Mar 30, 2026 10:30 PM
Flea Finds His Jazz Thing
In the relatively small pantheon of certifiable rock stars venturing into the intersection of pop music and jazz, the…
On Saturday, trumpeter Terence Blanchard and director Michael Murphy are set for an online chat around Up From the Streets: New Orleans: City of Music.
(Photo: Eagle Rock Entertainment)Up From the Streets: New Orleans: City of Music, a documentary that explores the inexorable link between the Big Easy and definitive musical exhortations, likely won’t be in proper theaters any time soon. So, a raft of streaming opportunities are being presented beginning Thursday.
Dozens of theaters across the country will be hosting the streams online for $12, and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation’s Jazz & Heritage Music Relief Fund.
In the film, the influence of performers like Louis Armstrong, Fats Domino, Allen Toussaint and Dr. John are interspersed with commentary from luminaries like Branford and Wynton Marsalis, Harry Connick Jr. and Dr. Michael White. Robert Plant, Keith Richards, Bonnie Raitt and Sting also crop up.
On Saturday, trumpeter Terence Blanchard and the film’s director, Michael Murphy, are set for an online chat, and additional online screenings are planned for Monday.
For some other jazz film recommendations, take a look at the round-ups DownBeat previously has compiled: Vol. 1, Vol. 2, Vol. 3. DB
“Cerebral and academic thought is a different way to approach music,” Flea says of his continuing dive into jazz. “I’ve always relied on emotion and intuition and physicality.”
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