IT MUST SCHWING! THE BLUE NOTE STORY
MASSACHUSETTS PREMIERE
In 1939 New York, two penniless German-Jewish refugees, Alfred Lion and Francis Wolff, founded the legendary Jazz label Blue Note. At a time when African American musicians faced discrimination and segregation, Lion and Wolff saw kindred sprits and treated Blue Note’s black artists as equals, recording and promoting Jazz greats like Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, and Thelonious Monk. Beautifully made by Eric Friedler and Oscar-winner Wim Wenders, this marvelous, schwinging documentary features an incomparable soundtrack of brilliant Jazz, style-defining archival photos and graphics (Wolff was also a photographer), moving interviews, and handsome animation.
“It Must Schwing! is the most elaborate, visually brilliant and unexpected documentary on the topic…
A cinematic, historical, socio-political and acoustic masterpiece.” —Radio Brandenburg Berlin
“A unique and intimate look at the most exciting era in Jazz…Impressive!” —Rolling Stone
“An exciting film of high cinematic quality. An emotionally thrilling and also brilliant monument to jazz music, to a legendary record label and to a lifetime friendship.“ —DFM Radio Germany
“A Gesamtkunstwerk (“total work of art”). Totally breathes new life into their work.“ —Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
Dir: Eric Friedler | Germany | 2018 | 113m | English and German w/ English subtitles
PARTNERS: Jewish Arts Collaborative; Goethe-Institut Boston; German Consulate General in Boston
Watch The Trailer
Wednesday, May 8, 7:45 pm
Coolidge Corner Theatre
SCREENING COMPLETED
Saturday, May 11, 12:30 pm
Museum of Fine Arts (Remis)
SCREENING COMPLETED
Photo: Hank Mobley & Alfred Lion
©NDR/Studio Hamburg Enterprises