A work in constant progress (and occasional regress).
Release Date:
October 2, 2012
Original Title:
The Savoy King: Chick Webb & the Music That Changed America
Genres:
Documentary | Music
Production Companies:
Floating World Pictures
Production Countries:
United States of America
Ratings / Certifications:
N/A
Runtime: 92
Born poor in Baltimore, Chick Webb broke his back as a boy and faced life as a hunchback dwarf afflicted with Spinal Tuberculosis. Someone suggested drumming as physical therapy, and Webb found his calling: at only 16 he built the hottest jazz orchestra in America at Harlem’s Savoy Ballroom, one of the rare places where Blacks and Whites could socialize together. The artists discovered and mentored by Webb are extraordinary, but perhaps no star shines brighter than that of Ella Fitzgerald. Features interviews with those who knew or played with Webb and period footage.
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