I managed to see this documentary on Netflix streaming. With lots of contributors it features Clark Terry, one of the more famous and revered trumpet players of all time, and an unknown, blind 20-something pianist, Justin Kauflin.
I am a trumpet player, I started in the 1950s, I knew of Clark Terry but didn't really know much about him. In this film he is already in his early 90s, still playing when he can, but battling progressive diabetes which eventually took his life in 2015 at the age of 94. What this film brings out is how positive he was and how generous he was, always willing to help mentor someone, even this young, blind pianist.
Young Justin has an uphill battle, from Virginia and moving to Manhattan to pursue his passion, he found out how difficult it is and had to move back with his parents. But when he got in with Clark Terry, "CT" as he called him, his fortunes began to change. The very first musician to seek out CT some 60 years earlier was Quincy Jones, who now as a music producer learned of Justin through CT, took him under his wing, brought him to the Montreaux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, and has kick-started his career.
Really a good film, very personal, very poignant.
I am a trumpet player, I started in the 1950s, I knew of Clark Terry but didn't really know much about him. In this film he is already in his early 90s, still playing when he can, but battling progressive diabetes which eventually took his life in 2015 at the age of 94. What this film brings out is how positive he was and how generous he was, always willing to help mentor someone, even this young, blind pianist.
Young Justin has an uphill battle, from Virginia and moving to Manhattan to pursue his passion, he found out how difficult it is and had to move back with his parents. But when he got in with Clark Terry, "CT" as he called him, his fortunes began to change. The very first musician to seek out CT some 60 years earlier was Quincy Jones, who now as a music producer learned of Justin through CT, took him under his wing, brought him to the Montreaux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, and has kick-started his career.
Really a good film, very personal, very poignant.