Terence Blanchard blows a mighty horn

Listen 25:49

On today's show: jazz trumpeter Terence Blanchard's interest in social issues comes through in his choice of projects, such as his score for “BlacKkKlansman,” the forthcoming film by Spike Lee; documentary films are having a renaissance, evidenced by the success of "RBG" and "Won't You Be My Neighbor."

Terence Blanchard blows a mighty horn

On today's show: jazz trumpeter Terence Blanchard's interest in social issues comes through in his choice of projects, such as his score for “BlacKkKlansman,” the forthcoming film by Spike Lee; documentary films are having a renaissance, evidenced by the success of "RBG" and "Won't You Be My Neighbor."

Here's the lineup for today's show:

Now Hear This: Terence Blanchard

(Starts at 7:23)

Jazz trumpeter Terence Blanchard is probably best known for playing with Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers and the Lionel Hampton Orchestra. But the New Orleans native is also a prolific film composer. His score for “BlacKkKlansman” is the most recent in a long-running collaboration with Spike Lee. The Frame’s John Horn spoke with Blanchard recently about his film scores and his most recent album, “Live,” which was recorded in communities marked by gun violence. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNw5kna518E

A new golden age for documentaries

(Starts at :45)

A renaissance for feature-length documentaries began last year with “I Am Not Your Negro” and “An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power,” and continues this year with films about Ruth Bader Ginsburg, "RBG," and Fred Rogers, "Won't You Be My Neighbor."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biIRlcQqmOc