Who Killed Jazz? | The Shocking Truth Behind Jazz’s Collapse (Award-Winning Documentary)

This award-winning film exposes the truth musicians were afraid to say out loud. Why are jazz legends broke while the industry profits? Who pays the price? 🥁 If you love jazz, music history, or tough truths ~ you need to see this. For 22 minutes, Who Killed Jazz pulls back the curtain on a music economy built on brilliance, exploitation, and the gradual erasure of the very artists who shaped modern culture. 🔥 THE VIRAL JAZZ DOC RETURNS 💛 SUPPORT INDEPENDENT JAZZ CINEMA Patreon (behind-the-scenes + early releases): 👉   / benmakinen   Digital Tip Jar (Keeps the lights on & the films coming): 👉 https://paypal.me/benmakinen 🎞 ABOUT THE FILM Who Killed Jazz? is an award-winning short documentary by filmmaker, drummer, and producer Ben Makinen (JazzTown, Echoes of Tradition, We Are Here: Women in Jazz). Why are some of the greatest jazz musicians alive struggling to survive? Why did their wages freeze 50 years ago while the industry around them boomed? And who — or what — actually killed jazz? This film features GRAMMY winners and living legends discussing: • the collapse of jazz economics • the disappearance of live venues • the rise of hobbyists vs. professionals • the struggle to reach modern audiences • the emotional cost of a lifetime in music 🎬 A raw, fast-paced, essential look at an art form fighting for survival. ⭐ CAST (GRAMMY Winners & Jazz Icons) Dianne Reeves Ron Miles Charles Burrell Charlie Hunter Billy Wallace Mitch Chmara Purnell Steen Teresa Carroll Ayo Awosika Ellyn Rucker Freddy Rodriguez Sr … and more 🏆 AWARDS & RECOGNITION CANNES SHORTS – Official Selection Hollywood Gold Awards World Film Carnival Singapore Golden Merlion Awards New York Neorealism Film Awards “Thought-provoking and well worth seeing!” — Scott Yanow “Comprehensive and fascinating.” — The Sleepless Critic 🎬 About the Director🥁 Ben Makinen is a jazz drummer, composer, and award-winning filmmaker. His work bridges music and cinema, using film to preserve voices, legacies, and histories often left out of mainstream narratives. He recently founded Indonesia's first ai film festival: The Bali International AI Film Festival BIAIFF.COM 🎥 WATCH MORE FILMS BY BEN MAKINEN FEATURE FILM 🎞 JazzTown — now on Apple TV 👉 https://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/jaz... RECENT & UPCOMING DOCUMENTARIES 🔥 Echoes of Tradition — Native origins of jazz (Award-winning) Trailer:    • ECHOES OF TRADITION OFFICIAL TRAILER - Bma...   🔥 We Are Here: Women in Jazz Producer’s Pitch:    • We Are Here: Women In Jazz I Producers Pit...   🔥 Veronica Swift: Rise of the TransGenre — coming soon 📚 OFFICIAL ARCHIVE Zenodo DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17440522 © 2025 Ben Makinen | Bmakin Film Ltd Released under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 ☕️ If you enjoy the film, please consider leaving a tip—every dollar helps fuel independent filmmaking: 👉 paypal.me/benmakinen 🌀 Support the Work Exclusive archive, filmmaker notes & behind-the-scenes:   / benmakinen   @bmakinfilm #biaiff #baliAIfilmfestival #BenMakinen #SoulInTheMachine 🌐 www.benmakinen.com BMAKIN FILM