Jazz on a Summer’s Day Returns to the Big Screen at Film Streams

April 30th, 2026

It’s becoming more common to see sold-out concerts transformed into cinematic events, with fans heading to theaters to experience their favorite artists on the big screen. But long before this trend, the concert film was already carving out its place in film history. One of the earliest—and still one of the greatest—is the 1959 classic Jazz on a Summer’s Day, screening at Film Streams this May.

The film takes audiences back to July 1958, when the Newport Jazz Festival was only in its fourth year. Festival organizers wanted to preserve the magic of the event, but the logistics of securing permissions from so many musicians made the idea seem nearly impossible. That’s when a young fashion photographer, Bert Stern, stepped in. Just 28 years old and new to filmmaking—and even to jazz—Stern took a bold approach: make a great film first, and let everything else follow. It worked.

Alongside co-director Aram Avakian, Stern created a groundbreaking concert film that predates classics like Monterey Pop, Woodstock, and The Last Waltz. Shot over a single summer day, the film features unforgettable performances from jazz legends including Louis Armstrong, Thelonious Monk, Gerry Mulligan, and Mahalia Jackson, whose powerful rendition of “The Lord’s Prayer” closes the festival with a sense of reverence.

Among the standout moments is Anita O’Day, whose stylish presence—complete with white gloves and an extravagant hat—matches the brilliance of her performance. Her renditions of “Sweet Georgia Brown” and “Tea for Two” are electric, showcasing her precision, charisma, and unmistakable voice.

What makes Jazz on a Summer’s Day so enduring is its free-flowing structure. There’s no traditional narrative or heavy dialogue. Instead, the film drifts between performances and glimpses of life in Newport, Rhode Island. Audiences lounge in the sun, snack on hot dogs, and wander through beachside parties where musicians rehearse and dance spills onto rooftops. As night falls, performances by artists like Dinah Washington and Chuck Berry bring a renewed energy to the festival.

The film moves like jazz itself—improvisational, vibrant, and alive. Its directors experiment with rhythm and imagery, creating something that feels less like a documentary and more like a visual jam session.

More than six decades later, Jazz on a Summer’s Day remains a joyful, immersive celebration of music, culture, and summer. And now, Omaha audiences have the chance to experience it once again on the big screen.

Kitty Tyree, Communications Lead at Film Streams, for Pass the Popcorn on KVNO Arts Today