Ben Makinen Drops by KUVO In-between Filming

Filmmaker-percussionist Ben Makinen dropped by KUVO to update us on his next projects. Following up on his documentary on Denver’s music scene in “Jazztown” (a public TV and festival favorite), he’s working on a film about vocalist Veronica Swift, who’s incorporating her jazz roots into a new blend of rock, pop, and opera.

Makinen also has two other projects in the making. He is editing footage on the intersection of Jazz and Native American musical influences, inspired by Julia Keefe’s residency at The Kennedy Center that features her Indigenous Big Band. (Denver’s Chantil Dukart is on the bandstand!) He is also honoring women in jazz through “We Are Here: Women in Jazz”, a film that examines the censorship and the erasure of their accomplishments of women and their presence since the beginning.

Listen to the conversation below!

Stay connected with Ben Makinen at benmakinen.com

Tune in to The Morning Set, on weekdays from 7 – 10 a.m. on KUVO JAZZ 89.3FM, on the stream, or on the KUVO App.

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Photo Credit: Photos courtesy of Ben Makinen