's musical comeback in the late '60s. | Watch | Trailer |
| Miles Davis: The Birth of the Cool | Discover the man behind the legend. With full access to the Miles Davis Estate, the film features never-before-seen footage, including studio outtakes from his recording sessions, rare photos and new interviews. | Watch | Trailer |
| Cabin in the Sky | Cabin in the Sky is a 1943 American musical film based on the 1940 Broadway musical of the same name. The first feature film directed Vincente Minnelli, Cabin in the Sky features an all-black cast and stars Ethel Waters, Eddie "Rochester" Anderson and Lena Horne. Waters and Rex Ingram respire their roles from the Broadway production as Petunia and Lucifer Junior. Louis Armstrong is also featured in the film and Duke Ellington and his Orchestra have a showcase musical number. | Watch | Trailer |
| A Great Day in Harlem | A Great Day in Harlem 1958 is a black and white group portrait of 57 jazz musicians photographed on a street in Harlem, New York City. Art Kane, a freelance photographer took the picture on August 12, 1958 as the musicians had gathered in Harlem. Jean Bach, a radio producer of New York, recounted the story behind it in her 1994 documentary film, A Great Day in Harlem. | Watch | |
| The History of Concord Jazz | History of the Concord Jazz festival in honor of the 50th Anniversary of the festival. | Watch | |
| Concord's Music and Market Series | Footage from Concord’s Music and Market series at Todos Santos Plaza. Music and Market featured local bands from all over the Bay Area for a diverse live music experience. Footage includes performances by: Andre Thierry, David La Flamme, Dan Ashley, Purple Haze, Annie Sampson, and Caravanserai. | Andre Thierry, David La Flamme, Dan Ashley, Purple Haze, Annie Sampson, and Caravanserai | |
| Dave Brubeck Music Videos | Music videos from Concord jazz artist, David Brubeck, including his most famous hit, “Take Five”. | Take Five and Blue Rondo à la Turk | |
| NEA Jazz Masters Awards | A virtual event featuring a live Q&A from the NEA Jazz Masters honorees and Randall Kline post stream. | Watch | |
| A Child's Introduction to Jazz | Basic introduction to Jazz narrated by Cannonball Adderley and featuring Louis Armstrong, Fats Waller, Thelonious Monk etc. | Watch | |
| Java & Jazz Speaker Series with Matt Zebley | Dr. Matthew Zebley spoke for the Concord Historical Society and shared a deep look on the history of Jazz and background on Dave Brubeck. Live performance included! | Watch | |
| Java & Jazz Speaker Series with Ellen Herdegen and Jay Bedecarre | Ellen Herdegen and Jay Bedecarré tell tales of the Concord Jazz Festival from its beginnings in Concord Blvd. Neighborhood Park to inspiring the construction of the Concord Pavilion. Ellen worked on the inaugural Concord Summer Music Festival in 1969 and continued to be part of the production for 20 years. Both share insightful experiences and anecdotes from the Festival and the Pavilion. | Watch |
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