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Crosscurrents

'Evolutionary Blues' looks at West Oakland's Black history and future through music

Biko Bradford, cropped and resized
Filmmaker Cheryl Fabio

Cheryl Fabio covers a lot of ground in her documentary, Evolutionary Blues: West Oakland's Music Legacy.

The film starts with the Great Migration and takes us on a journey through blues, soul, funk and hip hop. It also tells the story of the creation — and demise — of the community Black Americans built around 7th Street in West Oakland.

Cheryl Fabio ended up interviewing more than 30 local musicians, including Sonny Rhodes, Bob Geddins, Faye Carol, and Sugar Pie DeSanto, weaving their stories together with perspectives from historians. She spoke with KALW's Jen Chien about how the film came to be.

"Not only did their community disappear, but actually the life of musicians — Black musicians —disappeared."

You can catch a screening of Evolutionary Blues: West Oakland's Music Legacy. tomorrow night at the African American Museum and Library in Oakland.

 

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Crosscurrents OaklandLocal Music