Sound of Redemption: The Frank Morgan Story

Showings

Mary D. Fisher Theatre Wed, Jun 22, 2016 4:00 PM
Mary D. Fisher Theatre Wed, Jun 22, 2016 7:00 PM
Film Info
Event Type:Film
Release Year:2014
Run Time:84 minutes
Production Country:USA
Original Language:English
Trailer:youtu.be/HKyfGi2MtIQ
Cast/Crew Info
Director:N.C. Heikin

Description

For three decades, in the jazz clubs and recording studios of Los Angeles, anyone could tell you that Frank Morgan was one of the best saxophone players around. But if you wanted to hear Morgan play live, you would have to go to San Quentin State Prison. The former whiz kid, who once seemed destined to step into the shoes of groundbreaking saxophonist Charlie “Bird” Parker, instead spent the better part of 30 years in a series of jail cells, a convicted thief and an addict.

In the new documentary, “Sound of Redemption: The Frank Morgan Story”, director NC Heikin recreates the life of Frank Morgan in concert form, tracing his progress from teenage musical prodigy to hardcore junkie and, finally, to one of the music world’s most remarkable comeback stories.

A one-night-only, all-star musical tribute filmed live at San Quentin forms the backbone of a film that brings together the past, present and future of Morgan’s musical legacy. Moving seamlessly between the thrilling live performance and the riveting true story of a musician whose talent first destroyed and then redeemed him, the award-winning filmmaker paints a searingly honest portrait of a prodigiously gifted, tragically flawed musical genius.

A vibrant and emotional history of one extraordinarily gifted man and an unforgettable era in music, “Sound of Redemption: The Frank Morgan Story” includes extensive footage from the San Quentin tribute concert, featuring bass player Ron Carter, alto saxophonists Grace Kelly and Mark Gross, trombonist Delfeayo Marsalis, pianist George Cables and drummer Marvin “Smitty” Smith.

The film also uses first-person interviews with Morgan, his friends, family and colleagues, archival photos and film, and commentary by music historians and musicians to reveal the heart of a complex and talented man.