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Mary Lou Williams: The Lady Who Swings the Band

Mary Lou Williams: The Lady Who Swings the Band (2015)

1h 10m | PG-13

⭐ 8 / 10

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.

Director: Carol Bash

Studio: N/A

Genre: Documentary

Video: 720p

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Cast

Mary Lou Williams

Mary Lou Williams

as Self (archive footage)

Alfre Woodard

Alfre Woodard

as Mary Lou Williams (voice)

Delroy Lindo

Delroy Lindo

as John Williams (voice)

Wendell Pierce

Wendell Pierce

as Andy Kirk (voice)

Stanley Crouch

Stanley Crouch

as Self

Robin D.G. Kelley

Robin D.G. Kelley

as Self