Jazz is undergoing changes of monumental magnitude and importance. Icons Among Us: Jazz in the Present Tense is a documentary film that captures the metamorphosis of jazz by showcasing the words, music, and spirit of the artists that are paving the way for an unprecedented musical revolution. Through interviews and live performance footage, we explore the thoughts and lives of the musicians spearheading today’s jazz front lines. Directed by Michael Rivoira, Lars Larson, and Peter J. Vogt, Icons Among Us examines the jazz music scene today by focusing the spotlight on many current jazz icons including Terence Blanchard, Ravi Coltrane, Robert Glasper, Nicholas Payton, Brian Blade & the Fellowship Band, the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Donald Harrison Jr., Anat Cohen, Esperanza Spalding, and Medeski Martin & Wood. The film also features the legendary predecessors and influences of today’s contemporary jazz stars, including Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, and Wynton Marsalis.

This program is part of the UMS on Film series designed to expand understanding of the artists and cultures represented on the UMS season and reveal something of the emotions and ideas behind the creative process. For more information, please visit http://www.ums.org.