The documentary, Vince Giordano – There’s a Future in the Past had its premiere July 10 as part of the Jazz in July series at the 92nd Street Y in New York City. An on-line campaign raised $82,544 from 443 contributors to fund the project. As Bill Charlap, artistic director of the Series, commented, “The Nighthawks play with complete historical authenticity.” The Manchester (UK) International Film Festival had awarded the film a “Best Score” rating.
The sub-title of the film is The Man and the Band Who Make the Jazz Age Come Alive. The Nighthawks have been playing the music of the 20s and 30s for nearly 40 years. Giordano owns 60 vintage instruments and has 60,000 dance band orchestrations from the Jazz Age. The band performs every Monday and Tuesday at the Iguana Tex-Mex Restaurant upstairs lounge, 240 West 54th Street, just off of Times Square.
The Nighthawks provided musical accompaniment at the showing of four silent films at NYC’s Museum of Modern Art on July 15, one of which was the long-lost 1927 comedy, Battle of the Century. staring Laurel and Hardy who partake in a spectacular custard pie fight. The band also appeared on one of Garrison Keillor’s last A Prairie Home Companion radio programs and can be seen in Woody Allen’s latest flick, Café Society. The veteran filmmaker states, “Vince always gives me the period sound I’m looking for.”
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