I can only echo what other reviewers have said. There's almost nothing about Tipton here. A few snatches of music and a brief summary of his life story at the beginning. The remaining 75 minutes of the film is the filmmakers and other interviewees talking about themselves. That's it. You think it's going to be five minutes of context before they get back to the Tipton story but no, it goes on and on and on.

I wish the film makers could have made a film about Tipton's life, times and music (there is literally nothing here about the music; literally nothing) but it seems that they couldn't resist making a film about themselves instead. It's odd, because many of the interviewees complain that Tipton's achievements were overshadowed by the fact that he was transgender, and that we shouldn't let his gender identity define him. But that's exactly what this film seems to be doing.

A major disappointment

I was looking forward to watching this documentary, having listened to some of Billy Tipton's recorded work (he left very little), and thought that I would be watching some interesting reviews, discussions and recollections of working with him by some of his musician colleagues and sidemen.

Oh, stupid me. All I saw was a conglomeration of some "trans-men" discussing aspects of their "trans" lifestyles and about how Tipton managed to conceal what he really was, and others who were connected with Tipton in various ways - but precious little to do with his music. These aspects of Tipton are of minimal interest to me.

I am a jazz piano buff as well as a music lover of most types of music. Jazz history shows that Tipton was not a top-drawer jazz musician.

He had a fairly good piano technique, but his recordings reveal that he unfortunately lacked a good harmonic sense (something that every jazz pianist needs to have and can only be attained by means of a good musical education unless one happens to be an Erroll Garner), and probably because of this, he remained an obscure pianist with the public and never became a household word in jazz.

I doubt that I will ever see a genuine musical documentary on Tipton. A pity.

I cannot recommend this one to jazz piano aficianados.