The contradictions between Black artists of the legendary New Orleans jazz scene and the white members of the populist dance orchestras lie in the very heart of the movie.īesides pianist Smoke Willoughby and jazz vocalist Jo Jordan (played by Doris Day), the femme fatale archetype Amy North (played by Lauren Bacall) enters the story. On the other hand, his work buddies do not want him to hang out with Art Hazzard and his band. He is hardly an easy going person though his passion for improvisation always gets him in trouble. We watch as Rick grows older in the hands of Hazzard, and assumes the form of Kirk Douglas.Īlthough he keeps dreaming on reaching to the highest and never heard note on the trumpet, he now has to find work in white orchestras in order to earn his keep. In a time when boundaries through colour drew sharp lines between people in the USA, Art Hazzard, a Black musician, hands the curious kid his first ever trumpet. The ravishing melodies he hears as he walks past jazz clubs makes him stick his head out the window and lead the way to change his life. Rick Martin’s story begins when he sees a trumpet in a pawn shop as a little child. Nevertheless, fictional trumpeter Rick Martin’s fights with gang leaders, his move from Chicago to New York and battle with alcoholism is quite familiar. The film -possibly due to concerns over box-office return- makes a very different ending for the story too. A “loose adaptation” suits as a better description.Īlthough Young Man with a Horn is inspired by Dorothy Baker’s 1938 biography of the same title, American jazz writer and academic Scott Yanow suggests that it does not reflect his life and uses biographical materials arbitrarily. That said, it is hard to categorise this film as a sheer biography. Young Man with a Horn’s story mainly centers on the life and music of Beiderbecke, who was one of the most inspiring virtuosos of the 1920’s alongside Louis Armstrong and Muggsy Spanier. Although the history of cinema is filled with biographies focusing on the unforgettables in jazz, Michael Curtiz’s Young Man with a Horn (1950), which has just turned to 70, holds a special position in this category as it marks the first time a big budget Hollywood movie tells the story of a musical genious whose personal life was surrounded by tragedies.Īmerican jazz cornetist, pianist, and composer Bix Beiderbecke rose to huge fame at an early age and passed away at the age of only 28, in 1931. Clint Eastwood’s Bird that stands in homage to the legendary Charlie Parker, Lady Sings the Blues where Diana Ross casts as Billie Holiday, Don Cheadle’s dream project Miles Ahead, Ray where Jamie Foxx won an Oscar with his performance. The Bix festival at Rhythm City is best accessed from 53 rd Street in Davenport, north on Elmore Avenue. It was named after the innovative cornetist – Davenport native Leon “Bix” Beiderbecke, still considered a top jazz artist. The Bix Jazz Society was formed in 1971 to honor and keep alive traditional jazz music from 1910-1930. Also, NOLA will play at Bix’s grave at Oakdale Cemetery in Davenport 10-11 a.m. The Chicago Cellar Boys will play Bix’s own horn at the Putnam Museum’s auditorium in Davenport from 3-4 p.m. There will be two free concerts during the event. Muller’s Trio includes musicians who play nine instruments. The Chicago Cellar Boys are best known for their Roaring 20s sound of joy and fun. Joe Smith and the Spicy Pickles will bring their Swing music in from Denver. The bands also include NOLA from Des Moines, which has played in Europe and jazz clubs in New York City and New Orleans. The Graystone Monarchs is led by Davenport drummer Josh Duffee. The Dave Bennett Quartet is led by a clarinetist who has played with the New York Pops Orchestra at Carnegie Hall. The New Orleans Night Owls is made up of seven players, three of whom lead their own bands. Musicians from all over the country comprise several of the bands. Bix is the longest-running music festival in the Quad Cities area. 4-6, at the Rhythm City Casino Resort Events Center, 7707 Elmore Ave., Davenport, at the juncture of Interstates 74 and 80.Įight professional bands and the Bix Youth Band will perform at five five-hour-long concerts. The 51 st Bix Beiderbecke Jazz Festival is set for Thursday through Saturday, Aug.
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