Details

Release year: 1990

Storyline

Jazz trumpeter Bleek Gilliam makes questionable decisions in his professional and romantic lives.

Top credits

Directors

Spike Lee

Writers

Spike Lee

Cast

Denzel Washington — Bleek Gilliam
Spike Lee — Giant
Wesley Snipes — Shadow Henderson (Sax)
Giancarlo Esposito — Left Hand Lacey (Piano)

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Did you know

• Denzel Washington and Wesley Snipes were trained to mimic the playing of the instruments they play in the film (trumpet and saxophone), by musicians Terence Blanchard and Donald Harrison. Washington later admitted that he was lucky if he could play three notes of a simple tune prior to filming, and ended up being able to correctly mimic most of the songs performed in the film, as did Snipes.

• The film was dedicated to actor and comedian Robin Harris, who died after the film was completed.

• Denzel Washington's trumpet is played by Terence Blanchard. Branford Marsalis plays the sax for Wesley Snipes. The music you hear in the movie when the actors are "playing" was performed by Branford's working band which was used for The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (1992) when Jay Leno took over.