1985西德纪录片
RISING TONES CROSS
A Jazz Film by Ebba Jahn
FilmPals 1-2005
This 2 hour long film, which was originally shot in 16mm , is a documentary composition of new jazz, New York as the city that generates it, and the musicians playing it. The thoughts of the saxophonist Charles Gayle and the bass players William Parker and Peter Kowald from Germany accompany the film.
Filmed partly during the Sound Unity Festival in 1984, the precursor of the Annual Vision Festival in New York City, this film remains one of a kind until today.
Shown on German and Swiss public television after its premiere at the prestigious Intern. Film Festival Berlin, RISING TONES CROSS cruised through art theaters and jazz clubs in Germany. Now, 20 years later, it is shown at festivals and in class rooms worldwide.
Featured musicians include WILLIAM PARKER, JOHN ZORN, BILLY BANG, JEMEEL MOONDOC with bands, also PETER BRÖTZMANN and IRENE SCHWEIZER from Europe as well as the dancers PATRICIA NICHOLSON PARKER and MARIA MITCHELL.
This documentary film gives also a sense of CHARLES GAYLE'S hardships before he became the widely recorded musician he is today.
Some of the recorded artists have passed away too early, but their spirits live on. RISING TONES CROSS preserves some images and musical moments with DON CHERRY, CHARLES TYLER, FRANK WRIGHT, DENIS CHARLES, JEANNE LEE, WILBER MORRIS, and PETER KOWALD. Without KOWALD'S strong support on the production side, this documentary jazz film could not have been created.