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Movie Info & Details
Release Year1981
Runtime0h 25m
LanguageEN
CertificationNR
GenresDocumentary
Votes—
DirectorWillie Ruff
WritersWillie Ruff
TypeFeature Film
RatingNot rated yet
Cast3 credited
Also Known AsThe Beginnings of Bebop
About The Beginnings of Bebop
Willie Ruff, musician, composer, educator, filmmaker, and Yale School of Music alumnus was on the faculty of the Yale School of Music from 1971 until his retirement in 2017. He directed and produced this short film which follows Dizzy Gillespie and Ruff’s musical partner Dwike Mitchell on a tour of key locations in the history of bebop in New York City. Gillespie led the filmmakers to Minton’s Playhouse, Carnegie Hall, the former site of the Savoy Ballroom, and made an unannounced stop at Miles’ Davis home. (Yale Film Archive)
Directed by Willie Ruff, The Beginnings of Bebop leans on a strong ensemble — Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, Dwike Mitchell — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.
The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about documentary titles of 1981.
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