John Jeremy, who began his film career as film editor for directors such as Otto Preminger, Sidney J. Furie, and Seth Holt, has been a jazz fan since the age of eight. In 1969 his two interests, jazz and filmmaking, met when he directed the first of his unique, highly acclaimed jazz films, Blues Like Showers of Rain. Also included in this two-day series of rare jazz films are Jeremy's other features, Jazz Is Our Religion (extract), Born to Swing, and To the Count of Basie. John Jeremy will introduce the evening program, and discuss the films, which he has selected, after the screening.

Blues Like Showers of Rain
“In Blues Like Showers of Rain, you will see scenes from the Blues life. You will also hear in the Blues of its survivors a great strength, a deep song, and the three-hundred-year-old cry of a people”: John Jeremy's introduction to the world of Blues is lovingly conceived and powerfully constructed from photographs and field recordings made by Paul Oliver on a journey through the South in 1960. Narrated by Blind Arvella Gray, the film features the voices and music of Otis Span, Little Brother Montgomery, Billie Pierce, Lonnie Johnson, Henry Townsend, Sam “Lightnin” Hopkins, James Stump Johnson, Speckled Red, J.B. Lenoir, Willie Thomas, Edwin Buster Pickens, and many others.
• Directed, Produced, and Edited by John Jeremy. Photographed by Vernon Layton. Sound by Hugh Strain. (1970, 30 mins, Print courtesy John Jeremy)

Plus,
St. Louis Blues
Featuring Bessie Smith, with The Mixed Chorus Orchestra, The Hall Johnson Choir, and Johnny Lee, St. Louis Blues "represents a document of the highest importance for the history of Jazz, and of Blues in particular. Bessie Smith, the empress of the Blues, is accompanied by...the legendary names of Joe Smith, Russell Smith, Sidney de Paris, Charlie Green, Harry Hull, James P. Johnson, Charlie Dixon, and Kaiser Marshall." --"Jazz sur le Film"
• Directed by Dudley Murphy. (1929, 16 mins, Print courtesy John Jeremy)

Black and Tan
“A rare example of a movie which uses jazz both organically and dramatically, with stunning effect, and with a slight plot that provides a background for the first appearance of Duke Ellington on film. On screen is Duke Ellington and His Cotton Club Orchestra.... Musical numbers: ‘Black and tan fantasy' by James ‘Bubber' Miley, Duke Ellington; ‘The Duke steps out,' ‘Black beauty,' ‘Cotton Club stomp,' ‘Hot feet,' ‘Same train' by Duke Ellington.” --David Meeker, “Jazz in the Movies”
• Directed by Dudley Murphy. (1929, 19 mins, Print courtesy John Jeremy)

After Hours
“Originally produced for TV, a magnificent programme in a night club setting of music by Coleman Hawkins, Roy Eldridge, Johnny Guarnieri, Barry Galbraith, Milt Hinton, Cozy Cole, Carol Stevens....” --David Meeker, “Jazz in the Movies”
• (1961, 27 mins, Print courtesy John Jeremy)

Jazz Is Our Religion (extract)
“Undoubtedly jazz is the religion for John Jeremy, producer, director, and editor of probably the first total jazz movie since Dudley Murphy's work in the late '20s/early '30s - a distillation in images, words, and music of the jazz life with photographs by Valerie Wilmer and featuring the jazz poetry of Langston Hughes and Ted Joans. Music by Johnny Griffin, Dizzy Reece, Art Blakey, Jon Hendricks, The Clarke-Boland Big Band, and others.” --David Meeker, BFI
• Directed, Produced, and Edited by John Jeremy. Photographed by Vernon Layton. Photographs by Valerie Wilmer. Music by Johnny Griffin Quintet. Big Band tracks by the Clarke-Boland Band. Jazz poems by Ted Joans and Langston Hughes, read by Ted Joans. With voices of Art Blakey, Dizzy Gillespie, Bill Evans, Raschied Ali, Sunny Murray, and others. (1972, excerpt ca.35 mins, Print courtesy John Jeremy)