It's a biography of a famed, fictional guitarist with Sean Penn superbly personifying the role and the inevitably delightful Howard Alden playing all the notes, chords, and riffs. There are 12 famed swing pieces also given their best by clarinetist Ken Peplowski, trombonist Joel Helleny, pianist Dick Hyman, and others, guys who know how to the make this stuff stomp and wail. Those numbers are complete, even if they aren't on screen. Like their context, they have enough charm and integrity to beat the band. Catch the movie and then dig into the catchy stuff from Sony.
Rosewood is a very different kind of film.
It's a serious subject. And director John Singleton may have found the often-attractive Marsalis score not somber enough, despite its atmospheric attractions. Like Marsalis' score for Tune In Tomorrow, the melodies and orchestrations have Ellington-like grace and color. Clearly they intend less joy. That precedes an invocation of the tragic town of Rosewood itself, with a reflectively dark and compelling Cassandra Wilson vocal performance of the title song.