lama writes: << I heard a review of the series on npr that was mostly positive but it was read with one of those "holier than thou" reviewer attitudes. The only bad thing he had to say was that Burns tends to repeat that Armstrong was the creator of Jazz, over and over, in every single episode, for 18 hours. (Gulp.) He also mentioned that Burns dismisses major talents "who don't make it into his pantheon" with a 10 minutes examination. The reviewer mentioned that Ella Fitzgerald is treated like this.>> I thought Burns and company did a superlative job on Jazz part 1. I was riveted, and I respect that they didn't attempt to circumvent or sugar-coat the role racial dynamics played in the evolution of Jazz and American culture overall. But in my mind the best thing about watching the Burns' documentary was that it got me tuned in to PBS to see Susan Lacy's "American Masters" series documentary on the great Ella Fitzgerald, which directly followed it on my local affiliate. Two hours of uninterrupted musical documenatary bliss. A comprehensive retrospective on this incomparable singer's life and career. Tears streamed down my face when they showed Ella singing "Summertime (and the living is easy)" in the mesmerizing way that only she can. They showed most all the performance segments in their entirety, which was fabulous. Ella singing and dancing with Jimmy Durante, Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Bing Crosby, Mel Torme. Ella scat singing in a call and response challenge with a muted trombone virtuoso. It was the best television I've ever seen in my life, bar none. Keep in mind that the same PBS "American Masters" series, executive produced by Susan Lacy, has a segment on our beloved Joni in the works. If it's half as well rendered as the documentary on Ella, it will be awesome...a masterpiece. I can't wait. -Julius
