Reel Music 18
January 5 - 17, 2001

Dubbed "2001: A Music Odyssey," the 18th annual celebration of music and film kicks off in Oregon this week. As always, eclecticism is the byword - jazz, blues, rock, pop, punk, soul, country, reggae, Jewish, latin, African, soul, classical old and new. Films on the program include Maggie Greenwald's Songcatcher and Barbara Kopple's My Generation.

January 5, opening night, gets festive with an opening gala after the films at the Crystal Ballroom, West Burnside @ 14th, for the music of Hit Explosion. No-host bar. Admission is free with your film ticket.

This year the fest welcomes back Los Angeles jazz film collector Mark Cantor for another of his fabulous programs of vintage jazz on film. Always one of Reel Music's highlights, Cantor's carefully researched and assembled programs are drawn from his astounding personal archive of thousands of filmed performances, all of them presented with an eye for the highest print quality and with his expert knowledge of the artists and material. This year's program features a treasure-trove of rare performances, many not seen for decades, featuring Charlie Parker, Django Reinhardt, Clifford Brown, Dexter Gordon, Charles Mingus, Louis Armstrong, Wes Montgomery, McCoy Tyner, Chet Baker, Art Pepper, Count Basie, Rahsaan Roland Kirk and the Original Dixieland Jass Band, to name just a few. Be assured there will be many added surprises.