Byron Pope - Veyvey Films

“WHEN YOU HEAR ME, I GO INTO YOUR MIND LIKE THE SPEED OF LIGHT - YOU EITHER LIKE ME OR YOU DON’T. AND IF YOU CAN’T STAND IT, YOU’RE OUT OF THE ROOM IN TWO MINUTES!”

“IF I EVER GOT HOLD OF SOME MONEY TO PUT A BIG BAND TOGETHER, I WILL PUT THE WHOLE WORLD IN SPACE! PROMISE YOU!”

ABOUT THE PROJECT

At 88 years old, Byron Pope continues to play his saxophone every day - and he has to if he wants to keep playing.Having shared stages with Charlie Parker in the 60s, Pope defines his sound not as free jazz, but as avant-garde.

“In 1966 John Coltrane called me “I wanna hear your work””
Pope left the United States in the 70s to escape racial segregation, his roots in Monroe, Louisiana, where he faced stark racial divides, deeply influenced his journey.

Runtime: 9’
Year: 2023

Shot in Geneva, Switzerland
What we did: Development, Production, Postproduction