Legacy

LEGACY tells the fascinating story of how Scandinavia became a creative haven for Black American jazz stars, through the voices of their children who, for better and for worse, still live with the choices their fathers made.

In the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s, Scandinavia suddenly became a centre for the most innovative music of the time: jazz. The cold, dark Nordic countries offered a refuge for Black American jazz musicians. Here, they could escape much of the racism they faced in the United States, play in local clubs and express themselves freely. They could be stars and receive the recognition they deserved. Many started families and had children.

It is the grown children of artists such as Dexter Gordon, Don Cherry, Eric Bibb, Sahib Shihab, Joe Harris and Quincy Jones who tell the story in Legacy. A story of racism, segregation and political activism. A story of the consequences children sometimes bear for their fathers’ freedom. And, of course, a story about the music and a rich period in Scandinavia’s musical history.