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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE It Don’t Mean A Thing... If It Ain’t Got That Swing! Saint Paul, Minnesota --- Queen of Swing Norma Miller returns to St. Paul for It Don’t Mean a Thing…If It Ain’t Got That Swing, a Jazz celebrating the history of Swing, Jazz & Tap. The ninety minute documentary will be shown at 2:30 p.m. Saturday afternoon, September 1 at Tapestry Folk Center, 3748 Minnehaha Avenue South, Minneapolis (TC Swing’s First Saturday Swing Dance featuring the Swing Beat Big Band follows at 7:30 p.m.) On Friday evening, September 7 the film will be shown at the Virginia Street Swedenborgian Church, 170 Virginia St., St. Paul. Suggested donation for both events is $10 per person. Clips from the film will also be shown at The Collins Production’s Urban Family Garden Party on Saturday, September 8 from 2 – 6 p.m., 965 Selby Avenue (corner of Chatsworth.) Suggested donation is $10 adults, $5 seniors and children under five. Narrated by Bill Cobbs, Florida Filmmaker John Biffar’s Queen of Swing takes an inside look at Norma Miller's influence in the globalization of America's jazz culture, and her and her fellow artists’ role in racial integration. Featuring interviews with Bill Cosby, Frankie Manning and the late Leonard Reed, the film’s sound track features music and footage of many of Ms. Miller’s road buddies, including Jazz legends Count Basie, Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway and Sammy Davis Jr. Norma Miller is an author, choreographer, dancer, comedian and actor whose career spans over seven decades. Discovered at the age of twelve by the Savoy Ballroom's legendary dancer Twist Mouth George, Ms. Miller has been in show business ever since. Honored with a National Heritage Foundation Fellowship from the National Endowments of the Arts for her role in creating and continuing to preserve "the acrobatic style swing dance, known as the Lindy Hop," Ms. Miller is an inspiration to all who know her. Featured in Ken Burn’s PBS documentary JAZZ, Ms. Miller is also the subject of Al Governor’s recent children’s book, Stompin’ at the Savoy. Ms. Miller is currently working on her third and fourth books, Swing Baby Swing and Me & John Biffar, a behind the scenes look at the deep friendship that developed during the ten years of filming Queen of Swing. For more information and tickets for It Don’t Mean A Thing…If It Ain’t Got That Swing events, including the showings of Queen of Swing at the Tapestry Folk Center and at the Virginia Street Swedenborgian Church; or the Collins Production’s Family Urban Garden Party please contact Collins Productions at 651- 231-7718 or by Email at Info@NormaMillerSwings.com.
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