The screening on Sat 16 March was followed by a director Q&A with Sophie Huber, hosted by Jazz FM presenter and Head of Music Chris Philips.
As some of Blue Notes’ biggest artists, including Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter, convene for an all stars album, they reflect on the outsized influence the label has had on their careers. Tracing Blue Notes’ collaboration with jazz greats like Thelonious Monk, John Coltrane and Miles Davis, the film highlights how the focus on freedom of expression over the bottom line allowed artists to flourish. Throughout, the freewheeling music championed by the label changed with the age, evolving from the politically turbulent sixties to the current embracing of a hip hop aesthetic that reflects our troubled times.