New Film Features Footage Of Bird, Hawk

  I  

Eagle Vision has released Improvisation, a Norman Granz film that includes rare footage of saxophonists Charlie Parker and Coleman Hawkins, as well as other jazz legends.

The 2-DVD package contains more than four hours of performances, interviews and commentary, rounded out by Granz’s Oscar-nominated short, Jammin’ The Blues.

Following the success of Jammin’, Granz put together footage in 1950 for a followup film, including a rare jam session with Bird, Hawkins, drummer Buddy Rich, pianist Hank Jones and bassist Ray Brown. The work was never released, but Granz recently combined the material with performances he recorded throughout the ‘60s and ‘70s for this DVD.

Click here for more details.



  • Al_Foster_Marketing.jpg

    Foster was truly a drummer to the stars, including Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins and Joe Henderson.

  • unnamed.jpg

    Roscoe Mitchell will receive a Lifetime Achievement award at this year’s Vision Festival.

  • kZYVcIag_copy.jpg

    Benny Benack III and his quartet took the Midwest Jazz Collective’s route for a test run this spring.

  • Theo_Croker_by_Bruno_Baretto.jpg

    To record Dream Manifest (Dom Recs), Croker convened artists from his current and recent past ensembles, plus special guests.

  • Kandace_Springs_by_Eli_Sethna_copy.jpg

    “There’s nothing quite like it,” Springs says of working with an orchestra. “It’s 60 people working in harmony in the moment. Singing with them is kind of empowering but also humbling at the same time.”


On Sale Now
August 2025
Anthony Braxton
Look Inside
Subscribe
Print | Digital | iPad