Milford Graves Full Mantis + Gig

Now a regular fixture on the Birmingham jazz scene, if it’s not already on your radar, now’s the time to put the weekly Pan-Pan Jazz Jam in your diary. Ordinarily a night of live music, we’re mixing things up and throwing in a film too.

Milford Graves Full Mantis is the first ever feature-length portrait of renowned percussionist Milford Graves. A founding pioneer of avant-garde jazz, Graves helped to usher in the 60s free-jazz revolution through his groundbreaking work with Albert Ayler, the New York Art Quartet and others. Full of fluidity, polyrhythm and intensity, Milford Graves Full Mantis embodies the essence of Graves’ music itself.

'Like Graves's music, the film is uncompromisingly original in form, but it teaches us to watch and enjoy it.' Pooja Rangan

This screening will be followed by the jam, hosted by the Pan-Pan house band.