A screening of “1959 The Year that Changed Jazz” at the Frick Environmental Center on Aug. 21, as part of the 2019 From Slavery to Freedom Film Series presented by the African American Program of the Heinz History Center.

In 1959, four important jazz albums were released, each a watershed moment for the genre that reflects its time. With rare footage and plenty of interviews with musicians and critics, this documentary seeks to explore their achievements in social, political, and musical context, as well as to touch on the enduring influence they have had in the intervening years.

The albums considered are: Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue; Dave Brubeck’s Time Out; Charles Mingus’ Mingus Ah Um; and Ornette Coleman’s The Shape of Jazz to Come.

Run time: 59 minutes. Admission is free. Registration is not required.