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Jazzman's Inner Demons: A Director's New Vision
13 Feb
Summary
- Director Grant Gee shifts from rock documentaries to a fictional jazz biopic.
- The film explores jazz pianist Bill Evans' struggles with addiction and tragedy.
- Gee found inspiration for the film in a haunting photograph of Evans.
Director Grant Gee, celebrated for his documentaries on Radiohead and Joy Division, has ventured into fictional filmmaking with 'Everybody Digs Bill Evans.' This new film chronicles the tumultuous life of jazz pianist Bill Evans, delving into his personal tragedies and ongoing struggles with addiction. Gee's inspiration for the project stemmed from a particularly evocative photograph of Evans that ignited his curiosity about the artist's inner world.
The directorial process for this drama offered a stark contrast to Gee's documentary work, introducing the collaborative energy of a larger crew. Portraying addiction in the early 1960s presented a unique challenge, given the societal attitudes of the time. Gee emphasized the profound creative demands on musicians, drawing a parallel to the intense energy required for live performance, which he found both in rock and jazz artists.
