’Round Midnight

(Bertrand Tavernier, US/France 1986, 133min., 35mm)

12 Notes on Film: Jazz II. Bertrand Tavernier’s ’Round Midnight features actual musicians in performances recorded live on set. Its fictional protagonist, Dale Turner (portrayed by tenor sax titan Dexter Gordon in an Oscar-nominated performance), is an amalgamation of two legendary jazz musicians: bebop pianist Bud Powell and tenor sax Lester “The Prez” Young. Set in 1950s Paris, the film finds Turner as the resident tenor saxophone player at the jazz club The Blue Note, living amid a community of expat jazz musicians all hoping to find respect and recognition at a time when it was difficult for black musicians to do so in the United States. Estranged from his family and struggling to overcome alcoholism, Turner befriends an enthusiastic fan (François Cluzet) eager to help him regain control over his life. Jazz legend Herbie Hancock delivers a rare acting performance and provides an Academy Award–winning score.

Organized in collaboration with Bop Shop Records.