Old School Philly: Reminiscing with Dottie Smith Gayle's Jazz Community
Artists: Malkia Lydia and Ryan Saunders
Category: Video Installation
Location: New Barber's Hall, 1402 W Oxford Street
Date & Time: Daily, 4:00PM-12:00AM - Thursday, July 24th to Sunday, July 27th
In 2001-2002, Philadelphia filmmakers Ryan Saunders and Malkia Lydia produced a half-hour documentary in collaboration with local jazz icon Dottie Smith Gayle. Mother Dot's Philadelphia recorded conversations with several elder jazz musicians of the day, as well as informal performances, jam sessions and social gatherings. On Sunday nights, North Philadelphia's Barber's Hall was the gathering spot for many of Smith-Gayle's cohort and their stories helped revive the memory of the legendary postwar jazz scene along North Philly's Columbia Avenue (now Cecil B. Moore.) Over 20 years later as part of the North Philadelphia History Festival, the filmmakers present this four-channel video installation of excerpts from their raw analog tapes. The original Mother Dot's Philadelphia aired on WYBE's Philadelphia Stories, a series created by Executive Producer Hébert Peck. The film was also supported by the Leeway Foundation
Cultural Workers
Ryan Saunders
Ryan Saunders, born in Trinidad & Tobago, creates short films and videos about Caribbean immigrant experiences in North America. In 2002, he co-produced 'Mother Dot’s Philadelphia' on Philadelphia's historic jazz clubs with filmmaker Malkia Lydia. His 2003 documentary, 'Bacchanal Time: The People’s Carnival', won Best Caribbean Themed Film at the Jamerican Film festival. His latest project is 'Steel Pan Now! Notes on Where Pan Gone', co-produced with Aaron Astillero.
Malkia Lydia
Malkia K. Lydia is an “interdependent” filmmaker who recovers authentic stories about Black community life. She has produced films for the Smithsonian Institution, National Civil Rights Museum, DC Commission on the Arts & Humanities, and a Knight Foundation Cities Challenge. She has been an awardee of both Black Public Media and ITVS, and is a seasoned Archival Producer. Malkia is in postproduction on two feature documentaries as Director/Producer. She is a proud graduate of DC Public Schools as well as Duke University and Temple University.