Film Screening and Discussion with Anthony Brown about the Documentary “Don’t Lose Your Soul: The Music of Anthony Brown and Mark Izu”

This special viewing of Jim Choi, Chihiro Wimbush, and Donald Young’s engaging documentary, Don’t Lose Your Soul: The Music of Anthony Brown and Mark Izu, provides an intimate portrait of two godfathers of the Asian American Jazz movement, drummer Anthony Brown and bassist Mark Izu.  Forged in the Bay Area civil rights movements of the 1960s and 70s and built on the history of Japanese internment, they fused centuries old Asian music traditions with the freedom of a quintessentially American musical form: jazz.  Izu and Brown come together with a group of longtime musical friends for one electrifying night of music at Yoshi’s jazz club, to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the Asian American jazz festival and honor three decades of music they helped define for future generations.  Following this showing Anthony Brown will discuss his experiences as composer, percussionist, educator, ethnomusicologist, and creator of the Asian American Jazz movement in this country.  This lecture and Brown’s performance on April 7th are part of the Improvisers Exchange produced by Jason Finkelman and the The Center for Advanced Study.  For further information on the film screening call 217-333-4577 or email Scott Schwartz at sousa@illinois.edu.  For further information about the April 7th concert visit ca.illinois.edu.