Keep On Keepin' On

​While many people might not be familiar with the name Clark Terry, it’d be almost impossible to have never heard the legendary jazz musician or experienced his influence within the music industry. He’s a master of the craft, having a list of recordings and awards that could fill an entire book by itself if you took the time to print the pages. He’s an artist that just doesn’t quit as seen in the latest jazz documentary Keep On Keepin’ On. The film follows CT, as he’s known to friends, and the young protégé Justin Kauflin as the two form a strong bond over their love of jazz. It’s a heartwarming tale of following your dreams and always looking forward no matter the circumstances.

Justin Kauflin is a 23-year-old blind piano player with a love of jazz who befriended Clark Terry when he came to give lessons at his school. Now older, CT has been plagued with health issues in the past few years but that hasn’t dampened his spirit when it comes to music. The documentary follows the friendship these two extremely talented artists have between each other and the struggles they overcome; for CT it’s his health issues while Justin struggles to make a name for himself in the jazz scene. Having a legend such as Clark Terry sure does help, though.

Keep On Keepin’ On is an interesting documentary about the love of jazz. It follows these two very different people who are brought together by this one love. Clark Terry is a guy who’s impossible to hate. The documentary provides an in-depth look at his life and how he rose to fame in his early years and how he’s influenced so many musicians in the decades since.

As the title alludes to, the main message of the documentary is to “keep on keepin’ on” as CT says. No matter what the struggle is, you have to keep moving forward. The film chronicles the loss of both his feet due to diabetes, and yet despite this, he’s still keeps his composure and upbeat attitude. He even plays his trumpet at one point, still sounding better than a healthy experienced musician. Justin himself is not without his own difficulties. His blindness is not a handicap for him, and he excels at playing the piano, much to the delight of CT. It’s this friendship that carries you through the film.

Keep On Keepin’ On is a solid documentary that follows two jazz musicians who are on the opposite ends of the spectrum, yet find friendship in one another through their similarities. It’s a documentary that can be appreciated, regardless of whether or not you’re a fan of jazz.