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Far be it from me to disagree with a professional documentarian, but my impression of Burn's documentaries...

Posted by Audiophilander on October 22, 2008 at 23:48:10:
... from the perspective of a novice wanting to learn more and not as experienced or knowledgeable in every subject is that Ken Burns provides insight and helps create interest in subjects that can be achieved in no other way. The 'voice of god' narration as you call it is extremely useful in drawing the uninitiated in and establishing a personal link between viewer and subject; at once, it is both instructive and involving.
I understand Ken's need for narrowing the subject and maintaining a more nostalgic tone by focusing on earlier roots and covering ground-breakers who may be only marginally familiar to those inexperienced in jazz history, but all too familiar to jazz aficionados. Certainly there are other approaches that a documentary filmmaker could take with any subject, but the technique Ken Burns has chosen does have merits, especially for involving folks who may not have had much interest in the subject prior to watching.
My interest in jazz music was considerably heightened by this series, as was baseball, even though I don't find the sport all that interesting, but by focusing on the sports history, key events and players Ken's documentary hit all the right nostalgia buttons so at least I now have a greater appreciation of the sport. Likewise, I find contemporary free form jazz which was only covered generally far less involving than early jazz based upon personal tastes, so Ken's historical approach which touched upon the origins of jazz and where it took root kept me involved while a different approach that focused primarily on contemporary greats probably would not have inspired me to listen further.
Personally, I view Ken Burns work on three levels: First, as an introduction for sophisticated students of history; Second, as a time-capsule of the greatest events and individuals who make up that history, and third, as a cultural narrative that doesn't answer all questions or even touch all the bases, but acts as a springboard to appreciation of specific individuals (jazz musicians, baseball players, etc.).
AuPh