Mary Lou Williams: The Lady Who Swings the Band

Jazz 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.

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  Alfre Woodard

  Mary Lou Williams (voice)
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  Delroy Lindo

  John Williams (voice)
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  Wendell Pierce

  Andy Kirk (voice)
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  Stanley Crouch

  Self
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  Robin D.G. Kelley

  Self
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  Esperanza Spalding

  Self - Performer
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  Terri Lyne Carrington

  Self - Performer
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  Joel Haberli

  Barney Josephson / Critic (voice)