Jewel of the Desert

2024· 60 min· Documentary

Surprise is the name of a small town in Arizona, and surprise is what you will feel when you meet the brass band that lives and plays there. The band is made up exclusively of members of a retirement community. Thirty-eight musicians in their 70's, 80's and 90's, all getting together for one last push at the freedom and joy provided by music. They will not go quietly into that good night. They don't play for money, or fame, but simply because they love music and understand the power it has to move people. And they want the younger generations to understand it too. The documentary inspires people of all ages to follow their dreams, to never give up, to create, to try to give back and to pay it forward.

Director: Mary Apick