TRANSCRIPT:
Hi, I’m Mark Rapp, and this is Rapp on Jazz.
Jazz is alive in modern cinema—shaping stories with its soul, swing, and spontaneity.
Look at La La Land—a film that showcased jazz music and centered its entire story around the struggle to keep the art form alive. The soundtrack introduced a new generation to classic harmony and improvisation.
Or Pixar’s Soul, where jazz becomes a metaphor for purpose and passion. With original music by Jon Batiste, the film pays authentic tribute to the emotional depth of jazz and the beauty of living in the moment.
Jazz also sneaks into scores you might not expect—from the moody modern noir of Birdman to the playful chaos of Wes Anderson films.
In modern cinema, jazz remains a voice of individuality, risk, and heart.
This has been Rapp on Jazz, a co-production of ColaJazz and South Carolina Public Radio, made possible by the ETV Endowment of South Carolina.