Jazz the weekend away @ the Aero

Dance · Film · Music
cab_calloway_jazz_on_spring_day stormy_weather
Jazz on a Spring Day Stormy Weather

Jazz’s greatest artists in vintage shorts, digitally restored by the Cohen Film Collection. Includes: “Symphony in Black: A Rhapsody of Negro Life” with Duke Ellington and Billie Holiday; “A Rhapsody in Black and Blue” with Louis Armstrong; “St. Louis Blues” with Bessie Smith; “Cab Calloway’s Hi-De-Ho”; “A Bundle of Blues” with Duke Ellington; “(Paramount Presents) Hoagy Carmichael”; “Artie Shaw’s Class in Swing”; “Jazz à la Cuba” with The Don Aspiazu Orchestra; and “Black and Tan Fantasy” with Duke Ellington.

Life of Bill “Bojangles” Robinson provided loose inspiration for this classic musical. He stars as WWI vet hoping to make it big as a dancer and win the heart of singer Selina Rogers (Lena Horne). This revue was among the first major studio features with predominantly African-American cast. Showcases iconic performances by Cab Calloway, Fats Waller and the Nicholas Brothers, whose “Jumpin’ Jive” sequence was described by Fred Astaire as the greatest movie musical.

A big round-up of jazz movies on offer this weekend at the Aero all looks tremendous — I like Sunday’s double bill devoted to Cuban jazz — but a particular shout-out to the dance evening Friday Sept 21 hosted by Rusty Frank, tap dancer and author of TAP! The Greatest Tap Dance Stars and Their Stories 1900-1955 on tap dance in film.

Jazz on Film | American Cinematheque | Aero Theatre | all weekend 

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