1958 - JAZZ ON A SUMMER'S DAY, a documentary on the Newport Jazz Festival

The photographer Bert Stern filmed this concert during the Newport America's Cup yacht races. But probably the real star of the production was the editor Aram  Avakian who not only did an impressive job assembling it but had to sync up the sound that was recorded separately.

It's a good film but apparently Bert Stern the director didn't know a whole lot about jazz so he let the producer George Avakian select the acts that were filmed.  This led to some strange omissions.

Performers like Miles Davis, Dave Brubeck, Duke Ellington and Ray Charles were left out.  Instead we get a whole lot of Louis Armstrong and I mean a lot, being interviewed and playing what else, The Saints Go Marching In.

 

 

Still an impressive achievement even with the exclusion of some of the best jazz musicians who were performing at the festival.

 

Written by  Albert D'Annibale and Arnold Perl, the running time is 85 minutes.