Born to Be Blue

A scintillating bio-pic of a fascinating personage and seminal figure in popular jazz, this film does not provide the audience with the complete story of Baker's brilliance and virtuosity as a trumpet player, as well as his struggles with chronic substance abuse as was shown in an earlier release, the documentary, Let's Get Lost (title refers to one of Baker's earlier recordings.) Blessed with movie-star good looks (except for his teeth) he was often referred to as the James Dean of Jazz. He possessed a magnetic stage presence and a soft, distinctive quality in his vocalizations. His music could be thought of as "late-night" Jazz. Because he was white, it required time before he earned grudging respect from the giants such as Miles Davis and Dizzie Gillespie before he was allowed to play at Birdland. Ethan Hawke has developed into a fine leading actor. He delivers a nuanced performance of the talented but doomed stellar musician. Before an injury interfered, Baker was able to play a song after a first listen. The film is a must-see for all jazz aficionados.