Tyler Perry wrote the first draft of A Jazzman’s Blues a full 27 years ago: before Madea, before Gone Girl, before he built an Atlanta filmmaking empire. And now, ahead of the film’s fall premiere, we’ve got a first look at the brand-new romantic epic, starring Joshua Boone and Solea Pfeiffer.
Set in the Deep South, A Jazzman’s Blues is a sweeping story of forbidden love. At the center of that love story are Boone and Pfeiffer as Bayou and Leanne. But it’s not just a romance: As its title might suggest, A Jazzman’s Blues has a strong musical element as well.
“This is the very first thing that I wrote and I’ve waited a long time to make it. But it is happening at the right time because it was meant for Solea Pfeiffer and Joshua Boone to do and it gave me time to grow as a director,” Perry told Netflix. “I’m celebrating that all the way around and understanding that Joshua and Solea mirror everybody — the cast and crew — in terms of quality. Everybody just brought their A-game.”
The film features an original song by Ruth B., choreography by Debbie Allen, best known for Fame, and a soundtrack of juke joint blues arranged and produced by two-time Academy Award nominee Terence Blanchard. Perry, who was presented with the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at the 93rd Oscars in 2021, is honoring a long-held dream, with A Jazzman’s Blues, which he directed, wrote and produced.
Alongside Boone and Pfeiffer, the film stars Amirah Vann, Austin Scott, Milauna Jemai Jackson, Brent Antonello, Brad Benedict, Kario Marcel, Lana Young and Ryan Eggold. A Jazzman’s Blues premieres September 23, only on Netflix. In the meantime, why not watch Perry himself surprise some superfan grannies?
