Documentary Channel to air jazz icons series

The Documentary Channel® (DOC) celebrates the metamorphosis of the contemporary jazz world and showcases today’s brightest jazz stars in the upcoming exclusive four-part documentary series, “Icons Among Us: jazz in the present tense.” Presented by DOC, Paradigm Studio and Don Q Rum, in association with Rums of Puerto Rico, the series was executive produced by John W. Comerford. It premieres on four consecutive Mondays at 9 p.m. ET/PT beginning April 20, following the world premiere screening of episode one at “Jazz at Lincoln Center” on April 15.

In addition to DOC’s four premiere showings, each episode is scheduled for four encore telecasts. DOC is available on DISH Network (Channel 197), and several broadcast stations in major markets including NYC TV (Channel 25) throughout the greater New York metropolitan area.

“Icons Among Us,” directed by Michael Rivoira, Lars Larson and Peter J. Vogt examines the jazz music scene today by focusing the spotlight on many current jazz icons including The Bad Plus, Terence Blanchard, Jason Moran, Ravi Coltrane, the Benevento-Russo Duo, Robert Glasper, Charlie Hunter, Brian Blade & the Fellowship Band, the Dirty Dozen Brass Band and Medeski Martin and Wood. The films also feature the legendary predecessors and influences of today’s contemporary jazz stars, including Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter and Wynton Marsalis.

The four one-hour “Icons Among Us” episodes are the result of seven years of interviews with more than 75 living jazz artists and more than 25 hours of live performances in popular venues across the U.S. and Europe. Through interviews, performance footage, and the voices of the musicians themselves, the documentary explores this music and the divergent influences that are shaping the world of jazz at the beginning of the 21st century. “Icons” provides a timely, vibrant trip through the clubs, festivals, and lives of this new generation of jazz musicians. From hip hop to bebop and from jam band to free form, the music continues to grow and shape itself in ways as varied as the musicians who play it.

“The creation of this film series has been a life changing experience,” explains Comerford, president of Paradigm Studio. “In nearly seven years of production we have traveled the world and encountered the most committed, talented and spirited group of artists one could imagine. I feel the deepest appreciation for our American cultural heritage, which feeds the life of this country, while simultaneously I clearly understand that our capacity for reinvention is like no other. The combined simplicity and complexity of this observation is the essence of my understanding of the jazz art form and its restless energy.”

“It’s a real pleasure for The Documentary Channel to bring to our viewers a series of films that represent a fresh outlook on the evolution of jazz music and its significant impact on the world of music,” says Tom Neff, CEO and founder of The Documentary Channel. “John Comerford’s documentary series gets to the heart of a genre that continues to progress in new and exciting ways, and does so through the unique perspective of today’s most talented jazz musicians.”

DOC’s Monday primetime schedule for the “Icons Among Us: jazz in the present tense” U.S. Television premiere telecasts are as follows:

Monday, April 20 “Icons Among Us” - Episode 1 – “A Quiet Revolution" 9 p.m. ET/PT

Monday, April 27 “Icons Among Us” - Episode 2 – “12 Notes In Real Time” 9 p.m. ET/PT

Monday, May 4 “Icons Among Us” - Episode 3 – “Utopia” 9 p.m. ET/PT

Monday, May 11 “Icons Among Us” - Episode 4 – “Everything Everywhere” 9 p.m. ET/PT

On Monday, April 20, the first “Icons Among Us” episode titled “A Quiet Revolution” directly challenges perceptions of what jazz is and what it is becoming by examining its innovative new voices, as well as their influential forebears. Viewers will discover the primary questions associated with the jazz artists' quest to define themselves and their art form. They bravely communicate their allegiance to the present time in the face of jazz legacies that are monumental. The new voices as well as the powerful journeymen weigh in on their search for mentorship and its powerful effect on success. Musicians Nicholas Payton, Terence Blanchard, Jason Moran, Russell Gunn, Matthew Shipp, Avishai Cohen Bill Frisell, Greg Osby, Robert Glasper, Bugge Wesseltoft, Aaron Parks, Lionel Loueke, Frank Lacy and David King are featured, in addition to legendary jazz artists Wynton Marsalis, Herbie Hancock, Joe Lavano and George Wein.

Premiering Monday, April 27, the second episode “12 Notes In Real Time” focuses on the 12 notes that western music is limited to. Inside that tiny “12 Note” box is where expressions of love, friendship, glory, pain, joy and humor can all be found. The difficult part is to spin and space those notes in real time, in front of a live audience. This is where everyday life is distilled in the fire of the “deep ritual” of improvised music. This is where the true art of the jazz musician comes to life in the moment of connecting his and her inner universe to that of a larger world. Artists such as Skerik, Marco Benevento, Gretchen Parlato, Ravi Coltrane, Dafnis Prieto, Esperanza Spalding, Chris Potter, Dave Holland, Danilo Perez, Anat Cohen and Dianne Reeves are featured as they engage the world in a dialogue that could happen in no other time.

Monday, May 4, finds the third episode "Utopia" going inside with a deeper look into the process, the lifestyle and the friendships that create a unique bond only a "band" can possess. If jazz could offer us a model for a society in which everyone contributes to a greater good rather than focusing on personal gain, it would be reflected in the exploration of the collaborative process. During the seven-plus years of production, Icons has been able to capture the natural progression of select bands such as The Bad Plus, Soulive, Medeski Martin and Wood, E.S.T., Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band, Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey, daKAH Hip Hop Orchestra and Jason Moran and the Bandwagon who offer up new languages and a unique glimpse into an often ideal world.

Finally, the fourth “Icons” episode premiering Monday, May 11, covers “Everything Everywhere.” The origins of jazz are mysterious; its journey less so. African rhythms finding western instruments. Folk musics of the Caribbean drifting north into the brackish waters of New Orleans, mingling with the blues, Native American spirit, and the individualistic impulse of restless democracy. The transmission of this enigmatic but eminently humane art form to the world and to the youth who live in the epicenters of its origins and lifeblood are the focus of the final episode. Courtney Pine and Richard Bona weigh in with incredible stories evoking the penetration of jazz DNA into the body of world music. Terence Blanchard, Stanton Moore, Roy Hargrove, Charlie Hunter, Donald Harrison and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band bring viewers home to New Orleans, a damaged but luminous vessel that still embodies a musical culture unique to the world.

About Paradigm Studio: Paradigm Studio is a film and television production company based in Seattle, Washington headed by President, John W. Comerford. Paradigm's first feature length film was the award winning Around the Fire which Paradigm Studio executive produced and John Comerford co-wrote and produced. This motion picture has been globally distributed by EuroArts, North By Northwest Entertainment and Screen Media Ventures; its domestic distribution partners have included Showtime, Starz/Encore and Allumination Filmworks. Paradigm has also created numerous non-profit and for-profit media including: documentation and creation of marketing materials for Museum Associates' collection of fine crystals and earth artifacts; documentary work with the Rainforest Alliance Information Network (RAIN) during the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro and production of Faces of Change, a documentary of that conference; also production of Sema of Peace for the Mevlevi Order of America, a documentary of a classical Dervish ceremony. For more information on Paradigm Studio and its current projects, please visit: www.paradigmstudio.com. Details on Icons Among Us: jazz in the present tense can be found at www.iconsamongus.com, www.myspace.com/iconsamongus, and www.iconsiphone.com (iPhone users).

About Don Q® Rum: Founded in 1865 in Ponce, Puerto Rico, Destilería Serrallés is a family owned and operated rum distillery that through six generations of master craftsmanship has produced high quality and innovative premium Puerto Rican Rum. Currently, Destilería Serrallés, Inc. is a leading manufacturer responsible for producing over half of all the rum sold in the island, the Rum Capital of the World. Its flagship brand, Don Q, is considered one of the finest rums produced in the world, a reputation validated by numerous accolades received over the years in some of the world’s most prestigious spirits competitions.

About The Documentary Channel®: The Documentary Channel (DOC) is the USA’s first 24-hour television network exclusively devoted to documentary films and the independent documentary filmmaker, providing viewers with round-the-clock opportunities to see fascinating, eclectic and award-winning documentary films of all lengths and genres. Headquartered in Nashville, Tenn., with offices in New York and Los Angeles, DOC was founded by Oscar®-nominated and Emmy®-winning documentary filmmaker Tom Neff (CEO) in January 2006. DOC now reaches over 21 million homes nationwide via DISH Network (Channel 197) and several broadcast stations in major television markets, including NYC TV (Channel 25) throughout the greater New York metropolitan area. DOC also provides content to online distribution outlets through www.youtube.com/documentarychannel and www.sling.com/network/189/The-Documentary-Channel. For more information on DOC, visit www.documentarychannel.com.