Synopsis

Jazz Seen is a feature-length journey through decades of American entertainment history and the remarkable life and talent of jazz photographer William Claxton. The film focuses on the man whose eyes have seen images of people we have all grown up with: film stars, jazz musicians, top models, and icons of the American dream. Claxton began his career in the early fifties with a photograph of a young Chet Baker, who became a role model for the young rebels of that time. He captured the moments when a young actor turned into Steve McQueen, a saxophone player into Gerry Mulligan. The style of the film is very personal, a mix of interviews with celebrities who recall working together with Claxton.

Director

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  • Julian Benedikt
  • A former actor turned director, Julian Benedikt became fascinated with drummer Chico Hamilton's music and created the documentary Chico Hamilton - Dancing to a Different Drummer (1994). His next film, Blue Note - A Modern Jazz Story (1997), was nominated for a Grammy and won the Peabody Award. He has since made several music documentaries, including Jazz in the Picture (2001) and Play Your Own Thing - The European Jazz Story (2006).