“Sophie Huber's consistently fascinating documentary about Blue Note Records leaves you wishing only one thing: it should have been longer.” – Frank Scheck, Hollywood Reporter
“Even if jazz is not your thing, Huber's rich musical history of its preeminent label is something to sink into.” – Laura Clifford, Reeling Reviews
Through rare archival footage, current recording sessions and conversations with Blue Note artists, the film reveals a powerful mission and illuminates the vital connections between jazz and hip hop. One of the most important record labels in the history of jazz — and, by extension, that of American music — Blue Note Records has been home to such groundbreaking artists as Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk, John Coltrane, Bud Powell and Art Blakey, as well as present-day luminaries like Robert Glasper, Ambrose Akinmusire and Norah Jones. Founded in New York in 1939 by German Jewish refugees Alfred Lion and Francis Wolff, the history of Blue Note Records goes beyond the landmark recordings, encompassing the pursuit of musical freedom, the conflict between art and commerce and the idea of music as a transformative and revolutionary force.
Awards: 4 Wins, 10 Nominations
Nominee, Audience Award, Amsterdam International Documentary Film Festival, 2018
Nominee, Audience Award – Best Documentary, Cork International Film Festival, 2018
Nominee, John Schlesinger Award, Palm Springs International Film Festival, 2019
Winner, Programmers Award – Documentary, Pan African Film Festival, 2019
Nominee, Audience Award – Best Documentary, Sheffield International Documentary Festival, 2018
Nominee, Audience Award – Documentary, Tribeca Film Festival, 2018
Tickets are available here online, or at the Uptown Theatre on the day of screening. Box office opens 1 hour before showtime.
Reel Stories is sponsored by Busch Systems, Digital Giants, Michael & Marion’s, Netgain, Plumbtech Plumbing, Stewart Esten LLP, Ingrid and John Van Der Marel.