New York, NY - Giant Steps, a new sitcom starring three very
accomplished Black jazz musicians, has just been released on Amazon
Prime. Dubbed “America’s First Jazz Sitcom,” Giant Steps, which is shot
in Harlem, is an old-school comedy in the spirit of Sanford and Son and
stars legendary bassist Mickey Bass, Duke Ellington Orchestra alum
and creator Gregory Cha rles Royal, and Ms. Lauryn Hill’s saxophonist
Brent Birckhead.
“In the tradition of Black creativity, where we always find a way to
express ourselves in fresh ways, the sitcom format allows us to hit
America with jazz in a brand new flavor,” says Royal.
Giant Steps centers around three older guys: Mickey, the legendary
bassist, his longtime student Chuckie, and Mickey’s best friend
and manager Manny, who share a Harlem apartment where, as the
tagline states, “Every day is a rollercoaster”. Their arch rival is a young
braggadocious sax player named Brent, who thinks the old cats need to
step aside and let some new blood into the game.
The unique nature of the show allows the main actors to actually
perform, something that has never been attempted in modern
television and a tradition lost from the early movies of Duke Ellington,
Louis Armstrong and others.
The aspect of the musician-actors is not a coincidence, as it is the
primary mission of its creator Gregory Charles Royal, who has
championed the concept with his organizations New York Jazz Film
Festival and American Youth Symphony. “Just like Def Comedy Jam did
with comedians, jazz musicians need to also adapt and branch out into
the current mediums of the 21st century,” says Royal.
The first season is a 3-part episodic titled ‘April Fools Jazz’ and can be
viewed free with an Amazon Prime membership. Royal hopes that an
African American outlet such as a Bounce or a BET will see the value in
the programming to produce season two.
Watch Giant Steps - Season One here:
www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B075SSRVPM/
Visit the show’s official web site at www.GiantStepsTV.com or follow
them on Twitter (www.twitter.com/GiantStepsTV) or Facebook (www.
facebook.com/giantstepstv)
Starring: Mickey Bass, Paul Tafoya as Manny, Gregory Charles Royal
Brent Birckhead, Zari Veres Royal, Marist Veres Royal
Guest Stars: Meilin Gray, Greer C. Morrison, Scott Seidman, Seth White