Emmy-nominated director Sacha Jenkins has been tapped to lead Apple's upcoming Louis Armstrong documentary called Black & Blues: The Colorful Ballad of Louis Armstrong. Jenkins has directed portions of docuseries like Netflix's Rapture and Showtime's Wu-Tang Clan: Of Mics and Men. He has also spent most of his career at music publications like Rolling Stone, Vibe and Mass Appeal. Not to mention, he worked as a contributing writer on the iconic television show, The Boondocks.
Jenkins will be backed by Brian Grazer and Ron Howard of Imagine Documentaries. He will also produce the documentary alongside Julie Anderson, Sara Bernstein and Justin Wilkes. Meanwhile, Michele Anthony and David Blackman of Polygram Entertainment will work as executive producers.
Black & Blues: The Colorful Ballad of Louis Armstrong will follow the ups and downs of Louis Armstrong's life. Filled with exclusive audio recordings, photographs and personal items, the documentary will look at the famed jazz musician's life in a way that has never been seen before. Adding to the story, the film will also examine Armstrong's role or lack thereof during the Civil Rights Movement.
Armstrong's life has been documented in previous documentaries like Louis Armstrong: Satchmo and The Wonderful World of Louis Armstrong. However, this documentary stands out as the first film to have the full support of his estate.
This project is the latest high-profile music documentary to begin development. Earlier this year, Netflix announced that it had acquired a documentary exploring the life of Kanye West. At this time, there is no scheduled release date for either project.
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