Week’s Worth of Jazz, on Film and Live, at Golden West

Golden West College’s Jazz Week Feb. 7-11 will include several jazz-oriented movies, both documentaries and dramas, in a free series.

All the films will start at 3 p.m. in the campus’ Forum II theater. The program begins Monday with “The Gig.” The 1985 film, starring Cleavon Little and Wayne Rogers, follows a group of middle-aged jazz amateurs who land their first professional gig, with surprising results.

The series shifts to real-life Tuesday with the 1959 release, “Jazz on a Summer’s Day.” The documentary on the 1956 Newport (Rhode Island) Jazz Festival features performances by Louis Armstrong, Gerry Mulligan, Mahalia Jackson and Chuck Berry.

On Thursday, “Ladies Sing the Blues” and “A Well Spent Life” will screen. The first includes performances by Bessie Smith, Billie Holiday, Peggy Lee and Dinah Washington. The second traces the life of blues musician Mance Lipscomb.

The program closes Friday with “Round Midnight.” The 1986 film, inspired by the lives of musicians Bud Powell and Lester Young, traces the boozy, tragic and brilliant days of a black American sax man (played by tenor saxophonist Dexter Gordon) living in Paris during the ‘50s.

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Jazz Week also offers free daily performances in the Student Center by GWC and professional musicians. On Monday, Swing Savant plays Dixieland jazz at noon. Tuesday brings the GWC student jazz combo at noon.

On Wednesday, musicians Buddy Collette and Luther Hughes will present a “history of jazz” lecture at 10 a.m. in Room 108 of the Music Building. Pianist Jack Reidling performs at 2 p.m. in Forum II. On Thursday, GWC faculty and students team up for a noon jazz session in the Student Center.

* Golden West College’s Jazz Week film series begins at 3 p.m. Monday with “The Gig” and continues daily (except Wednesday) through Feb. 11 at the college’s Forum II theater, 15744 Golden West St., Huntington Beach. Free. (714) 895-8772.