In this panel, acclaimed composers and film scorers Herbie Hancock, Terence Blanchard, and Kris Bowers join renowned filmmakers for a wide-ranging conversation on jazz and the language of cinema. Framing jazz not only as a musical tradition but as a creative philosophy, the panel explores film scoring as a deeply collaborative process, examining how jazz’s principles—improvisation, listening, and responsiveness—inform visual storytelling across genres. Drawing on the composers’ jazz foundations, even when writing non-jazz scores, and the directors’ creative perspectives, the discussion reveals how musical intuition, collaboration, and choice shape the emotional grammar of cinematic storytelling.

Artists: Herbie Hancock, Terence Blanchard, Kris Bowers

Event Partners: Chicago International Film Festival | Black Perspectives 30th Anniversary, Chicago Jazz Alliance, Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events (DCASE) Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz, Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts at University of Chicago, University of Chicago Film Department

Admission: FREE - Open to the public

In Partnership with Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events (DCASE)