SKF NOTE: Ben Makinen’s documentary, JazzTown, is a tribute to hometown musical heroes who graced his life in Denver, CO. Makinen tells us in the film’s opening credits, “This film is an ode to my early musical mentors – Masters in the art of improvisation – who gave of themselves to generations of up and coming Young Lions. This is their story.”

I couldn’t help but thinking of the musical hometown heroes in my life while watching JazzTown. They were each a huge help in my musical growth.

Like my memories of music mentors, Makinen’s documentary is part ghost story, starting with the opening mysterious piano music and video of wispy clouds, a full moon, and spectral steam rising from a city street manhole cover. Makinen’s is a transitional film from what was, to what is, to what is to be.

Generation to generation, hometown musical heroes inspire other local musicians. As Makinen shows us in his several profiles, these local mentors sometimes share the stage with nationally and globally famous musicians.

Tenor saxophonist Freddy Rodriguez, Sr performed and made records with jazz legend Rahsaan Roland Kirk.

Pianist Ellyn Rucker shares a handwritten note from great pianist Bill Evans who died in 1980. Evans writes, “You really can play!”

CO Governor and former jazz club owner John Hickenlooper smiles at the memory of “sharing dinner with McCoy Tyner four nights in a row.”

Pianist Billy Wallace played and recorded with Max Roach and Sonny Rollins.

Sometimes JazzTown takes us into the homes of the filmmaker’s mentors. We see neither digital music nor eBooks, but bookshelves of cardboard vinyl album covers, CD jewel cases, well-worn hard and soft cover jazz books. Walls and furniture are decorated with photos of Makinen’s mentors as younger women and men.

“What is jazz?” Makinen asks his mentors.

“It’s the most wonderful music in the world,” answers vocalist Teresa Carroll. “It’s not an easy life, but it’s very satisfying. It’s a wonderful thing to sing and to know that you’re communicating with someone on a different level…like no other,” Carroll said.

“Jazz is, you’re willing to stick your neck out in the moment to find out something,” said multi-instrumentalist Art Lande.

Guitarist Charlie Hunter believes only the wealthy can afford to play jazz, while bassist David Randon defines jazz as, “everybody’s got something to say. But they’re saying it in different ways.”

JazzTown chronicles the changing or disappearing jazz scene once available to Makinen.

Among the mentors we meet in JazzTown, some lament the dwindling number of available gigs. The pay is low, CO Yuppies are more interested in DJ’s and tv sets than in live music. Drummer Gene Bass flat out declares, “Jazz as we knew it is gone.”

Everything changes. That’s true. Two of Makinen’s musical mentors illustrate two sides of change.

We meet multi-instrumentalist Ron Bucknam strumming guitar chords in a darkened room. Bucknam’s basement, perhaps? “To bring new sounds into the world that have never been heard – What a joy!” said Bucknam.

“Life is sad and it’s beautiful,” said Bucknam, playing a favorite chord that “promises to go different places that never get fulfilled.”

He is “trying to create a new world of sound that I’ve never heard,” Bucknam tells Makinen, leafing through a neatly handwritten three-ring binder of “new voices” of sounds “that did not exist and don’t exist anywhere else,” Bucknam said.

His music philosophy is understandable, even admirable. Yet, I doubt Bucknam’s “new sounds” were heard outside his darkened room. He died in 2015.

Then there is drummer Declan Scully, a kid not old enough to vote, wearing an Iggy Pop t-shirt. At first, Scully seems out of place in this documentary. He is the only kid. He’s optimistic about the future of jazz, and about his future playing jazz.

“The future of jazz doesn’t have to have a swing beat. It’s going to be more straight. I think jazz molds to fit the most popular music of the era. Right now that happens to be straight rhythm,” said Scully.

Coming full circle, 96-year old bassist Charles Burrell’s advice to future jazz musicians is, “We have a marvelous world. Thank America for being America. Jazz is not explainable. It’s a feeling. You either have it or you don’t have it. That’s how simple it is.”

Long ago, as Managing Editor of Modern Drummer magazine, I recommended the magazine begin showcasing hometown musical heroes across the country. My idea was rejected, but I still think capturing the stories of hometown musical heroes is important.

Obviously, filmmaker Ben Makinen also thinks it’s important. I am glad he succeeded. JazzTown is a gift to Colorado, and a documentary template for other states’ filmmakers to build on.

Here is a link for buying and renting JazzTown https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/jazztown