Marlon Johnson

River City Drumbeat

For 30 years, Ed “Nardie” White has dedicated his life to uplifting and empowering African-American youth through the River City Drum Corps, teaching kids about their African roots and culture through music. Filmmakers Marlon Johnson and Anne Flatté spent years in Louisville, KY, filming the charismatic founder and the many children he inspired. As he prepares to pass the torch to his successor and former student Albert, Nardie also reflects on the triumphs and bittersweet losses of the past three decades. River City Drumbeat is an inspirational story of music, love, and legacy set in the American South.

Singular

Chronicles the extraordinary rise of Haitian-American jazz singer Cécile McLorin Salvant, anchored by a pristine recording of a live concert.

Les Outils du Jeu

This non-narrative short film examines one of the great American icons: the Louisville Slugger baseball bat. The film was conceived by its co-directors, Marlon Johnson and Dennis Scholl, along with the Louisville Orchestra's conductor, Teddy Abrams, to be screened set to a live performance by the orchestra of Claude Debussy's "Jeux".

Deep City

Deep City is an inspirational story that explores the early days of soul music in South Florida, the pioneers of that era and their lasting contributions to the broader American musical landscape. During mid-1960s Miami, producers Willie Clarke and Johnny Pearsall masterminded Deep City Records. Both from the mean streets of Miami, this duo honed the business and musical skills learned in college and went on to change the face of soul music in Miami, and eventually the country by creating the first black-owned record label in Florida. Deep City is a documentary that delves into the life and times of these groundbreaking producers, their label, the unique artists they spawned and the remarkable era in which they accomplished it. —Anonymous