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Icons Among Us: Jazz in the Present Tense - Four-Part Documentary

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Four-Part Jazz Documentary Explores Contemporary Jazz Luminaries Including Herbie Hancock, Terence Blanchard, Jason Moran, The Bad Plus

The Documentary Channel Exclusive Premiere Of All Four Episodes Begins April 20

Episode One Premieres April 15 at Jazz At Lincoln Center

Paradigm Studio partners with Don Q Rum in association with Rums of Puerto Rico to present Icons Among Us: jazz in the present tense. The four-part documentary film series examines the world of contemporary jazz looking at today's brightest talent. Featuring live footage and interviews, the films include many current jazz icons including The Bad Plus, Terence Blanchard, Jason Moran, the Benevento/Russo Duo, Robert Glasper, Charlie Hunter, Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band, Dirty Dozen Brass Band and Medeski Martin and Wood. The films also feature these performers' legendary predecessors and influences including Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter and Wynton Marsalis. The Documentary Channel will telecast the Icons Among Us series on four consecutive Mondays at 9 P.M. ET/PT beginning April 20 following its world premiere at Jazz at Lincoln Center on April 15.



Executive Producer John W. Comerford 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. Presented in four movements, Icons Among Us premiers with “A Quiet Revolution," directly challenging perceptions of what jazz is and what it is becoming by examining its innovative new voices as well as their influential forebears. Subsequent movements 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. Through the years the two continued to cross paths and eventually Comerford pitched the idea of a Don Q sponsorship for Icons Among Us. Serralles, having returned to the family distillery to initiate an innovative wastewater to energy project, was also helping develop a marketing strategy for Don Q's penetration into the U.S. marketplace and saw great parallels between the core story within Icons Among Us and the story of Don Q Rum. The Icons project presents a perfect scenario to host the launch of the Don Q brand within the context of an innovative and cutting-edge musical experience.

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 will be telecast on The Documentary Channel, the USA's first 24-hour television network exclusively devoted to documentary films and the independent documentary filmmaker, providing viewers with round-the-clock opportunities to see fascinating, eclectic and award-winning documentary films of all lengths and genres. DOC was founded by Oscar- nominated and Emmy-winning documentary filmmaker Tom Neff (CEO) in January 2006. DOC now reaches over 21 million homes nationwide via DISH Network (Channel 197) and several broadcast stations in major television markets, including NYC TV (Channel 25) throughout the greater New York metropolitan area. Telecast details can be found at documentarychannel.com.

Icons Among Us: jazz in the present tense
A four-part film series sponsored by Don Q Premium Rum
in association with Rums of Puerto Rico
presented by The Documentary Channel

Production Co.: Paradigm Studio
Executive Producer: John W. Comerford
Co-Director: Michael Rivoira
Co-Director/Cinematographer: Lars Larson
Co-Director/Editor: Peter J. Vogt
Co-Producer: Theo Ianuly
Production Manager/Associate Producer: B. Dahlia
Additional Camera Operators: Pete Vogt, John Comerford, Jonathan Houser, Ryan Purcell, James K. Henley, Kyle Carver, Doug Hostedder, Mike Prevett, Trevor Wierson, Audio Recording Engineers: B Dahlia, John Comerford, Michael Rivoira, Chris Chappell, Trevor Wierson, Thomas Bell
Lead Editor: Kristian Hill
Associate Editor: David Llama
Assistant Editor: Kyle Richardson
Post Production Services: Modern Digital, Seattle, Washington
Sound Designer: Dave Pellicciaro, Lucky Devil Sound
Music Supervisor/Tour Consultant: Charles Raggio
Graphic Designers: Harold Mullen/Hapnin Design, Laurel Huggins
Title design by FAD
Transcriber: Andrea Valesko

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