ShadowandAct.com's Film Review of "The Queen's Suite" Documentary

Sergio Mims, a Chicago based writer and film critic for Shadow and Act has seen the film and written a review!

Back in June, we profiled on S & A, a new short film documentary in post-production entitled "The Queen’s Suite", by London based filmmaker Corine Dhondee. It chronicles a young British jazz musician and arranger Peter Edwards who recreated and performed with a hand picked jazz orchestra, one of jazz master Duke Ellington’s forgotten works, "The Queen’s Suite".

Dhondee was inspired to make the film after attending an open rehearsal of the work in 2008. Not only was she won over by the music, but it was also the inspiring story of an extremely talented young Black British man who was equally inspired by an important yet forgotten piece of black art and culture.

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A Thank You Note from the director of "The Queen's Suite"

I received an email from Corine Dhondee, the director of "The Queen's Suite", earlier this morning.

To refresh your memory, it's a film about a young jazz musician named Peter Edwards, Duke Ellington, the Queen of England, a 15 piece orchestra and a dream driven by passion.

There was an online fundraiser. And guess what? You made it happen! "The Queen's Suite" will be finished! It will be distributed to schools nationally and internationally to spur on young musicians and also guide young people who wish to explore the creative arts!! YAY!

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Update on "The Queen's Suite" with interviews and performances!

Three weeks ago I introduced The Queen's Suite to you. Here's a recap:

The Queen's Suite is the new documentary by Corine Dhondee. It is about a young jazz musician named Peter Edwards, Duke Ellington, the Queen of England, a 15 piece orchestra and a dream driven by passion.  It has a soundtrack that blows life's dust away.

Now, I have a few videos to share with you! The first is of Peter Edwards. He is the pianist and arranger featured in The Queen's Suite by Ms. Dhondee. Here he talks to Corine about the project:

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"The Queen's Suite" - A young Jazz musician's dream to play to the Queen of England.

What is the Queen's Suite?

The Queen's Suite is a documentary which tells the story of Peter Edwards, one of England's most promising jazz arrangers, as he tries to achieve his dream of playing Duke Ellington's Queen's Suite(written for her in 1959) to the Queen of England, at the centre of London's cultural quarter, the South Bank.

The documentary follows Peter as he scores Ellington's work, puts together his orchestra, rehearses them and negotiates with Buckingham Palace.

Does the Queen attend the performance? The documentary provides a unique and intimate insight into the background and career of an exceptional jazz arranger and musician. It has an original live soundtrack performed by Tomorrow's Warriors Jazz Orchestra.

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