Jules at Eight

Easily one of my favorite documentaries so far this year, Mark Becker's delightful Jules at Eight poses the question: "Can an 8-year-old kid have the blues?" In the case of Julian Lage, a gifted 2nd-grader who's been playing nearly every day since he turned 3 (and that one day missed he really regrets), the answer is yes and no. Or, to paraphrase Julian, it's more a relationship to your instrument and the music you're playing than a reflection of what's going on in your life. Of course, Julian does have some friction areas: While his friends listen to Nirvana and Nine Inch Nails, Jules leans more toward Monk and Coltrane (in fact, the only person that Jules can talk music with at his grade school is the janitor, a fellow jazz aficionado). Artfully presented in B&W, this mini A Hard Day's Night follows the diminutive artist from gig to gig, interviewing his father and mother and spending a goodly amount of time simply showing Jules' virtuoso playing and the wonderfully intense look on his face as he bends those lachrymose long notes. Funny, inspirational, and sporting some mighty fine blues, Jules at Eight is highly recommended. Aud: I, J, H, C, P. (R. Pitman)