[Dixielandjazz] New Louis Armstrong Silent Movie

[Robert Ringwald]

This from Jon-Erik Kellso:


> Here's a trailer for the Louis silent film/Wynton band accompaniment:
>
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnO724V1B2s
> It looks and sounds like a lot of fun to me.
> The original music seems to fit what's happening on screen very well, IMHO.
> And Jelly Roll's Black Bottom Stomp is in there.
> My friend Andy Farber did the orchestrations, and is conducting the band
> in the upcoming showings/ performances.
> I'll letcha know what I think, I'm going to the show at the Apollo Theater
> in NYC.
> -Jon 



I asked him how he liked the film and here is his answer:


Oh yeah, I meant to let you all know what I thought of
the Louis movie with live accompaniment by Wynton and co.
Short answer--I loved it!
The movie itself was a fun and interesting mix of old and new.
It is a silent movie, sort of B & W, but not really, some color.
It had older elements, felt like a Chaplin era movie at times,
and at times was clearly of the modern era.
It is not a documentary, and isn't based entirely on true events,
it's a fantasy based loosely on Louis Armstrong as a child in New Orleans--partially,
and also focuses on some other characters in Storyville.
The story got a little corny at times, but it fit, to me, with the mood it was trying
to create.
It feels a bit like a fairy tale for adults. Hey, there's even some nudity--woohoo!
heheh.
The score Wynton and conductor/orchestrator Andy Farber put together for it worked
beautifully.
Really followed the action and moods on screen at any given moment.
There were some Jelly Roll Morton pieces, some by Wynton, a part of West End Blues,
some Ellington.... Purists might not like that some of the music was from later times,
as the movie is supposed to take place in 1907, or so. But this didn't bother me.
The song choices seemed very appropriate to me, enhanced the movie in an artful and
expressive way.
And the cats played their asses off! Wynton and Wycliffe Gordon were on fire.
There was a pianist named Cecile Licad who played some pieces by
Gottschalk that were more classical in style, but fit in beautifully.
The ensembles were very tight. When they played a slow Morton blues,
they really put some feeling into it, and it was exciting.
The loose plan seems to be that it will go on the road again some time next year,
taking it to many more cities, and maybe even abroad.
Maybe the Bolden movie will be out by late next year, too.
Please don't hate me for liking it, hehehe!
Jon



--Bob Ringwald
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