Alberta Hunter...A Musical Biography
Tuesday, March 14, 2023 at 11:34AM 
;)
In his entertaining and enlightening documentary, director Stuart A. Goldman tracks Alberta Hunter's trajectory from Jazz Age sensation to dedicated nurse to octogenarian singing star.
Described by producer John Hammond as "a teacher as well as a preacher as well as a singer," few musicians have had a career quite like the powerhouse entertainer. Throughout the film, Goldman inter-cuts a performance from Hunter, 86, with a pianist and bass player at Barney Josephson’s club, the Cookery, in Greenwich Village. She puts hands on hips, laughs, growls, and winks at the audience while singing suggestive lyrics like, "I want a toothless, double-jointed, rough and ready man." Video Librarian Review
ALBERTA HUNTER...MY CASTLE'S ROCKIN'_TRAILER__1080_EN from sarasotafringefilms on Vimeo.
This award-winning one-hour biography portrays the life of the legendary singer/songwriter Alberta Hunter. After 40 years of show business success beginning in the 1920’s, Alberta became a nurse. Twenty years later, when they thought she was 70, she was forced to retire. Still vibrant, she returned to singing to enjoy one of the most acclaimed comebacks ever…all at age 82!
Watch and Share the YouTube Trailer HERE
From performing in dilapidated brothel houses in Chicago to the gilded auditorium of New York’s Carnegie Hall, Alberta Hunter was a true testament to the power of raw talent coupled with hard work and gumption. Hunter rose from Memphis poverty to become one of the most influential blues and jazz singers of the 20th Century, as well as a respected songwriter. Hunter was a lesbian but felt the pressure to keep her sexuality hidden in an era (early twenties to the late fifties) when such information would have derailed her career.
The film traces Alberta’s remarkable career through the 20th Century, incorporating her best live performances from New York’s famous downtown night spot, The Cookery. Ms. Hunter opened her personal archives to the producer/director for this program, sharing never before seen photos and other mementos from her celebrated career. Here is Alberta Hunter’s final interview, in which she recounts the highlights of her extraordinary and wonderful life.
Purchase Options:
A Note About Our Academic and Institutional Pricing
Educational DVD with PPR: $150
Anytime you want to screen a film on campus, Public Performance Rights (PPR) needs to be obtained. Copyright law (USC 17§101) defines a public performance as occurring in a public space or if it is in any place if "a substantial number of persons outside of a normal circle of a family and its acquaintances" is gathered there. This would include classrooms, meeting rooms, auditoriums, dorm lounges, etc. However, copyright law (USC 17§110) also provides an exception for face-to-face teaching activities in a nonprofit educational institution.
Digital Site License with PPR: $200
A DSL grants educational institutions and/or non-profit organizations a limited license to host and stream a film online to students, faculty and staff on their password-protected server. This license is granted for three years. The key advantage of purchasing a DSL is that once uploaded, an unlimited number of viewers can access the film from multiple locations simultaneously.
DVD + DSL bundle PPR: $225
K-12, Non-profit, Public Library with PPR: $62.50
Personal DVD 24.50