The Arts Channel, broadcasting on Sky Channel 79, showcases some jazz greats during the month of September with Music Legends including Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, B.B. King, Percy Sledge and Jazz Dreams (featuring from one of the greatest jazz families in the world today, the youngest Marsalis brother). The Arts Channel, broadcasting on Sky Channel 79, showcases some jazz greats during the month of September with Music Legends including Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, B.B. King, Percy Sledge and Jazz Dreams (featuring from one of the greatest jazz families in the world today, the youngest Marsalis brother).Also featured is Saxophone Colossus, a look at Sonny Rollins (pictured), the man who - while not as universally known as Charlie Parker or John Coltrane - is regarded by jazz fans as the instrument's greatest living exponent, and this concert-documentary shows why.

Willie Nelson: My Life is a close-up portrait of America's favourite singer-songwriter, from the days when he sold an early hit to buy milk for his children through to his outlaw days, to eventual superstardom, featuring vintage live performances.

For those classical music buffs, Abbado Conducts Mahler presents the Lucerne Festival Orchestra which attracts first class international musicians answering the call of its founder, Claudio Abbado - the famous conductor who made a phenomenal comeback after having major surgery in 2000.

Art lovers can see the rare A Stranger Everywhere - a look at Douglas MacDiarmid, a celebrated New Zealand artist who at 84 years of age continues to paint and whom has been adopted by France. He is a courageous man who assumes his status as an eternal stranger. Also featured for art lovers is Drawing the Line, a portrait of pop/graffiti artist Keith Haring, who died of AIDS in 1990, including interviews with gallery owners and friends such as actor Dennis Hopper.

Film goers must see Big John, a documentary on renegade film-maker John Carpenter, one of the early pulp auteurs who paved the way for the likes of Quentin Tarantino, and whose movies include Halloween, The Thing, Escape from New York and Christine.

Dance addicts will enjoy some fabulous Kiwi creativity this month with Mary Jane O'Reilly's short film Canopy, followed by Jean Batten Ballet featuring the Royal New Zealand Ballet and the Auckland Philharmonia.

The Arts Channel is New Zealand's only independently owned and operated television channel dedicated to the arts.

20/8/07

Image: 'Saxophone Colossus' Sonny Rollins.