Icons Among Us (Michael Rivioria, Lars Larson 2009): USA

Reviewed by Lisa Blondell.  Viewed at The Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, Hollywood.

What is jazz music? This question may be wondered by many musicians or music lovers. The answer is, there is no answer. Jazz music cannot be defined. Directors Lars Larson and Michael Rivioria encompass this message throughout their documentary Icons Among Us. This film does not just take the audience back to the roots of jazz and how it has transformed throughout the years. Icons Among Us is truly about identity. The filmmakers want the audience to think outside genres. Jazz music has had this bad connotation and misunderstanding of the true identity of the music.

Icons Among Us is a documentary film taking a look at the true musicians of our time. It emphasizes the fact that we need to stop living in the past and start acknowledging the talent among us. The film has a very elementary structure. It starts out with the interpretations of what people think jazz music is. Then it makes its way to expressing all the different types of this genre of music. And finally it includes an inspiring message to support live music. This film is also being released as an educational video. I think this an excellent decision by the filmmakers. This documentary is informational and very modernized. It’s about finding who you are. The director wanted to inspire viewers, and I think that’s exactly what this film does.

Sure musicians such as Charlie Parker are icons that will be remembered forever in musician history, but there are also icons that are alive today playing down the street at a small venue. Jazz music doesn’t have to be a type of feel from the past, musicians from around the world are trying to spread the message of breaking the convention and going beyond traditions. There is a whole other world within jazz music, and it is one of the strongest cross-genres in music today. Of course we should appreciate the musicians who were there at the very start of jazz, but we should also begin to recognize and acknowledge the icons that are all around us.