Fellow University of Michigan Alum Bruce Broder has filmed an award-winning documentary about a high school jazz band that competes in the Essentially Ellington jazz band competition at Lincoln Center. Broder had, and still has, a successful career in advertising for 25 years before he decided to venture into film making. Now, his documentary Chops has screened at numerous film festivals nationwide.

It is also screening at the Michigan Theater on Friday, February 12th at 7:00 pm.  Seeing as I categorized myself as somewhat of an orchestra nerd (we fondly referred to ourselves as “orch dorks”) through high school, I was excited to find that the film was meant to uncover the world of high school musicians and their mentors. Thus, I jumped at the opportunity to interview Mr. Broder about his film, inspirations and future plans.

Bruce Broder, Director of CHOPS

Did your experience at Michigan influence your film in any kind of way?

My best friend and roommate at Michigan was a film maker, and we were very close ever since. So, he really introduced me to the world of film making back in Michigan. I’ve always been interested in it. So yes, that’s where the first exposure to the production side of it came from.

Where did you get the inspiration for your film?

Being a band parent. My kid was in a music program in a public high school in Jacksonville. That’s where I got introduced to all the kids in the movie. That’s where I got introduced to the world and the life which was unique to music teachers and parents. I felt that if I said my kid played football, people would know what I was talking about. But I didn’t feel that the life of high school musicians had that much exposure. I wanted to increase the exposure of what it was like to be in a band in high school.

These kids love jazz, but they also love all kinds of music. Playing jazz gives you the special skill of improvising and playing things by ear. Some of these kids are like 12 years old and can play anything they want from ear. They seem to have a quick sense of playing instruments. One day I was with the school band as a chaperone in a competition, and this player who is a trombonist in the orchestra was there too. I suddenly heard some really great piano playing from the other room, and I went over to see who this great pianist was, and it was the trombone player. The kids can play all different types of instruments and music. They are trying a lot of things.