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Documentary Cult Classic

A vibrant concert film capturing the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival in colorful, sunlit style.

JAZZ ON A SUMMER'S DAY

...love on a summer's night!

1960 · 1h 22m · NR · Documentary · IMDB TMDB

Set at the Newport jazz festival in 1958, this documentary mixes images of water and the town with performers and audience. The film progresses from day to night and from improvisational music to Gospel. It's a concert film that suggests peace and leisure, jazz at a particular time and place.

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Quick Answer

What is Jazz on a Summer's Day about?

Jazz on a Summer's Day is a 1960 United States documentary directed by Bert Stern and Aram Avakian about the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival, blending live performances with scenes of Newport and its harbor.

Programmer's Pick

Where else can you watch Louis Armstrong, Mahalia Jackson, and Chuck Berry share the same stage as the sea breeze drifts through Newport? Jazz on a Summer's Day is less a documentary than an effortless hang, sun-dappled and swinging from start to finish.

— SassyFlix Programmer

Overview

Jazz on a Summer's Day transports viewers to the Newport Jazz Festival of 1958, fusing electric performances from jazz legends with the tranquil visuals of Newport, Rhode Island. The film opens with workers preparing the stage and a Dixieland band rolling through town, setting a relaxed, summery tone that persists throughout. Musical numbers are interspersed with shots of Newport Harbor and America's Cup yachts, capturing the unique atmosphere of the event and the town itself. As the film moves from day into night and from improvisational jazz to gospel, it paints a portrait not just of a concert, but of American culture at a particular moment in time.

Details & Specs

Directors
Bert Stern, Aram Avakian
Writers
Albert D'Annibale, Arnold Perl
Release
1960
Runtime
1h 22m
Country
United States of America
Language
English
Genres
Documentary
Also Known As
Festival i jazz

Why This Matters

This film documents the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival with performances by major jazz figures such as Thelonious Monk, Louis Armstrong, Mahalia Jackson, and Chuck Berry, blending concert footage with scenes of the America's Cup yacht races and Newport's atmosphere.
— SassyFlix Curator

Cast & Crew

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Directors: Bert Stern +1 more Writers: Albert D'Annibale +1 more
Louis Armstrong Louis Armstrong Self Mahalia Jackson Mahalia Jackson Self Gerry Mulligan Gerry Mulligan Self Dinah Washington Dinah Washington Self Chico Hamilton Chico Hamilton Self Anita O'Day Anita O'Day Self GS George Shearing Self JG Jimmy Giuffre Self Chuck Berry Chuck Berry Self JT Jack Teagarden Self Thelonious Monk Thelonious Monk Self BM Big Maybelle Self SS Sonny Stitt Self EC Eli's Chosen Six Self David Bailie David Bailie Self DB Danny Barcelona Self BB Bob Brookmeyer Self BC Buck Clayton Self BC Bill Crow Self Eric Dolphy Eric Dolphy Self AF Art Farmer Self HG Harold Gaylor Self NG Nathan Gershman Self TG Terri Gibbs Self UG Urbie Green Self HG Henry Grimes Self Jim Hall Jim Hall Self PH Peanuts Hucko Self Jo Jones Jo Jones Self RM Ray Mosca Self AP Armando Peraza Self Max Roach Max Roach Self RR Rudy Rutherford Self SS Sal Salvador Self WC Willis Conover Interviewer PB Patricia Bosworth Woman in Audience (uncredited)

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Why Cult

Live Jazz Legends

Catch iconic performers like Louis Armstrong, Thelonious Monk, Mahalia Jackson, and Dinah Washington in concert, captured at their creative peak.

Newport Harbor Vistas

The film pairs its music with striking visuals of Newport Harbor, Narragansett Bay, and the white sails of America's Cup yachts.

Concert Film Craft

Director Bert Stern’s inventive approach includes restaged audience shots and a clever mix of candid festival moments.

Slice of 1950s America

Experience a uniquely peaceful, leisurely vibe that reflects the American cultural landscape of the late 1950s.

Scene Gallery

Questions from the Vault

When was Jazz on a Summer's Day released? +

Jazz on a Summer's Day was released in 1960.

Who directed Jazz on a Summer's Day? +

Jazz on a Summer's Day was directed by Bert Stern and Aram Avakian.

How long is Jazz on a Summer's Day? +

The runtime of Jazz on a Summer's Day is 82 minutes.

What genre is Jazz on a Summer's Day? +

Jazz on a Summer's Day is a documentary.

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