ABOUT THE FILM

The Black Fire Documentary uncovers Washington, DC’s music and cultural heritage by highlighting the music, message, and art of the people behind Black Fire Records — a Black-owned independent jazz record label started in Chocolate City, aka the nation’s capital in the 1970s.

Established by DJ and record producer Jimmy Gray, and Saxophonist James “Plunky” Branch, who led the band Oneness Of Juju, Black Fire Records followed in the footsteps of other influential Black-owned independent labels like Strata-East and Tribe.

The Black Fire Documentary is a story about the early days of DC radio. It’s also a story about Black entrepreneurship and Black independent record labels of the time, especially boutique Jazz labels. Black Fire Records released the Experience Unlimited – EU’s first album in 1978. Black Fire is a story about the Spiritual Jazz Movement through highlighting Plunky’s contemporaries such as Sunra. Black Fire is a story about the Black Cultural Movements of the time, specifically in DC, but also in California and New York. Black Fire is a story about an independent jazz label and its connections to modern music through Hip Hop & Neo-Soul; via artists
that sampled or were influenced by Plunky/Black Fire (J Dilla, J Cole, Madlib, The Roots, Questlove, KRS ONE etc.). Finally, Black Fire is a story about family and legacy — how Jamiah Branch and Jamal Gray carry on the lineage of Black Fire Records, passing the torch for generations to come.

In a time of gentrification and cultural erasure in DC and beyond, Black Fire is a powerful piece of the once predominantly Black city’s history. Through the use of primary and secondary research methods, in-person interviews, album cover art, archival and media footage, photography and animation the Black Fire story is being told in the burning spirit of preserving the music, the people and the culture.

ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS

Plunky Branch, Executive Producer — Musician, filmmaker, and original Lead Member of Oneness of JuJu. Co-Founder of Black Fire Records and CEO of N.A.M.E. Brand Records.

Kia Freeman, Co-Director — Co-founder of FreeMind Tv and Films. She has recently produced three feature films, “All In” starring Lil Mama, Elise Neal and Jim Jones, “Sinners Wanted” which premiered on TVOne and at Sundance Film Festival, and “Secrets” which premiered on BET in 2017 and is now available on iTunes and UMC.

Patrick Mamou, Co-Director/Producer — Founder of creative agency The Mamou Group. He has made independent films and music videos, including short drama films “Together” which premiered at Afrikana Film Festival and “7” which was selected by the Richmond International Film Festival. Founder of Jazz Poets Society and Williamsburg Jazz & Wine Festival.

Jamal Gray, Producer — Musician, curator and creative at Black Fire Culture. In 2017 he founded the Uptown Art House, an incubator for progressive Artists and Activists in Washington, DC, where he serves as Co-Director.

Charvis Campbell, Executive Producer — President of Home Rule Film Preservation Foundation and owner of HR Records. 

ADVISING ACADEMIC SCHOLAR

Dr. Natalie Hopkinson is a writer and cultural scholar. She is an assistant professor in the doctoral program in Howard University’s Department of Communication, Culture and Media studies, and a fellow of the Interactivity Foundation.