KEEP ON KEEPIN ON In Memphis from November 7th - 13th Malco Studio on the Square Theater 2105 Court Avenue in Overton Square Sign up for free tickets and see a preview of the movie at https://docs.google/a/filmpresence/forms/d/1U7kETlrcDALhtNZr7Jy7lT5YPa9nhvjf36WC62WWPNk/viewform?edit_requested=true Shot over the course of five years by first time filmmaker Al Hicks, KEEP ON KEEPIN ON depicts the remarkable story of 93-year-old jazz legend Clark Terry. A living monument to the Golden Era of Jazz, Terry - a mentor to Miles Davis - is among the few performers ever to have played in both Count Basies and Duke Ellingtons bands. In the 1960s, he broke the color barrier as the first African-American staff musician at NBC - on The Tonight Show. Today, after a life spent working with and teaching the most totemic figures in jazz history, Terry continues to attract and cultivate budding talents. KEEP ON KEEPIN ON highlights his friendship with the preternaturally gifted Justin Kauflin, a blind, 23-year-old piano prodigy who suffers from debilitating stage fright. Not long after Kauflin is invited to compete in an elite Jazz competition, Terrys health takes a turn for the worse. As the clock ticks, we see two friends confront the toughest challenges of their lives. Kauflins work on the films score with composer Dave Grusin sets the tone for a story that spans decades, lifetimes and the entire history of modern Jazz, complete with firsthand anecdotes from Quincy Jones and Herbie Hancock. KEEP ON KEEPIN ON is a film crafted with great affection by Hicks - another former student of Terrys - a grace note for his teacher, infused with soulfulness and serendipity. Paula DuPre Pesmen (behind the Academy Award winning THE COVE and the Oscar nominated CHASING ICE) produced the film with seven time Academy Award nominee Quincy Jones who also counts Terry as his mentor. Quincy came on board as producer after walking into the film as one of its subjects, discovering Justins talent purely by chance during a visit at Clarks home. Magnificent! What a story. A profoundly moving, entertaining and life-enhancing experience. If you liked Searching For Sugar Man and 20 Feet From Stardom you should line up right now. Not just one of this years best documentaries, it is one of the years best pictures period. -- Pete Hammond/MovieLine
Posted on: Thu, 06 Nov 2014 20:39:28 +0000
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