The Gathering: Roots & Branches of Los Angeles Jazz chronicles a multi-generational music project started in 2005 by Jesse Sharps, one of the great composers to come out of the progressive improvised music scene of Los Angeles and an early bandleader of Horace Tapscott's Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra. It focuses on the Leimert Park district and progressive jazz scene of Los Angeles covering the history of the music, and the tradition of elders guiding the young players on the scene. With live performances and behind the scenes footage of the historic recording session that started the project off, and interviews and performances by local legends Azar Lawrence, Dwight Trible, Kamau Daáood, Phil Ranelin, and Roberto Miranda as well as rising stars Kamasi Washington, Miguel Atwood-Ferguson and many others, the film covers a rich and evolving musical community.
The film has completed its festival run, with a world premiere "work in progress" at the Maine International Film Festival in 2019, a West Coast premiere at the 2020 Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles, Midwest premiere at the 2020 Black Harvest Film Festival in Chicago, and and international premiere at the Jecheon Music and Film Festival in Korea. Following several other screenings we are working on DVD and streaming release for the film in 2025, the twenty year anniversary of the original recording session in 2005. More screenings are coming, including some at virtual events and festivals online