Gezici Festival Brings Jazz to Cinema

Gezici Festival begins its 21st journey in Ankara on November 26.

In the festival this year there is "Jazz in Cinema" among prominent sections as well. Audience will witness adventures ranging from black musicians forced to stay behind screen to white actors and actresses painting their faces to black in these movies.

In Jazz in Cinema section, there are also short movies containing live performances and tour recordings, and two significant fiction movies focusing on musician characters.

Jazz Movies

Movies in this section are as follows:

Geç Kalan Hüzün (Too Late Blues) John Cassavates, 1961

Pete Kelly’nin Şarkıları (Pete Kelly's Blues) Jack Webb, 1955

Cab Calloway Söylüyor (Cab Calloway's Hi-De-Ho) Fred Waller, 1934

Black and Tan Fantasy Dudley Murphy, 1929

Ben Webster Avrupa’da (Big Ben: Ben Webster in Europe) Johanvan der Keuken, 1966

Begone Dull Care Norman McLaren, 1949

Yağmur Yağınca (When it Rains) Charles Burnett, 1995

In this section, Gjon Mili's Canlı Blues (Jammin' the Blues) directed in 1944 may also be seen.

The movies will be screened free of charge on November 29, Sunday. 

A special movie: Varieté

A preview at Gezici Festival will take place on December 2. A 1925-made silent movie Varieté by German director Ewald André Dupont will be screened accompanied by live music.

Musicians to accompany the movie which was restored this year with their performances are Stephen Horne and Frank Bockius.

Gezici Festival will be in Ankara at Çağdaş Sanatlar Merkezi (Modern Arts Center) on the dates between 26 November - 2 December, and in Bursa on December 4-7, and in Kastamonu on December 9-10. (YY/TK)

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