Out There: Jimmy Giuffre OST

Notable jazz resources online and elsewhere.

During the summer of 1964, multi-instrumentalist Jimmy Giuffre soundtracked Smiles, aspiring filmmaker John G. Avildsen’s first short. Roughly a decade later, Avildsen would direct Rocky, Smiles actor Roy Scheider would star in Jaws, and the short’s assistant director, a student named Martin Scorsese, would make Taxi Driver. But in 1964, if anyone had a “name,” it was Jimmy Giuffre. After an already substantial career, Giuffre was then devoting himself exclusively to the clarinet and to free-form playing. He was starting to perform duets with young bassist Barre Phillips when the third member of their trio, pianist Don Friedman, was unavailable. That summer of 1964, Ben Young’s Dixonia lists a possible duet appearance at the Cellar Café, where the October Revolution festival would soon be held. Avildsen’s short is not based on the most fascinating premise—an infectious smile traveling around New York, ultimately returning to its originator, actress Melissa McCall—but it is an interesting period watch. No commercial recordings of the Giuffre/Phillips duets exist, but there is the music of this short: ambiences at times come in, but it is the musicians who fill up most of the tape. Playing the film a second time to listen on headphones without actually watching is a good idea.

Smiles was shared online by its director, who provided bits of context in the comments below the video. Jimmy Giuffre appears (sneezing) in one of the film’s first shots. A young Barre Phillips might also be among the extras, but I’m not sure!

Smiles, directed by John G. Avildsen, 1964.