If I Only Had a Brain
A Documentary Film | Coming Soon 2026
If I Only Had a Brain is a short documentary that follows jazz trumpeter Jonathan Hoehn and pianist Greg Nelson as they create an album together while navigating the effects of stroke and Alzheimer’s. It’s a film about resilience, friendship, and the healing power of music. With raw honesty and cinematic intimacy, the story explores how creativity sustains us even when the brain falters. More than just a behind-the-scenes look at a recording, it is a portrait of two musicians defying limitation and rediscovering purpose through song.
How melody preserves identity, sparks joy, and carries memory when words fade.
Inside the studio process and the human side of collaboration.
Family, friends, and fellow musicians who lift and sustain the journey.
A portrait of resilience, hope, and the creative spark that illness cannot silence.
Trumpeter Jonathan Hoehn returned to music after surviving a life-threatening stroke, finding renewed purpose through creativity and resilience. His longtime friend, pianist Greg Nelson, now living with Alzheimer’s, brings both brilliance and vulnerability to the collaboration, reminding us how music transcends memory and illness. Together, their story is as much about friendship as it is about art.
At the helm of the studio sits Patrick Dune, an accomplished engineer whose guidance shaped both Jonathan’s first album and this new project. With his technical expertise and patient ear, Patrick provides the foundation that allows every note to shine. United by trust and dedication, the trio transforms hardship into harmony, crafting an album—and a story—that resonates far beyond the studio walls.
