midtowndetroit

May 2 |Time: 5 – 7PM | Location: Hannan Center Black Box Theater – Lower Level Cost: $15 weeknight
Nat Adderley Work Song — Music & Film “A Man Called Adam”
The third episode in this series will be about the Adderley brothers, Cannonball and Nat, with the primary focus being on the latter. The two brothers had an extensive influence on jazz and every genre that followed. Cannonball is more widely-known today than his brother, despite the fact that they each produced vast amounts of recordings and were deeply embedded within the scene of those jazz musicians that we now call “the greats.” Because of this disproportional imbalance, we will pay special attention to the life and works of Nat Adderley. However, the King’s Trio will perform works by both brothers.

In congruence with this biographical review, this event will include a showing and discussion of the movie, A Man Called Adam, in which Nat Adderley played trumpet to overdub performances by Sammy Davis Jr.’s character. This heartrending film is a deep dive into the tragic duality demanded for Black survival — what W.E.B. Dubois called the “warring souls of Black folk.” Its story explores the near impossibility of attempting to find a balance between standing up for oneself (or acting out in defiance) and being careful enough to avoid the often dire consequences.

June 6 |Time: 5 – 7PM | Location: Hannan Center Black Box Theater – Lower Level Cost: $15 weeknight
Curtis Mayfield – Music & Film “Sparkle”
The focal point of this event will be the powerful composer and musician Curtis Mayfield and the now-cult classic film, Sparkle, for which he composed the soundtrack. The lecture will of course include a comprehensive account of his life’s story and the wide-reaching impact he had on the musical scene and the world as a whole. In particular, this conversation will highlight Mayfield’s prominence as a musical activist, as many pieces from his vast array of robust works are considered to be incredibly important contributions to the ongoing fight for freedom. There will be live performances of some of these songs throughout the lecture.

The feature film for this episode is a rags-to-riches musical drama about the trials and tribulations faced by an all-Black girl group as they attempt to work their way to success. The movie became quite well-loved, especially because of the way it portrays the effects of Harlem’s social and musical culture around the world. Mayfield’s soundtrack perfectly underscores both the gravitas and poetic nature of the film.