Kris Bowers Latest Celebrity News & Gossip

Jon Burlingame As Emmy voting draws to a close, the 2021 music nominations span rookies to regulars.

In the months after the death of George Floyd, the country started to take a hard look in the mirror. We asked: Was this a nation built on white supremacy? Do we police African-Americans differently? Were we excluding people from opportunities based on the color of their skin? Protestors hit the streets, athletes boycotted games, and we demanded accountability from our politicians.

In the Oscar-nominated documentary short A Concerto Is a Conversation, acclaimed composer Kris Bowers traces a line from his family history to the premiere performance of his original concerto "For a Younger Self" at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in 2019. Following that line is Horace Bowers Jr., Kris Bowers' 91-year-old grandfather, who sits down with his grandson to tell the story of his journey out of the Jim Crow-era South in the pursuit of his American Dream.

Jazz Tangcay Artisans EditorOscar-nominated short film “A Concerto Is a Conversation” is the story of love between a grandfather and his grandson woven together through music. It’s also a narrative about race in America.Composer Kris Bowers, the virtuoso behind “Green Book” and “When They See Us,” wears multiple hats for the film, as co-director (with friend Ben Proudfoot), producer, composer and star.

The Oscar-shortlisted short documentary A Concerto Is a Conversation is a classic two-hander, the kind of story with two protagonists of equal importance.

Ava DuVernay has boarded Oscar contender A Concerto Is A Conversation as executive producer. Co-directed by  Emmy-winning composer Kris Bowers and Emmy-winning filmmaker Ben Proudfoot, the 13-minute short subject documentary follows Bowers as he tracks his family’s lineage through his 91-year-old grandfather Horace Bowers from Jim Crow Florida to the Walt Disney Concert Hall.

Angelique Jackson Ava DuVernay is reuniting with “When They See Us” composer Kris Bowers for the documentary short “A Concerto Is a Conversation.”DuVernay will executive produce the film, which was co-directed and produced by Bowers and Ben Proudfoot. “A Concerto Is a Conversation” was selected to premiere at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival, which has shifted to a virtual model amid the ongoing pandemic.

Jazz Tangcay Artisans EditorAs the hottest show on Netflix, “Bridgerton” which has attracted over 63 million viewers has resulted in the Vitamin String Quartet seeing a huge a spike in their music streams.Aside from lush sets and gorgeous costumes, the show’s music is a standout.

Jazz Tangcay Artisans EditorThe Netflix series “Bridgerton” features incredible sets and costumes and outstanding performances but the glue that holds it all together is the music of Kris Bowers. Soundtracking a story that takes place centuries ago is challenging for any modern composer, but “Bridgerton” does an excellent job of reimagining what a period piece sounds like.

Matt Grobar Assistant Editor, AwardslineOn Mrs.

What do you know about Kris Bowers, Ruth E. Carter, Hannah Bleacher or Joi McMillon? In honor of Black History Month, Variety shines a spotlight on a few of the many African American artisans who deserve to be recognized.