Jazz on a Summer's Day (1960)

Jazz on a Summer's Day, a timeless documentary, is a musical journey set against the charming backdrop of the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival. It unfurls with the opening sights of workers meticulously crafting the stage shell and a humble jalopy ferrying a Dixieland band through the quaint town, creating a harmony between the anticipation of music and the everyday idyll of Newport. The film masterfully interweaves the mesmerizing performances from the festival with the serene spectacle of Newport Harbor, Narragansett Bay, and the graceful ballet of white-sailed yachts participating in the 1958 America's Cup Trials. This juxtaposition paints a vivid tableau of peace, leisure, and the vibrant energy of jazz at a unique moment in time. As the day eases into night, the musical narrative shifts from the spontaneous creation of improvisational music to the soul-stirring rhythms of Gospel. It's not just a concert film, but a poetic exploration of the rhythm of life in Newport, captured through the lens of the legendary Bert Stern. In a creative twist, Stern, after reviewing over 100,000 feet of exposed negative color stock, realizes the need to capture the audience's reactions. Stern thus invites a select group of people, including jazz critic Martin Williams, to his studio. Seated on chairs and benches scattered across faux funeral grass, they watch a rough cut of the film, their reactions serving as an authentic echo of the festival's spectators, adding a touching layer of intimacy to this enchanting chronicle of jazz. Jazz on a Summer's Day is more than a documentary. It is a vibrant visual symphony that encapsulates a momentous summer day in 1958, immersing viewers in a captivating fusion of music, nature, and human emotion.

Jazz on a Summer's Day is a documentary movie featuring Patricia Bosworth and directed by Aram Avakian.

Jazz on a Summer's Day is currently streaming for free (ad-supported) on Kanopy, Plex and Plex Player and it's also available on GuideDoc.

It is also possible to buy Jazz on a Summer's Day on Amazon Video, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Kino Now, Vudu and YouTube.