Can't say he didn't focus on the music... Filmmaker Dan Pritzker's latest effort, Louis, is loosely based on the childhood of jazz legend Louis Armstrong. It's also silent -- save for the score, composed and played live at each screening by the great Wynton Marsalis and his Ensemble. Nearing the end of its east coast tour, Louis played first in Chicago, opens Monday in New York and makes a final turn in Philadelphia on Tuesday -- they succeed in making quite sure that the music you hear isn't muddled by things like dialogue. It's a celebration of Mr. Armstrong and of the lasting history of jazz.
Inspired by this film, we've compiled five great film scores played live or composed entirely by jazz musicians -- from Louis Armstrong's turn in High Society to Miles Davis' unforgettable score for Elevator to the Gallows, check out our choices below.
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