Oct 28, 2025 10:47 AM
In Memoriam: Jack DeJohnette, 1942–2025
Jack DeJohnette, a bold and resourceful drummer and NEA Jazz Master who forged a unique vocabulary on the kit over his…
Ethan Hawke stars as Chet Baker in the film Born to be Blue.
(Photo: Caitlin Cronenberg)Fans of jazz trumpet and cinema will have plenty to chew on in the coming weeks as two of the most iconic figures in jazz history will be portrayed on the silver screen. Born to be Blue, which stars Ethan Hawke as Chet Baker, will open in theaters on March 25, and Miles Ahead, which stars Don Cheadle as Miles Davis, opens in New York and Los Angeles April 1, with a wider release in the weeks following.
Hawke will visit the 92Y in New York City on March 17 to promote his movie. Following a preview screening of Born to be Blue, Hawke will discuss the film and his career with 92Y Reel Pieces moderator Annette Insdorf.
As part of the SXSW festival in Austin, Texas, there will be two screenings of Miles Ahead: one on March 16 at the Paramount Theatre and another on March 19 at the Stateside Theatre.
Cheadle (who co-wrote the screenplay and directed the film) will participate in a panel discussion about the movie on March 17 at 12:30 p.m. at the Austin Convention Center.
Other participating panelists will be keyboardist Robert Glasper (who scored the film and is producing a forthcoming Miles Davis remix project); Erin Davis (Miles Davis Estate, executive producer of Miles Ahead); Vince Wilburn, Jr. (Miles Davis Estate, producer of Miles Ahead); Skip Lievsay (Oscar-winning supervising sound editor, re-recording mixer and sound designer); and Keyon Harrold (a Grammy-winning trumpeter who is featured on the film’s soundtrack). The panel will be moderated by Felix Contreras (NPR host, Alt-Latino).
Click below to see previews of each film, including a scene from Born to be Blue in which actor Kedar Brown portrays Davis.
Jack DeJohnette boasted a musical resume that was as long as it was fearsome.
Oct 28, 2025 10:47 AM
Jack DeJohnette, a bold and resourceful drummer and NEA Jazz Master who forged a unique vocabulary on the kit over his…
“I’ve told students, ‘I don’t mind if you use AI for this or that project,’” says MIT’s Pascal Le Boeuf. “‘But you need to tell me.’”
Sep 18, 2025 11:14 AM
A standard joke when it comes to discussing artificial intelligence, or AI, is that it’s developing so rapidly that…
Chuck Manning Works for NASA … and plays jazz.
Sep 18, 2025 11:23 AM
Congratulations! After years of study, you’ve earned your degree in jazz performance. But let’s face it: Making a…
Always a sharp dresser, Farnsworth wears a pocket square given to him by trumpeter Art Farmer. “You need to look good if you want to hang around me,” Farmer told him.
Sep 23, 2025 11:12 AM
When he was 12 years old, the hard-swinging veteran drummer Joe Farnsworth had a fateful encounter with his idol Max…
“Make time and energy to meet people and make friends,” suggests Millie Ahearn, a student at DePaul University.
Sep 18, 2025 11:32 AM
For many students, the transition into a collegiate jazz program can feel overwhelming — new peers, unfamiliar…