Archie Shepp

Part one of a two-part portrait of the great Jazz composer and pianist. In 1968, Thelonious Monk and his musicians play at the Village Vanguard and at recording sessions for Columbia Records in New York. In Atlanta they appear at a Jazz Festival organized by George Wein. The members of Monk's quartet are Charlie Rouse, Larry Gales, and Ben Riley.

Never-before-heard personal recordings and archival footage tell the story of Louis Armstrong’s life from his perspective. From musical phenom to civil rights activist to world-renowned artist, this illuminating film shows sides of Armstrong few have seen.