Night Blooms
DECEMBER 1956. The first-ever Rock & Roll Show at the Brooklyn Paramount Theater electrified the teenagers who waited for hours to see their new idols- Chuck Berry; the Chantels; Frankie Lymon; and a…
Night Blooms
DECEMBER 1956. The first-ever Rock & Roll Show at the Brooklyn Paramount Theater electrified the teenagers who waited for hours to see their new idols- Chuck Berry; the Chantels; Frankie Lymon; and a roster of some of the greatest talent of the time. Twelve-year-old Kenny Vance sat in the balcony mesmerized by a unique style of music that still resonates for him -and many of us- half a century later. The film seeks to solve the question that may never be answered, because, like all art, it is about feelings: What was that particular magic that grabs a heart and never lets it go? Within five years, Vance co-founded the group Jay & the Americans, producing 12 Top 20 hits and opening for the Beatles and the Rolling Stones in their first U.S. performances in 1964. After working as Musical Director for Saturday Night Live and numerous movies. Vance returned to performing, sharing the stage with many of his idols, now close friends. This film is a hand-crafted tapestry stitched from 80 hours of Vance's personal footage, shot behind the scenes over 30 years. We join him and the diverse community of musicians that defined these early days. "This is the personal story behind the music that united a generation," says Vance. Looking back after a half-century career, Vance saw that these stories bridged cultures and borders, and that human voices singing from the heart as one has never been more relevant. "These young artists were not only musical geniuses, but change agents, unintentionally about to upend not only music but the world as we knew it." says Vance. This is a verite trip back in time. We are on the scene with real artists, on the bus, backstage, on the street, sharing their feelings in intimate conversations that span the decades. Perhaps the mysteries of music can never be fully understood but, for an instant, we can live in that moment, and share in the brilliance and the bittersweet that is the Heart & Soul of this music and its makers.
Night Blooms
Drama
Film Details
DECEMBER 1956. The first-ever Rock & Roll Show at the Brooklyn Paramount Theater electrified the teenagers who waited for hours to see their new idols- Chuck Berry; the Chantels; Frankie Lymon; and a roster of some of the greatest talent of the time. Twelve-year-old Kenny Vance sat in the balcony mesmerized by a unique style of music that still resonates for him -and many of us- half a century later.
The film seeks to solve the question that may never be answered, because, like all art, it is about feelings: What was that particular magic that grabs a heart and never lets it go? Within five years, Vance co-founded the group Jay & the Americans, producing 12 Top 20 hits and opening for the Beatles and the Rolling Stones in their first U.S. performances in 1964. After working as Musical Director for Saturday Night Live and numerous movies.
Vance returned to performing, sharing the stage with many of his idols, now close friends. This film is a hand-crafted tapestry stitched from 80 hours of Vance's personal footage, shot behind the scenes over 30 years. We join him and the diverse community of musicians that defined these early days.
"This is the personal story behind the music that united a generation," says Vance. Looking back after a half-century career, Vance saw that these stories bridged cultures and borders, and that human voices singing from the heart as one has never been more relevant. "These young artists were not only musical geniuses, but change agents, unintentionally about to upend not only music but the world as we knew it." says Vance.
This is a verite trip back in time. We are on the scene with real artists, on the bus, backstage, on the street, sharing their feelings in intimate conversations that span the decades. Perhaps the mysteries of music can never be fully understood but, for an instant, we can live in that moment, and share in the brilliance and the bittersweet that is the Heart & Soul of this music and its makers..