‘Tis Autumn: The Search for Jackie Paris

Raymond De Felitta's marvelous documentary is a musical detective story about Jackie Paris, a jazz singer who was a favorite of greats such as Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie (and even Lenny Bruce, for whom he opened) but never achieved popular success and ultimately dropped out of sight. De Felitta accidentally stumbled upon one of Paris' records in 1991 and began collecting more of his rare discs. Despite finding a source that claimed Paris died in 1977, De Felitta discovered in March 2004 that the singer, then in his 70s, was very much alive and about to perform a comeback gig at a New York club, a fortuitous surprise that ultimately led to the making of ‘Tis Autumn: The Search for Jackie Paris. Combining archival footage/stills and interviews with friends and admirers, as well as Paris himself (and samples of his recordings), De Felitta builds a poignant portrait of a remarkably gifted singer with a disappointing professional career and troubled private life, a man ultimately undone by a combination of personal failings and a baffling inability to connect with a larger audience. DVD extras include audio commentary, additional interviews, bonus performances, and a photo gallery. Highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)