The Jazz Ambassadors

The Jazz Ambassadors is a momentous cultural achievement. It is a story about the people, especially African Americans, who created jazz and their pivotal role in the social and cultural history of American racial politics. The Jazz Ambassadors looks at the important contribution of jazz music and musicians to cold-war diplomacy, American race relations, emerging black identities, and newly independent third world nations around the world. In doing so, the documentary enriches our understanding of the importance of jazz music at home and abroad, and enlarges our conception and understanding of the signal role of African American culture in international and world affairs. It is an inspiring tribute and powerful testament to Jazz Masters like Dizzy Gillespie, Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, and Dave Brubeck, giving them their due and celebrating them as more than mere entertainers. For its affirmation of the power of the music and its capacity to bring people together, The Jazz Ambassadors is honored with a Peabody Award.