Gift of Jazz: A Tribute to Oscar Brown Jr.

Celebrate what would have been the 100th birthday of singer, songwriter, playwright, poet, actor, and civil rights activist Oscar Brown Jr. We will honor his great work through lecture, film (donnie l. betts), and live music and spoken word (Erica Brown, Jeff Campbell).

“Where I confront hate, I will exemplify love. In the face of ugliness, I will present beauty. As an antidote to lies, I will reveal the truth. Boisterous, bellicose noises must be diminished by hip harmonies set to moving rhythms and messages. War can only be overcome by a mighty pressure for peace, of which I can only be a small part. But all that I can, I will do, largely through my songs and verses, everywhere continually by any means available now, or in the future.” - Oscar Brown Jr.

2:00-4:15 p.m. - donnie l. betts lecture, screening of “Music is My Life, My Politics, My Mistress: The Story of Oscar Brown Jr.,” Q&A

4:15-6:00 p.m. Food trucks & social

6:00-7:15 p.m. - live music from the Bob Schlesinger Quartet (feat. Erica Brown) and spoken word poetry by Jeff Campbell

This program is supported by Denver Arts & Venues through the Five Points Jazz Grant.

Free with Registration - Doors open at 1 p.m.