Music Pictures: New Orleans

Considered the birthplace of jazz music, New Orleans still holds a strong association with the genre. Music Pictures gives us a personal view into the legacy of four legendary New Orleans music figures Irma Thomas, Little Freddie King, Ellis Marsalis, and The Tremé Brass Band. Now in their 80s, these local masters continue their practice, for the love of the music, in the city that made them who they are. From soul to brass band and blues, the film follows these veterans in and around the Esplanade music studio while each of them records a new album there. At the release of this set of vinyl albums on Newvelle Records, each of them also performs live. Due to the pandemic, this happens in an empty church for an online audience. This film offers them an alternative stage: The prevailing mood of sadness and loss is contrasted by heart-warming footage from various decades. A documentary that unravels like an extended playlist encourages us to draw out the connections between these veteran artists who continue to create, compose, and inspire; at the same time, as a film made by a musician, it invites us to a surprising dancefloor, prompting us to get up and move to its rhythm.