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Directed by John Scheinfeld
Introduction and post-screening discussion by Dr. W.S. Tkweme
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Celebrated documentarian John Scheinfeld (The U.S. vs John Lennon, Who is Harry Nilsson?) explores the life and work of jazz legend John Coltrane, with commentary and accolades from such diverse Coltrane fans as Denzel Washington, Carlos Santana, Common, Cornel West and former POTUS and saxophone player Bill Clinton.
Saxophonist, composer, and innovator, John Coltrane pushed the frontiers of the jazz idiom, introducing elements of musical traditions from around the world. His magnum opus, the alternately somber and raucous A Love Supreme, is among the most haunting statements of spiritual devotion ever recorded. His output before his death at the age of 40 is simply astounding.
From his childhood in the Jim Crow South to his tenure with Miles Davis—who pushed Coltrane to conquer his heroin addiction—to his triumphant turn as the leader of one of jazz’s most fiery and revered quartets, Chasing Trane digs deep, chronicling a story of harrowing lows and interstellar highs. 2016, U.S., DCP, 99 minutes. Recommended for 13+.
John Coltrane’s work is included in the music library of the special exhibition Southern Accent: Seeking the American South in Contemporary Art, on view April 30–October 14, 2017.
W.S. Tkweme is an Assistant Professor in the Pan-African Department of UofL who received his Ph.D., University of Massachusetts Amherst. He studies African American culture and history, with a particular focus on cultural expression and radical political activity of the post-World War II era. Much of his research and teaching revolve around the Black Arts and Black Power movements, and soul music, jazz and their discourses. He has a long background of hosting community radio programs (“The Seeker,” “Afro Excursions”) and public forums and celebrations “dedicated to preserving, promoting, and advancing knowledge of the true history and culture of the African American people.” He has presented his research at, among other venues, the national conferences of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, the National Council for Black Studies, and the American Studies Association, and has given invited lectures at a number of schools. His publications include the articles “Blues in Stereo: The Texts of Langston Hughes in Jazz Music” for African American Review and “African American Community Sponsorship of Jazz: The Case of The East” as well as “The Rise and Fall of Falsetto Soul” for the International Journal of Africana Studies.
Friday Film Happy Hour: Thanks to Wiltshire at the Speed, the first drink is included in your ticket purchase and offered from 6–7 pm before Friday evening screenings.