If you like historical fiction, you want to pay attention to Kurt Elling and Phil Galdston’s musical drama The Big Blind
, premiering March 1 and March 2 at Jazz at Lincoln Center. The new thriller is a fictionalized account of a true story about an up-and-coming jazz singer in 1920s Chicago named Joe E. Lewis, who crossed the mob and paid an incredible price for it. The radio-style musical (complete with an onstage foley artist for all the noir sound effects) updates the action to 1957, and stars Tony Award winners Dee Dee Bridgewater & Ben Vereen. In the video below, Kurt Elling gives some history on the exciting world premiere.In this video, check out the real Joe E. Lewis doing some stand-up from his 1958 act at the Copa and then singing in 1942 film Private Buckaroo.
The Big Blind premieres at Jazz at Lincoln Center March 1 and 2.
