On a summer's day in 1958, fifty seven of the era's greatest jazz musicians gathered together in Harlem, New York City. The purpose - a now legendary photograph to be taken by top snapper Art Kane. This is the fascinating story of that day and the people, many of whom had never really met before, involved, with home-movie camera clips, some great musical interludes and interviews with many of the participants 35 years on. Narrated by Quincy Jones. find out more...

Charting a golden era of British music. American blues found its first white audience, in British ports! Ergo The Animals, Stones, Yardbirds, Beatles and many others, the import of a young Hendrix, the development of R&B and its Heavy Metal progeny. Much twanging of guitars and blowing of blues harps. find out more...

Jack Johnson's first break into the public music arena was when his composition 'Rodeo Clowns' was chosen to be G-ILove and Special Sauce's first single off their 1999 album 'Philadelphonic'. He had long been a huge figure in the surfing world, having been born and raised in Hawaii. He fast became a renowned surfer and scored a pro contract with Quiksilver before he had left high school. His implicit creativity led him to study and graduate with a degree in film at Santa Barbara. This then led t find out more...

From the 1958 Newport Jazz festival this is truly a gathering of the masters. Free-wheeling be-bop, toe tapping trad' and even a smattering of rock 'n' roll, courtesy of Chuck Berry. If you don't like jazz this could well be the tape that changes your mind. Solid Jackson! find out more...

Winner of an Oscar for "Best Documentary", this film (beautifully shot in black and white) recaptures the life and music of the late, great jazz trumpeter Chet Baker. The founder of the Californian school of "Cool Jazz" this film is in itself remarkably cool and stylish. find out more...

Documentary about recording studios in Muscle Shoals on the Tennessee River. Lots of story beyond the recording sessions and loads and loads of great music too.

find out more...

Charles Burnett's contribution to this excellent series of music documentaries focuses on his own past and his obsession with the blues from an early age. Intoxicated by the taboo nature of the music (the title refers to his mothers assertion that it was 'the devil's music'), Burnett's creative account of his childhood mixes fictional storytelling with documentary footage of bluesmen. "I always wanted to do a story on the blues that not only reflected its nature and its content but also attitude find out more...

Musician, songwriter, performer, painter, writer, director, brilliant tunesmith and lyrical genius, he had a gift for wielding words with bitter humour. Long disparaged and admired, but constantly in the forefront of the music scene, his work was inspired by a wild, romantic creativity. All the songs are full versions presented chronologically by decade. find out more...

The tale of Woody Guthrie told by his family and friends. This is a great documentary filled with music, anecdotes, images and stories from the great dustbowl poet's life and sad demise into Huntington's Disease. find out more...