Mary Lou Williams: The Lady Who Swings the Band
2015Jazz pianist Mary Lou Williams was a genius ahead of her time. From child prodigy to "Boogie-Woogie Queen" to groundbreaking composer to mentoring some of the greatest musicians of all time, she never ceased to astound those who heard her play. But for a Black woman in the early 1900s, life as a star did not come easy.
Acted in
Mary Lou Williams
as Self (archive footage)
Alfre Woodard
as Mary Lou Williams (voice)
Delroy Lindo
as John Williams (voice)
Wendell Pierce
as Andy Kirk (voice)
Stanley Crouch
as Self
Robin D.G. Kelley
as Self
Gary Giddins
as Self
Tammy L. Kernodle
as Self
Farah Griffin
as Self
Gayle Murchison
as Self
Alexandra Noailles
as Self
Peter O'Brien
as Self
Robert O'Meally
as Self
Billy Taylor
as Self
Geri Allen
as Self - Performer
Esperanza Spalding
as Self - Performer
Terri Lyne Carrington
as Self - Performer
Wycliffe Gordon
as Self - Performer
Carmen Lundy
as Self - Performer
Joel Haberli
as Barney Josephson / Critic (voice)
Robert Casteline
as Critic (voice)