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80% Critic Match
Mary Lou Williams: The Lady Who Swings the Band
“She fought to create in a world that could not see past her race or gender”
8.0 / 10• 2015• 1h 10m•NR• English
Documentary
Storyline
Jazz pianist Mary Lou Williams was a genius ahead of her time. From child prodigy to "Boogie-Woogie Queen" to groundbreaking composer to mentoring some of the greatest musicians of all time, she never ceased to astound those who heard her play. But for a Black woman in the early 1900s, life as a star did not come easy.
Cast & Crew
ML
Mary Lou Williams
Self (archive footage)
Lead
Alfre Woodard
Mary Lou Williams (voice)
Delroy Lindo
John Williams (voice)
Wendell Pierce
Andy Kirk (voice)
Stanley Crouch
Self
Robin D.G. Kelley
Self
GG
Gary Giddins
Self
TL
Tammy L. Kernodle
Self
What People Are Saying
4.0
“A staggering achievement of craft and ambition. Carol Bash's vision lands with breathtaking precision.”
4.0
“Every frame feels alive. Mary Lou Williams: The Lady Who Swings the Band is the rare release that takes its audience seriously.”
