Sunday, March 24th, 2024 "Legacies" with Terri and Thomas Chapin
/"Legacies"
with Terri and Thomas Chapin
Led by writer, producer and director Abby London-Crawford
and editor Lee Odom
For this zoom event, Abby and Lee will share the first episode of a proposed internet series, Legacies, which focuses on the musician/composer Thomas Chapin who passed away at the age of 40 in 1998 and the efforts of his widow, Terri Castillo Chapin, to preserve, protect and secure his archival legacy at Duke University’s Library of Special Collections for future generations to discover him. During the course of making this film, Terri, herself, passed away. This episode is dedicated to them both.
From the early 1960’s, Abby London-Crawford (aka Abby London), was a theater student ultimately graduating with a degreee in Theater in 1968. Following a long stay in Mexico, Abby helped found, over a span of 45 years, two public day care centers and two progressive public elementary/middle schools, while supporting the creation of Time Capsule, a 1976 project of her late husband’s writing students at Rutgers’ Livingston College. Subsequently became the copy and managing editor of several of the literary magazines they developed.
In 1999, with French filmmaker friends, Abby produced the film “Femmes de Jazz,” a portrait of a diverse group of female jazz artists in the City. For more than 25 years Abby has independently and co-produced music concerts and festivals at venues in Manhattan and Brooklyn. Her “Celebrating Women Composers” series became popular events. Abby still produces music today. In 2016, she was an associate producer and screening coordinator on Stephanie J. Castillo’s documentary, “Night Bird Song, the Incandescent Life of Thomas Chapin.” Musician/composer Chapin and his widow Terri are the subjects of an episode of her proposed documentary series, “Legacies.” This episode was edited by another master musician/composer, Lee Odom.
Abby is at work on two graphic novels intended for preadolescents, as well as a draft of a play about her making dinner for James Baldwin. Her poem, “Cold Spring,” is included in One Breath Rising’s Anthology, “At the Crossroads.” London-Crawford is on the Board of One Breath Rising.
Lee Odom is a multi-reed Instrumentalist, band leader and composer. A native of North Carolina, Lee received a bachelors in the music industry while also studying clarinet performance at Appalachian State University, Boone NC then later moving to NYC where her performances include The Jazz Foundation, New York City Winter Jazz Festival, New York City Vision Festival, Bang on a Can Music Festival, the Harlem Jazz Boxx, The Enjoy Jazz Festival (Germany), Music Connect (Nairobi Kenya) and other cities across the US and countries including Argentina and Scotland.
Lee has performed in theatre productions which include “The Rosenberg/Strange Fruit Project” which received 5 stars from the British Theatre Guide. Lee was an Artist-in-Residence at Holmes Presbyterian Camp Holmes, NY and at Art Omi in Hudson NY; also the clarinet instructor for The Jazz House Kids music program in Paterson NJ, and as lead musical instructor for the Poly Prep Summer Theatre Camp in Brooklyn.
A $10. donation is suggested for this event.