Music for Black Pigeons (Motion Picture Soundtrack)
To be clear: Music for Black Pigeons is one of the best jazz documentaries ever made. It is a documentary that not only tells the story of the wonderful world in which Danish guitarist Jakob Bro writes and records his music, but also focuses on the fascinating musicians he works with and their warm friendships and remarkable lives.
We have already written extensively about the film and how beautifully it portrays not only Bro, but also important jazz musicians such as Bill Frisell, Thomas Morgan, Lee Konitz, Paul Motian, Joe Lovano, Mark Turner, Jon Christensen, Joey Baron, Andrew Cyrille, Palle Mikkelborg and Midoro Takada. Music for Black Pigeons is an abso…
Music for Black Pigeons (Motion Picture Soundtrack)
To be clear: Music for Black Pigeons is one of the best jazz documentaries ever made. It is a documentary that not only tells the story of the wonderful world in which Danish guitarist Jakob Bro writes and records his music, but also focuses on the fascinating musicians he works with and their warm friendships and remarkable lives.
We have already written extensively about the film and how beautifully it portrays not only Bro, but also important jazz musicians such as Bill Frisell, Thomas Morgan, Lee Konitz, Paul Motian, Joe Lovano, Mark Turner, Jon Christensen, Joey Baron, Andrew Cyrille, Palle Mikkelborg and Midoro Takada. Music for Black Pigeons is an absolute must-see.
It was Bro’s very own wish not only to bring the documentary, made by his compatriots Jørgen Leth and Andreas Koefoed, to as many enthusiasts as possible and to have it screened in cinemas, but also to release the film’s music on record.
The film’s ‘soundtrack’, now released on double vinyl, proves to be a fine addition. Hearing many memorable moments from the film on vinyl is a very special experience. This is because the compilers have not only put the music on record, more extensively than in the film, but also included some verses of text spoken by the musicians in the documentary.
It often feels as if you have the documentary playing in the background. At the same time, if you have seen the film, you have a memory associated with each recording. It is remarkable how this record works.
The music in the film is divine. Bro’s pieces played with these musicians are among the most beautiful we have heard in jazz in recent decades. The tranquillity and atmospheric images that are evoked time and again are nothing short of masterful.
The documentary, shot over a period of 14 years in Denmark, New York, Japan and Europe, also turned out to be a beautiful tribute to greats such as Konitz, Motian and Christensen, musicians who passed away during those 14 years and whose last recordings can be heard here.
The fact that Music for Black Pigeons works just as well on record as it does on the big screen is precisely because it tells such a complete story. It was therefore a smart move to add some spoken fragments between the pieces played. And over 14 years, more than enough music had been collected to draw from. Music for Black Pigeons (Motion Picture Soundtrack) is an album to completely lose yourself in.