Overview
Common sense says you can't make a living in America playing avant-garde improvisational jazz. But Ken Vandermark does it anyway. Among musicians, Vandermark's work ethic is almost mythic. The Chicago reed player has released over 100 albums with nearly 40 ensembles, spends over eight months per year on the road, and lives every other waking moment composing, arranging, performing—and trying to discipline his two hyperactive canines. Though Vandermark was the recipient of a 1999 MacArthur genius grant, he still spends most of his life in smoky clubs and low-budget recording studios, hoping people will plunk down hard-earned cash to hear his wholly non-commercial music. Following the artful cinéma vérité style of the internationally acclaimed Sheriff (Work Series #1), Musician (Work Series #2) forgoes all interviews and voice-overs. It is a fly-on-the-wall time capsule that expertly captures every subtle sound and texture of this most American of art forms.
Director and cast
More films
Sweet and Lowdown (1999)
Comedy · Drama · Music · PG-13
In the 1930s, jazz guitarist Emmet Ray idolizes Django Reinhardt, faces gangsters and falls in love with a mute woman.
- Runtime
- 1h 35m
- Director
- Woody Allen
- Cast
- Sean Penn, Ben Duncan, Samantha Morton
High Society (1956)
Comedy · Music · Romance · Not Rated
With socialite Tracy Lord about to remarry, her ex-husband - with the help of a sympathetic reporter - has 48 hours to convince her that she really still loves him.
- Runtime
- 1h 52m
- Director
- Charles Walters
- Cast
- Bing Crosby, Grace Kelly, Frank Sinatra
New York, New York (1977)
Drama · Music · Romance · PG
An egotistical saxophone player and a young singer meet on V-J Day and embark upon a strained and rocky romance, even as their careers begin a long uphill climb.
- Runtime
- 2h 43m
- Director
- Martin Scorsese
- Cast
- Liza Minnelli, Robert De Niro, Lionel Stander
Zeitgeist: The Movie (2007)
Documentary · History · Not Rated
A documentary examining possible historical and modern conspiracies surrounding Christianity, the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and the Federal Reserve bank.
- Runtime
- 1h 58m
- Director
- Peter Joseph
- Cast
- Chögyam Trungpa, Jordan Maxwell, George Carlin
Zeitgeist: Addendum (2008)
Documentary · History · War · Not Rated
Director Peter Joseph examines examples of economic subjugation and offers solutions based on alignment with nature.
- Runtime
- 2h 3m
- Director
- Peter Joseph
- Cast
- Jacque Fresco, Roxanne Meadows, John Perkins
Underground (2007)
Action · Not Rated
In the UK suburbs, an underground tournament is set to challenge twelve fighters from different backgrounds to compete for the price of £500,000. They have been handpicked for a no-holds barred competition that will push each fighter to their limit. Each fighter has their own reason for competing, and each will give everything they've ...
- Runtime
- 1h 35m
- Director
- Chee Keong Cheung
- Cast
- Mark Strange, Nathan Lewis, Joey Ansah
Bodyguard: A New Beginning (2008)
Action · Drama · Thriller · R
Leung is the bodyguard of a Chinese Triad boss, Wong, to whom his loyalty is unrivaled. Living in Hong Kong, Wong requests that his bodyguard travel to the UK to protect a young British woman, whose true identity is known only by Wong himself. Even Wong's son, Yuen, is kept in the dark, which leads to a betrayal that threatens to destr...
- Runtime
- 1h 35m
- Director
- Chee Keong Cheung
- Cast
- Vincent Sze Cho-Lam, Richard Ng Yiu-Hon, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa
Comments
Talk about the film with other members