Publications

Full Circle: A Journey Back to Gospel

Full Circle: A Journey Back to Gospel is a documentary chronicling renowned jazz singer Kim Prevost's musical journey back to her roots in the black gospel churches of her native New Orleans. The film focuses on an extraordinary gospel music event that happened during the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival in April 2004, at Kim's father's church in the Lower 9th Ward and features performances by some of today's greatest gospel stars.

The film explores Kim's passage through theater, cabaret and jazz music, meeting her husband, celebrated jazz guitarist, Bill Solley. They developed their own musical style, and in 1999, won the B.E.T. National Jazz Discovery Competition. In the film, we meet Kim and Bill's families, their new daughter Sophie, and Kim's 94 year old maternal grandmother.

Perhaps most poignantly, the film was completed August 27th 2005, just two days before Hurricane Katrina hit the Louisiana coast. Kim and Bill lived in Slidell, LA where the eye of the hurricane passed. They left quickly, sped across the bridge to pick up mom, dad, brother Ed, and grandma. They left with the clothes on their backs and one of Bill's guitars. Kim's home is gone. Pastor Prevost's church is gone. The entire lower 9th ward is gone. In an unexpected way, the film is a record of a way of life, an area, and a community that no longer exist. It documents the spirit that does remain and in a unique way, will continue to infuse life in the black church with gospel music and the "Big Love".

Directed by Tony Labriola
Produced by Bradford Keeney, Ph.D.
Price: $30 (DVD)
Ringing Rocks Press and Governors State University 2006
Type: DVD
ISBN: 0966650999 (DVD)