JAZZ & POETRY: CLASSIC DOCUMENTARIES
The Jazz & Poetry event at Cephas House on Saturday features Hank Hehmsoth on piano and Jacqueline Miller reading and improvising poetry. The both are fabulous artists, and this show is a great chance to see them collaborate live for the first time.
To prep for the event, I’d like to recommend a few terrific documentaries on creators Hank and Jacqueline will be featuring during their performance.
Hank is a huge Thelonious Monk fan, who recently performed at the Austin Jazz Society’s “MONK-ATHON” at Monks Jazz Club. “Straight No Chaser” is one of my favorite music documentaries. Viewers get a fly-on-the wall perspective of a classic Monk recording session.
In my interview with Jacqueline, she mentioned both Nikki Giovanni and Nina Simone as influences on her work. “Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project” and “What Happened, Miss Simone” are both excellent movies, delving into their creative work as well as their prominent roles in the Civil Rights Movement.
Don’t expect glossy career overviews. What makes these movies great is the honest depiction of these legends, including their personal struggles as well as their towering creative achievements.
