Legacy

From the 1950s to 1970s, Sweden was a desirable destination and place of refuge for many African-American jazz greats. The Swedes greatly appreciated both the music and the extraordinary talent of the musicians. Racism was an issue, but not in the same way – with political persecution and police violence – that infused their everyday life in the USA. As a result, some of them stayed for years and started families. The documentary lets the Swedish children of Dexter Gordon, Don Cherry, and Quincy Jones have their say. They talk about their relationships with their often absent fathers, and about the legacy of their music – but also about growing up Black in Sweden in the 1970s and 1980s. While the fathers were in the recording studio with Michael Jackson, the children were being chased through subway stations by skinheads. The wealth of archive material, and the intimate conversations with the descendants of the jazz superstars results in a moving chronicle of the times. One that bears witness to political activism, of the search for identity, and the special, unifying power of music.