Mo’ Better Blues. Preview by Abram Wilson
(Kings Place Hall Two. Saturday October 23rd. Part of the series The Base)

I’m a a big fan of Spike Lee’s work, and this Hollywood film featuring acoustic jazz that really swings has done so much for spreading the word. With such heavyweights as Denzel Washington, Wesley Snipes and a host of incredible actors, Mo’ Better Blues clearly identifies a genre and a group of people I was really close to, when I lived in New Orleans and New York.

I’ve always wanted to perform this music and I have great respect for Terence Blanchard and Branford Marsalis who performed on the soundtrack. Both of them attended the New Orleans Center For Creative Arts (NOCCA),a decade or so before I got there.

On Saturday you’ll hear two sets based on the incredible music from this film, performed by an exceptional group of young musicians and Tomorrow’s Warriors alumni – pianist Peter Edwards, saxophonist Binker Golding, double bassist Yuri Galkin and drummer Moses Boyd as well as me playing trumpet.

I’ll also be portraying several of the leading characters and using some of the original dialogue. I’m very excited to be doing such a heavy piece of work, and really hope everyone is going to have a great evening.