Inarguably one of the most important figures in 20th-century American music, jazz impresario Norman Granz introduced live jazz to mainstream audiences with his Jazz at the Philharmonic concert series, founded four record labels including the legendary Verve Records, managed the careers of icons Ella Fitzgerald and Oscar Peterson, and produced a roster of some of the greatest artists in jazz history: Charlie Parker, Lester Young, Bud Powell, Count Basie, Billie Holiday, Stan Getz, Dizzy Gillespie, Ben Webster, Lionel Hampton, Benny Carter, Roy Eldridge, and many more. In addition, Granz was dedicated to fighting racism in America by refusing to play to segregated audiences, paying his artists well above average, and offering equal benefits to both black and white musicians--all in the mid-1940s to late 1950s, years before the prominence of the burgeoning civil rights movement. This concert series celebrates Granz' pioneering work with a live performance by pianist Mary Lou Williams at the prestigious Montreux Jazz Festival in 1978.DVD Features:Region (Unknown)Keep CaseSingle Side - Single LayerFull Frame - 1.33 Copyright (C) Muze Inc. 2005. For personal use only. All rights reserved.