Music Inn tells the inspiring story of the quietly progressive haven for musicians founded by Phil and Stephanie Barber in 1950 in the hills of western Massachusetts. From its modest beginnings as a purely local folk festival, its success and its convenient location-situated only a few miles from Tanglewood and a couple of hours drive from New York City- quickly enabled it to encompass jazz and expand its activities with a unique program of roundtable discussions involving musicians, academics and musicologists, thereby creating a meaningful context for the music within existing American culture. Music Inn exemplified the spirit of freedom in music, which is what jazz is all about. Though he has long been a well known figure in New York film circles-notably as executive producer on such movies as Miller's Crossing and Barton Fink- Ben Barenholtz here makes his first film as a director, revealing his love for and understanding of those whose vision, endeavor and sheer hard work was to make Music Inn such a lasting achievement. He spent three years, with the help of some very dedicated people, filming interviews with many of those involved, including the late cofounder, Stephanie Barber, Dave Brubeck, Randy Weston, Billy Taylor, Teddy Charles, Odetta and the late Percy Heath. Rare film and television clips, many from Music Inn's own archives, cascade across the screen: Mahalia Jackson, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Billie Holiday, Thelonious Monk and The Modern Jazz Quartet whose leader, John Lewis, was a mentor to the school of jazz that eventually became Music Inn's lasting legacy to the music world.