FIRE MUSIC is released in the US and Canada
OPENING NIGHT AT THE FILM FORUM IN NYC
The documentary Fire Music is being released September 10th and premiering at the Film Forum in NYC!!!
This project is a labor of love that is coming to fruition after many years.
Here are some links to press about the release.
** NYT Critic’s Pick **
“Crammed with exhilarating sounds, moving reminiscences and stimulating arguments that [free jazz] is not just music, but vital music… [It] highlights are incredibly well-curated archival footage and contemporary interviews that allow the viewer to briefly commune with some beautiful souls… This movie constituted a too-short heaven on earth. I’d binge on an expanded series, honestly.”
- Glenn Kenny, The New York Times
“Fascinating… In the documentary Fire Music, the hostile reaction that met the unusual genre soon turns into deep appreciation and a lasting influence.”
- Jim Farber, The Guardian
“A kinetic, often thrilling re-contextualizing of the Free Jazz movement, Fire Music breathes new life into the most experimental section in jazz… Thrilling archival footage plays as the real star of the film… Surgal proves to be a superb storyteller here, carrying throughout the film’s much too brief 88 minute runtime a propulsive energy that, while not perfectly mimicking the energy of the movement he hopes to discuss in the film, at least brings to life the spirit at its very core… Utterly essential viewing… Hell, the Sun Ra footage alone cements this film as one of the year’s most exciting, and something that’s sure to find a rabid fan base once it arrives on streaming later this year.”
- Josh Brunsting, Criterion Cast
“Fire Music provides a concise, thoughtful account of the musical form which first blossomed in the late 1950s.The documentary does an excellent job of making the music come alive with its gripping performance footage and incisive interviews with many key players... The film should be on any serious music lover's must-see list."
- Frank Scheck, Hollywood Reporter
