American Music DVD: New Orleans Jazzmen

The fourth and final American Music DVD (GHB Jazz Foundation) brings us so much mythically rare material that lovers of New Orleans jazz have been patiently waiting for it for more than four years. It is only thirty-two minutes long, but it includes ten different previously unissued film sequences dating from 1947 to 1986, some silent and some with sound, some in black and white and others in colour.

The most outstanding discovery is one of the only two known Bunk Johnson's appearances on film, shot in 1947 at the Chicago home of David and Marilyn Bell. The film shows Bunk in a wide variety of roles: apparently running wild for the camera, playing his trumpet, pouring whiskey into it, drinking whiskey, demonstrating trumpet playing to several young musicians, breaking a 78 rpm record and trying to play it on an old gramophone and finally feeding a large dog. It's silent footage, but the accompanying Bunk's American Music recordings fit really well.

Other highlights include Punch Miller playing at Preservation Hall in the 60s and demonstrating how dances were organized when he first moved to New Orleans from rural Louisiana in the 1920s, legend Fess Manetta playing several instruments at the same time, Kid Thomas band at the Top Top Club on the West Bank (1957) or Kid Howard's group recording for Music of New Orleans, Barry Martyn's label.

Treat yourself to spend twenty dollars on this DVD, and you'll never regret it!

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Los amantes del jazz de Nueva Orleans hemos estado esperando más de cuatro años por el cuarto y último DVD editado por el sello American Music (GHB Jazz Foundation), pero ha merecido la pena. En sólo 32 minutos se incluyen diez grabaciones míticas e inéditas, filmadas entre 1947 y 1986, algunas con sonido y otras no, algunas en blanco y negro y otras en color.

El mayor hallazgo es la inclusión de una de las dos únicas apariciones de Bunk Johnson en pantalla, grabada en 1947 en casa de David y Marilyn Bell en Chicago. Además, Punch Miller en concierto en Preservation Hall (años 60), el legendario Fess Manetta tocando varios instrumentos a la vez, la banda de Kid Thomas actuando en el Top Top Club (1957) o el grupo de Kid Howard grabando para el sello de Barry Martyn, Music of New Orleans.

Absolutamente recomendable para adictos al jazz de Nueva Orleans y otras especies raras de aficionados.