On Monday, Netflix hosted a special screening for A JAZZMAN’S BLUES in Atlanta and a bevy of celebs hit the carpet before detailing sweet black [forbidden] love to BOSSIP.
The screening held at the IPIC Theater was bustling with attendees, celebrities, and of course, A JAZZMAN’s BLUES creator Tyler Perry himself.
Source: Courtesy of Netflix / A Jazzman’s Blues
Tyler hit the carpet in Givenchy alongside Amirah Vann who plays Hattie Mae in the film…
Source: Courtesy of Netflix / A Jazzman’s Blues
Source: Courtesy of Netflix / A Jazzman’s Blues
Egypt Sherrod and her husband Mike Jackson…
Source: Courtesy of Netflix / A Jazzman’s Blues
actress Crystal Renee…
Source: Courtesy of Netflix / Netflix
Angie Stone…
Source: Courtesy of Netflix / A Jazzman’s Blues
former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms…
Source: Courtesy of Netflix / A Jazzman’s Blues
and Ryan Cameron.
Source: Courtesy of Netflix / A Jazzman’s Blues
Celebrities Dish To BOSSIP About A JAZZMAN’s BLUES & Black Love
As previously reported A JAZZMAN’S BLUES was written by Perry 27 years ago and tells the tale of star-crossed lovers Bayou [Joshua Boone] and Leanne [Solea Pfeiffer] who desperately want to be together but are forced apart by family and circumstance. As much as Bayou wants to be with the love of his life he can’t, lest Leanne, who weds a wealthy white man in the 1940s coming-of-age story, be outed as a Black woman.
BOSSIP was on hand at the screening and we asked celebs what they hoped to see from Perry’s latest film.
According to Crystal Renee who’s well versed in the genius of Perry considering her role in his BET+ comedy-drama Sistas, viewers are in for something special when it premieres Thursday, September 23 on Netflix.
“I’ve watched the edits with Tyler, people are in for a treat,” Renee told BOSSIP. “I’m so excited to see the final product.”
Source: Courtesy of Netflix / A Jazzman’s Blues
We also asked celebrities like Renee what the term “black love” means to them considering that A JAZZMAN’S BLUES details Bayou and Leanne’s unique Black love story, one that was forbidden to even take place.
“[Black love] means so much,” Renee added to BOSSIP. “I’m really big on preserving the Black family and sticking with my Black brothers so I’m super excited. It means a lot.”
Her statement was echoed by Trina Braxton who told BOSSIP excitedly about how happy she was to be married to her husband Von Scales.
Source: Courtesy of Netflix / Netflix
“This is my first foray actually experiencing Black love and it has been a major difference in my life and there’s nothing bad terrible or bad to say about interracial relationships, I’ve done it most of life,” added Braxton while noting that she’s grateful that she relates to her husband on multiple levels as a Black person. “I love that man I ain’t gon’ lie, thank ya!”
Similarly, songstress/actress Serayah who was dripping in Moschino told BOSSIP that the purity of the Black love is something she cherishes.
Source: Courtesy of Netflix / A Jazzman’s Blues
“[It’s] originality, it’s the essence, it’s something that is so pure to me,” said Serayah.” I think that we can only relate to each other and our history and experience and I love to see Black love, especially in a film so I can’t wait to see the film.”
and Amirah Vann summarized that true Black love is her partner, Patrick Oyeku who was on hand for the premiere.
Source: Courtesy of Netflix / A Jazzman’s Blues
“Me and my baby, that’s what I think about!” Vann told BOSSIP while sneaking a glance at her man. “But once again it’s very intentional, I think in this day and age both of us could be with whomever we want and I think knowing our history I was very intentional about wanting to be and sharing my love with a Black man and so, you can’t escape what we’ve been through.
“So anytime you see a celebration of us, it takes hard work building a legacy together, building together, I think that it’s beautiful if you can find it in our culture,” she added. “I’m not even gonna shy away from it, it is a beautiful thing.”
As for Perry, he detailed Leanne and Bayou’s complicated relationship to BOSSIP.
Source: Courtesy of Netflix / A Jazzman’s Blues
“There was a lot of forbidden love back then,” said Perry. “They both find themselves in impossible situations but they both love each other a lot. Back in that time, there were a lot of things that were working against them so to see some of these things trying to separate them and actually separate them is pretty profound.”
The film features an original song performed by Ruth B., songs arranged and produced by multi-Grammy winner and 2-time Academy Award nominee Terence Blanchard, and music by Aaron Zigman with choreography by Debbie Allen.
A JAZZMAN’S BLUES premieres exclusively on Netflix on September 23rd.
Will YOU be streaming?