Although lauded by The New York Times as “an evening of pure, kinetic rhythm,” Estate Fresh’s pointed union of jazz, protest music, and hip-hop was a combination not widely popularly recognized until the 1990s. Now over 40 years later, Fab 5 Freddy and Rich Medina revisit this pivotal experiment through a new, live narrative performance at The Kitchen at Westbeth. Directed by SCHMTCS Media, Bebop x Hip-Hop will feature newly released archival footage and original sampled compositions, alongside Fab 5 Freddy's earnest retelling of Max Roach's request to explore the emerging "rap thing." In revisiting and reenvisioning Estate Fresh, Bebop x Hip-Hop will showcase the evolution of jazz and hip-hop since the ‘80s, intertwining Roach's legacy with the contemporary hip-hop scene through a multi-channel video installation and three evening performances. The production will incorporate a curated selection of musical influences blended and mixed in real-time, showcasing the convergence of jazz and hip-hop through creative reinterpretation of tracks by pioneers such as Stetsasonic, Eric. B & Rakim, A Tribe Called Quest, Nas, and Queen Latifah alongside rare archival film of historic Roach performances. Live musicians, MCs, and dancers will be woven in and out of the performances and film installation. With 2024 marking the centennial year of his birth, the project commemorates this groundbreaking moment in The Kitchen’s history, and Max Roach as a prolific musician, educator, and a champion of social change.

Bebop x Hip-Hop is presented by The Kitchen courtesy of Blacksmith and the Max Roach Estate.

BIOS