FILM: JAZZ ON A SUMMER’S DAY

GETTING THE BAND BACK TOGETHER FILM

Friday 20 November 2026

During Jazz on a Summer’s Day, the glory days of jazz icons like Thelonious Monk, Louis Armstrong, and Mahalia Jackson suddenly feel a lot closer. This legendary recording of the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival, directed by Bert Stern and Aram Avakian, is renowned as one of the very first full-length concert films ever made.

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  • €12,50
  • GR8
  • 06:00
  • 19:00
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We all know the footage of Woodstock: tens of thousands of people packed together in front of the stage, dancing in the mud. But more than a decade before the wild sixties, festival life looked entirely different. Instead of headbanging by the stage, audiences sat somewhat reservedly—at times looking slightly bored—in folding chairs, watching jazz legends who today hold an almost mythical status.

Thanks to the way the film has been restored, viewers feel almost as if they are right there on the festival grounds. Close-up shots let you practically see the beads of sweat rolling down the foreheads of the musicians, who give it their all during their performances. Jazz on a Summer’s Day is an absolute must-see for every jazz lover!

Getting the Band Back Together

In collaboration with Filmhuis Den Haag & Melkweg

Music brings us together. Whether that is from Amsterdam to The Hague, or simply from one side of the Grote Marktstraat to the other. That is why this November, Filmhuis Den Haag, Melkweg, and our team are joining forces to present a new film series: GETTING THE BAND BACK TOGETHER—films celebrating music in all its forms. From early rehearsals to final concerts, we explore what music can achieve as a great unifier. So gather your friends and enjoy these highlights from musical cinema history! At GR8, you can catch both Jazz on a Summer’s Day and Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)!

FILM: JAZZ ON A SUMMER’S DAY

Friday 20 November 2026

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