BEING HIPP

A film about music, courage and the disappearance of a legend

Who was Jutta Hipp?
A German jazz pianist who asserted herself against all odds in the male-dominated jazz world of New York in the 1950s. The first white woman to receive a recording contract with Blue Note Records. An artist celebrated by the press, revered by colleagues – and yet: after a few years she fell silent, left the stage and from then on worked anonymously in a textile factory in Queens.

What happened? Why did one of the most exciting figures in jazz history simply disappear?

BEING HIPP goes in search of traces. The film not only tells the story of a fascinating musician, but also unfolds a panorama of transatlantic jazz culture at a time of upheaval – between war and the post-war period, new beginnings and marginalization, hope and loneliness.

Legendary jazz greats such as David Amram, Lou Donaldson and Sheila Jordan, who knew Jutta Hipp personally, remember a woman full of talent, charisma and contradiction. Her biographer Ilona Haberkamp shares previously unpublished archive material, Clara Haberkamp reinterprets Hipp’s music, and the renowned Harvard professor Ingrid Monson analyzes the political and cultural tensions in which Jutta Hipp operated

Terri Lyne Carrignton and Cecil McBee, other important voices in today’s jazz scene, give the film depth – as a tribute to a woman who was far ahead of her time.

With cinematic elegance, musical passion and documentary depth, BEING HIPP paints the portrait of an artist who never wanted to please – and thus made herself a legend.

BEING HIPP

A Film about Music, Courage – and the Disappearance of a Legend

Who was Jutta Hipp?
A brilliant jazz pianist from Germany, she defied the odds and made it to the heart of the male-dominated jazz scene in 1950s New York. She was the first white woman ever signed to Blue Note Records. A rising star, celebrated by the press, admired by fellow musicians – and then: silence.

Just a few years into her American career, Jutta Hipp walked away from it all. She never touched a piano again. She took a job in a sewing factory in Queens and disappeared from the public eye.

What happened? And why did one of the most intriguing figures in jazz history vanish so quietly?

BEING HIPP is a cinematic investigation into a life full of brilliance, mystery, and contradiction. More than just a biography, the film unfolds a vivid portrait of transatlantic jazz culture in a time of upheaval – between war and reconstruction, exile and fame, emancipation and erasure.

Legendary jazz icons like David Amram, Lou Donaldson, and Sheila Jordan, who knew Jutta Hipp personally, remember her spirit, her sound, and her struggles. Her biographer Ilona Haberkamp opens rare archives and personal letters. Rising star Clara Haberkamp reinterprets Hipp’s music. Harvard professor Ingrid Monson explores the political, racial, and gender dynamics of the jazz world Hipp dared to enter.

Other renowned voices from today’s jazz scene join the film – adding insight, admiration, and a sense of urgency to a story that is as relevant now as it was then.

Told with lyrical imagery, powerful music, and deep humanity, BEING HIPP is a tribute to a woman who never tried to please – and in doing so, became a legend.