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Icons Among Us: Jazz in the Present Tense DVD & VOD Release Due May 11

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Theatrical Length Documentary Explores Contemporary Jazz Luminaries Including Herbie Hancock, Terence Blanchard, Ravi Coltrane, Esperanza Spalding & Bill Frisell

“[Icons] depicts jazz as a living, breathing and ever-evolving musical art form, and above all, exposes more people to some of the best jazz artists around today." --NPR Music

“Provocative" --Los Angeles Times

After successful theatrical-length festival screenings at the AFI Fest, Seattle International Film Festival and Mill Valley Film Festival among others, Icons Among Us: jazz in the present tense is slated for its DVD and Video On Demand release May 11 via IndiePix Films and FilmBuff. Crafted from the fourpart series continually airing on the Documentary Channel, the documentary feature film examines the world of modern day jazz through the eyes of today's brightest talent. It is produced by Paradigm Studio and sponsored by Don Q Rum. Featuring live footage and interviews, the film includes many current jazz icons including Nicholas Payton, Terence Blanchard, Bill Frisell, Ravi Coltrane, Esperanza Spalding, Robert Glasper, the Benevento/Russo Duo, Matthew Shipp, Brian Blade & the Fellowship Band, the Dirty Dozen Brass Band and Medeski Martin and Wood. The film also features these performers' legendary predecessors and influences including Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Dianne Reeves and Wynton Marsalis. The Huffington Post calls the film “a celebration of the roots of the creative process," while the St. Louis Post-Dispatch hails the film as “an exhilarating look at jazz right now."

Along with the upcoming DVD/VOD release of the feature length film, Icons Among Us is scheduling to screen globally in China, Europe, Africa and South America as part of the American Film Institute's Project: 20/20. It has previously screened as an event and on the film festival circuit in markets including New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Atlanta, Miami, Seattle, St. Louis, Minneapolis and Portland, Oregon.

Recently completed or upcoming screening events:
  • The Berklee College of Music; Boston, MA; April 1

  • The Smithsonian Institution with a jam session featuring the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra followed by Greg Osby & Jason Moran Duo; Washington, DC; April 7

  • AFI Project: 20/20 at JAZZAlive at Felix E. Grant Jazz Archives; Washington, DC; April 8

  • The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival's Sync Up Conference; New Orleans, LA; April 29 Additionally, the full four-part television series which originally aired on the Documentary Channel

  • Hailed by All About Jazz as “without a doubt the best series on jazz that's ever been produced"--will be screened in its entirety at the 53rd Annual Monterey Jazz Festival (September 18 & 19).
Producer John W. Comerford and co-directors Michael Rivoira, Lars Larson and Peter J. Vogt fashioned Icons Among Us from seven years of interviews with over 75 living jazz artists in high definition and over 25 hours of live performances recorded on super sixteen millimeter film in popular venues across the U.S. and Europe.

Icons Among Us begins by directly challenging perceptions of what jazz is and what it is becoming by examining its innovative new voices as well as their influential forebears. The film goes on to explore a vast array of topics including the contemporary take on straight ahead and free jazz, the migration of jazz to Europe and jazz's expansion beyond its own boundaries into other musical genres including hip-hop and rock.

Don Q Rum's participation and sponsorship of the documentary series can trace its roots back to a chance meeting 25 years ago at a concert. Roberto Serralles, of the family Destilera Serralls, and John Comerford were introduced by mutual friends who all shared a deep passion for music and the two soon became friends themselves. Serralles, a 6th-generation rum maker, left the family distillery in Puerto Rico and received a doctorate in environmental science at the University of Oregon. Meanwhile, Comerford--a member of the Board of Directors for the Seattle International Film Festival and winner of Italy's Giffoni Film Festival's Rear Window Golden Griffon Prize--went on to pursue his love of filmmaking and music professionally after receiving a dual degree in Psychology & Film Studies at The University of Colorado at Boulder where he studied with experimental filmmaker Stan Brakhage and documentarian Jerry Aronson.

Founded in 1865 in Ponce, Puerto Rico, Destilera Serralles is a family owned and operated rum distillery that through six generations of master craftsmanship has produced high quality and innovative premium Puerto Rican Rum. Currently, Destilera Serralles, Inc. is a leading manufacturer responsible for producing over half of all the rum sold in the island. Its flagship brand, Don Q, is considered one of the finest rums produced in the world, a reputation validated by numerous accolades received over the years in some of the world's most prestigious spirits competitions.

Icons Among Us: jazz in the present tense
A feature film sponsored by Don Q Premium Rum

  • Co-Directed by Michael Rivoira, Lars Larson & Peter J. Vogt
  • Story by Peter J. Vogt, Kristian R. Hill, & Michael Rivoira
  • Production Co.: Paradigm Studio
  • Producer: John W. Comerford
  • Co-Producer: Theo Ianuly
  • Associate Producer: B Dahlia
  • Director of Photography: Lars Larson
  • Editor: Kristian R. Hill
  • Title design by David Llama
  • Post Production Sound: David Pellicciaro, Lucky Devil Sound
  • Music Supervisor: Charles Raggio
  • Production Manager: B Dahlia
  • Associate Editor: David Llama
  • Post Supervisor: Kyle Richardson
  • Color-Correction: Tim Maffia
Available at shop.allaboutjazz.com

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All About Jazz Coverage of Icons Among Us

Episode One: The Quiet Revolution

Episode Two: 12 Notes in Real Time

Episode Three: In the Spirit of Family

Episode Four: Everything Everywhere



The Making of Icons Among Us: Jazz in the Present Tense

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