TV/Film News

New Jazz Film: They Died Before 40

Published: 2010-01-30

Many people may have heard of Charlie Parker Charlie Parker
1920 - 1955
sax, alto , who died at 34. But others, such as Herschel Evans Herschel Evans
b.1909 , who died before reaching 30, are very little known and their stories untold. For example, Jo Jones Jo Jones
1911 - 1985
drums , drummer and an integral part of the Count Basie Count Basie
1904 - 1984
piano band for many years, has called Evans the greatest musician he ever played with. He said that Evans made everyone he played with better.

Who was this giant, what made him an important creative artist and why did he die so young? These are questions that this film will answer concerning Evans and many more. Also to be featured are Charlie Christian Charlie Christian
1916 - 1942
guitar, electric , Fats Waller Fats Waller
1904 - 1943
piano , Jimmy Blanton Jimmy Blanton
1918 - 1942
bass, acoustic , Bunny Berigan Bunny Berigan
1908 - 1942
trumpet , Clifford Brown Clifford Brown
1930 - 1956
trumpet , Chick Webb Chick Webb
1905 - 1939
drums and Chu Berry Chu Berry
1910 - 1941
sax, tenor .

Others to be included will be Bix Beiderbecke Bix Beiderbecke
1903 - 1931
cornet , Fats Navarro, Oscar Pettiford Oscar Pettiford
1922 - 1960
bass , Eric Dolphy Eric Dolphy
1928 - 1964
reeds , Paul Chambers Paul Chambers
1935 - 1969
bass, acoustic , Serge Chaloff Serge Chaloff
b.1923
sax, baritone , Sonny Berman Sonny Berman
b.1925 , Frank Teschemacher Frank Teschemacher
b.1906 , Lee Morgan Lee Morgan
1938 - 1972
trumpet and about a dozen more.

Through archival film footage, photographs, reminiscences and expert discourse we will learn more about these artists, develop an appreciation of their artistry and reveal how and why their careers were cut short.

This film will expand our cultural heritage for this internationally renowned art form.

The film will be produced and directed by Howard E. Fischer, an attorney who represented jazz musicians and arts organizations and was the founder of the New York Jazz Museum in 1972 and its Executive Director until 1977. He also produced, wrote and directed the acclaimed film The Holland Avenue Boys: A Success Story that appeared on over 50 PBS stations. Dan Morgenstern, Director of the Institute of Jazz Studies at Rutgers University, a renowned jazz historian, author, editor, and archivist active in the jazz field since 1958 will be a consultant to the project.

Financial participation is available and film footage, photographs plus any documents, contacts for family members, musicians and others who knew them are sought.

Contact:
Howard Fischer
155 West 72nd Street, #404
New York, NY 10023
212-579-0689

Visit Website