V.A. Sicily Jass: The World’S First Man In Jazz

A journey inside the Sicilian chromosome of jazz, forgotten by the official history; the incredible story of a Sicilian who became the world's first man in Jazz.
Sicily Jass - The world's first man in Jazz is a film directed by Michele Cinque, about the life, the music and times of Nick La Rocca, a son of Sicilian immigrants, a self taught cornet player and leader of the Original Dixieland Jass band, the New Orleans based combo which eventually recorded the first Jazz record, in New York, in 1917.
Moving between fiction and documentary, while travelling from a timeless Sicily through New Orleans past and present, the film follows the infectious rhythms of early Jazz and goes deep into an introspective journey narrated by the voice, the gestures and the puppets of Sicilian master Mimmo Cuticchio.
Thanks to the special contribution of historians and Jazz critics and along with the discovery of precious archive materials, the film will give the audience the chance to re-live both the incredible success and the sad decline of La Rocca and his fellow musicians. The voice of Nick La Rocca himself, caught in a hitherto unpublished interview, together with the intimacy of the tale of Nick’s son, Jimmy, will lead the viewer to discover why La Rocca and his men are often forgotten within the official history of jazz.
Needless to add that Sicily Jass comes with an amazing soundtrack, curated by Mark Berenford and carefully remastered by Nick Dellow. The accompanying CD features the ODJB's historical 1917 recordings, along with a selection of extra tracks by illustrious contemporaries such as Louis Armstrong, Joe Venuti, Bix Beiderbeck, Fletcher Henderson and others, amazing recordings from the beginning of jazz, over 100 years old. Mark Berenford who also curated the extensive liner notes, is considered one of the most respected experts and most passionate collectors of early Jazz and Blues. Since 1990, Mr. Berenford has been the editor of Vintage Jazz Mart, the world’s leading means for buying and selling rare Jazz and Blues 78's.