Jazz (2001–2001)
pbs documentaries
Plot
Jazz is a ten part series that explores the evolution – and the genius – of America’s greatest original art form, focusing on the extraordinary men and women who could do something remarkable – create art on the spot. Jazz celebrates their profoundly enduring, endlessly varied, and infinitely alluring music in the context of the complicated country that gave birth to and influenced it, and was in turn transformed by it.
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Highest-rated episodes all ranked
- 01
The Gift: 1917-1924How can one explain the genius of a Louis Armstrong or Duke Ellington? Blessed with skill and talent far exceeding their peers, one can only define what they possess as a gift from the gods. These early portraits are imperative, because both figures have been so canonized that it is easy to forget the significance of their gifts. - 02
The Adventure: 1956-1960Critics who had believed that Charlie Parker was "too much" musically, could not have welcomed the arrival of Ornette Coleman. Coleman and John Coltrane would edge jazz toward even more freedom, eventually dropping all traditional structures. While these artists alienated many listeners, Miles Davis would record the most popular jazz album of all time, Kind of Blue. - 03
Gumbo: Beginnings to 1917"Gumbo" traces the roots of jazz from the 1800s to 1917. The viewer will catch glimpses of Jelly Roll Morton, who erroneously claimed to have invented jazz, and the tragic, though influential, figure of trumpeter Buddy Bolden.
Episodes by season
Season01
- S01E01Gumbo: Beginnings to 1917January 9, 2001"Gumbo" traces the roots of jazz from the 1800s to 1917. The viewer will catch glimpses of Jelly Roll Morton, who erroneously claimed to hav
- S01E02Season's bestThe Gift: 1917-1924January 9, 2001How can one explain the genius of a Louis Armstrong or Duke Ellington? Blessed with skill and talent far exceeding their peers, one can only
- S01E03
Our Language: 1924 -1929January 10, 2001Colorful characters like the tragic Bix Beiderbecke, powerhouse Bessie Smith, and the braggart Jelly Roll Morton, make the study of jazz fas - S01E04
The True Welcome: 1929-1934January 15, 2001"The True Welcome" continues many of the stories begun in Episode 3, following several troubling years for Louis Armstrong (who was arrested - S01E05
Swing: Pure Pleasure - 1935-1937January 17, 20011935 was the year that swing became the most popular music in the country and that the king of swing, Benny Goodman, became a matinee idol. - S01E06
Swing: The Velocity of Celebration - 1937-1939January 22, 2001Swing would be reacquainted with its blues roots by way of Kansas City, when Count Basie and the Barons of Rhythm brought their hot sound to - S01E07
Dedicated to Chaos: 1940-1945January 23, 2001"Dedicated to Chaos" finds jazz musicians teetering on the brink of the modern era, fighting against the straightjacket of clichéd, big band - S01E08
Risk: 1945-1955January 24, 2001The bop revolution’s influence would spread to other musicians, but unlike swing, it would never become a popular music. The rapid-fire solo - S01E09The Adventure: 1956-1960January 29, 2001Critics who had believed that Charlie Parker was "too much" musically, could not have welcomed the arrival of Ornette Coleman. Coleman and J
- S01E10
A Masterpiece by Midnight: 1960 to the PresentJanuary 31, 2001Obviously Ken Burns knows that he can’t fit the last thirty-nine years of jazz history onto two hours of video tape, so from the outset, tha
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