“Anyone who wonders why jazz and the movies are often called the quintessential American arts should check out Bruce Broder's exhilarating documentary about high school jazz bands, CHOPS…" – Michael Sragow, Baltimore Sun
“It made me laugh, made me tear up, made me feel great. It was fantastic.” -- Andrea Mineo, CNN
‘The film is so well made, a labor of love…just the feeling of it, the soul of it all.’
-Wynton Marsalis, Artistic Director, Jazz at Lincoln Center
The Michigan Theater and WEMU present the acclaimed jazz documentary, CHOPS, on Friday, February 12 at 7:00 pm. The film's director, Detroit native and UM grad Bruce Broder, will introduce the film and answer audience questions from the stage afterwards.
CHOPS made its debut at the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival, followed by appearances at film festivals across the country. It won numerous awards, including the International Documentary Association’s Alan Ett Music Documentary Award, three Audience Favorite Awards and two Grand Prizes. It was selected by the Smithsonian in Washington D.C. and shown at the Duke Ellington 110th Birthday Celebration.
Tickets are $9 for adults, $7 for students, seniors and US veterans, $6.50 for Michigan Theater members, and $5 for high school and college student groups. Individual tickets are available in advance at ticketweb.com and at the box office the night of the event.
Group Sales: High school and college student groups can obtain a special $5 ticket price for groups of 10 or more. Contact Drew Waller at 734-668-8397 ext. 25 or dwaller@michtheater.org.
ABOUT THE FILM:
Each year, Jazz at Lincoln Center and its artistic director, Wynton Marsalis, host the prestigious Essentially Ellington Competition and Festival, attracting the absolute best high school jazz bands from across the country. The film follows Douglas Anderson School of the Arts, a public high school in Jacksonville, FL as they prepare and then compete with these elite bands in New York City. Inspired by the entire community of jazz musicians, the students humbly recognize the honor of carrying on the legacy of the masters. Jam-packed with outstanding performances, CHOPS will make you admire the dedication of these teenagers as they proudly deliver the culmination of their hard work: an electrifying festival performance where the students realize that no matter how much one prepares, sometimes life, like jazz, calls for improvisation.
In the program notes for the Maryland Film Festival, its director, Jed Dietz said, “The final moments of the film are as thrilling as anything you’ll see on film this year. Any doubts you might have had about the potential of American youth, the efficacy of arts funding, the practical power of music, are answered for good. And, of course, the music is not to be believed.”
This film has a number of significant connections to the Ann Arbor area. It was produced and directed by Detroit native Bruce Broder, a graduate of Cranbrook School and The University of Michigan. Bruce’s son Owen Broder is one of the central subjects of the film and began his music studies in the Ann Arbor area. The film was made thanks to the cooperation of Jazz at Lincoln Center and its Director of Education, Erika Floreska, also a Detroit native and UM grad. And famed jazz clubs Baker's Keyboard Lounge (Detroit) and The Firefly (Ann Arbor) serve as the settings for the film’s opening sequence.
To view the movie trailer and find additional information, visit www.chopsthemovie.com
Click here to read a review by the Baltimore Sun.
ABOUT THE MICHIGAN THEATER:
Now celebrating its 83rd year, the Michigan Theater is Ann Arbor’s not-for-profit historic center for fine film and performing arts. Saved in 1979 by a group of concerned citizens, the Theater has gone on to win numerous awards for its restoration, its programming and its role in the community. It was designated an official venue of this year’s Sundance film Festival. The theater is located in downtown Ann Arbor at 603 East Liberty Street, across the street from Borders Books and Music. Regular movie prices are $9.00, $7.00 for students, seniors and US veterans, $6.50 for Michigan Theater members, $6.00 for all Wednesday screenings. Please visit the theater’s website at http://michtheater.org. The 24-hour information line is (734) 668-TIME.
