Synopsis

One day in August 1958, 57 of the most influential jazz musicians of the time gathered on a street in Harlem, New York—among them Count Basie, Sonny Rollins, Horace Silver, Lester Young, Coleman Hawkins, Art Farmer, and Gerry Mulligan. The gathering was so star-studded that even the musicians themselves were surprised by the turnout. Photographer Art Kane captured the moment in a single iconic image. The photograph was taken for a special issue of *Esquire* magazine titled “The Golden Age of Jazz,” and no one had expected such overwhelming participation. Director Jean Bach, a lifelong devotee of jazz, tells the remarkable story behind the photograph through intimate interviews with legends like Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Rollins, and Art Blakey. The film also includes rare archival footage, such as home movies shot by bassist Milt Hinton’s daughter, Mona Hinton. Narrated by Quincy Jones, this documentary was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in 1995.

Director

Jean Bach

Jean Bach could be described as a part of the jazz scene herself. She began listening to jazz during the Big Band era and wrote extensively about the genre as a journalist in Chicago. Later, she married trumpet player Shorty Sherock and managed his band. She spent several decades working in television and radio, notably producing the long-running talk show The Arlene Francis Program for 24 years.