Trumpeter Marcus Belgrave Gets His Due in 'And Damn He Could Play'

The documentary …And Damn He Could Play: The Marcus Belgrave Story will have its world premiere at DOC NYC on November 13. The Film Stage has debuted the film's first trailer and poster ahead of the screening.

The film is directed by Timashion Jones and narrated by Wendell Pierce. Its subject is Marcus Belgrave, a trumpet player who may not be a household name in jazz, but whose influence stretches across decades of American music. Belgrave made his professional debut at the age of 12. He went on to perform and record with Ray Charles, Charles Mingus, and Motown's legendary Funk Brothers.

Who was Marcus Belgrave?

The film's synopsis describes him as "a jazz legend you likely haven't heard of" whose influence "has reverberated far beyond the spotlight." Clifford Brown, the trumpet icon, mentored Belgrave early in his career. Belgrave then became a guiding force for generations of musicians through his work as an educator and mentor.

He championed Detroit's artistic soul and took part in the groundbreaking arts collective Tribe. His reach can be heard in the artistry of jazz luminaries including Geri Allen, Kenny Garrett, James Carter, Regina Carter, Theo Croker, and Endea Owens, among many others. Though too often overlooked in the broader story of jazz, his legacy, as the synopsis puts it, "lives on in the musicians he inspired, the Detroit scene he helped cultivate, and the music that continues to swing, soar, and speak through generations."

What does the film include?

The documentary gathers an extensive lineup of talking heads from jazz, Motown, and Detroit's music community:

• Wynton Marsalis, Terence Blanchard, and Don Was
• Carl Craig, Regina Carter, James Carter, and Sheila Jordan
• Motown figures Duke Fakir, Paul Riser, Ray Parker Jr., and Mable John
• Family members Joan Belgrave and Kasan Belgrave
• Detroit musicians including Charlie Gabriel, Marion Hayden, Karriem Riggins, Robert Hurst, Wendell Harrison, Dwight Adams, and Endea Owens
• Writers and educators David Ritz, Herb Boyd, Bill Meyer, and Christopher Smith
• Also featured: Bert Daring, Chris Collins, Daphne Nitiri, Eudora Muhammad, Gayelynn McKinney, Nicholas Peyton, Theo Croker, and Tonya Hood

Jones frames the project as a Detroit story about mentorship. "As a filmmaker from Detroit, I have always been drawn to stories that show the power of reaching and teaching the next generation," Jones said. "The children are our future, and it is only right that we pour into them and pass the baton so they can run and lead us forward. That is exactly what Marcus did through his music and mentorship."

The director added: "This documentary is my way of honoring that spirit and showing the world how one man could be a shattered diamond who shared his light and love for music with people all across the world. His story reminds us that when you invest in others, your legacy continues to play long after your final note."

The DOC NYC premiere on November 13 marks the film's first public screening, and the trailer and poster debut now positions Belgrave's story for the wider festival audience his admirers have long argued it deserves.