Jazzwomen

This documentary is a hymn of praise to women in jazz music and, like most hymns, it's worthy, depressing and slightly dull. The setting is a modern day, neon-lit, late night Manhattan that resembles a trendy lager commercial, filmed in juddering Steadicam and undergoing irritating drop frame/field removed treatment. Such gimmickry only interferes with director Morandi's frank, simple interviews with female musicians. Abbey Lincoln, Annie Ross and Jackie Cain are among the bigger names, but there are many moving testaments delivered to camera from hugely talented young hopefuls who - at best - can dream of a modest clubland career. But the interviewees might just as well be male jazz musicians - only in the last few minutes does the film touch on the uniquely female nature of their problems.