Ron Mann makes documentaries about art and artists, yet always chooses the most subterranean subjects of the medium. For instance, COMIC BOOK CONFIDENTIAL spends more time on Robert Crumb than Superman, and this jazz documentary is not about Dizzy or Miles, but about some of the key players in the free jazz movement. Jazz purists argue hotly about the merits (or lack thereof) of the jazz avant-garde- some regard it as pointless noise, others as a complex form of music.
Having said that, you are not going to see in this film why this music is so controversial or vanguard. This is a shame, because not even Ken Burns' "Jazz" mini-series made a satisfying portrait of the free movement. Therefore, "the" film on the jazz avant-garde has yet to be made, however Shirley Clarke's ORNETTE: MADE IN America comes close.
What you do see however, are some marvelous performances, and interesting comments by the artists (however skin deep their words may be). Specifically, there is a stunning piano solo by Cecil Taylor, and a fine showcase of Bill Dixon's band. Cinematic ally, there is little to offer- however the crude camera-work seems to properly capture the ambiance.
If you want to learn more free jazz, IMAGINE THE SOUND may not be the place to start- this is a movie for those already in the know.