Hampton Art Lovers Presents | Movies Under a Simple Tree : "Deep City"

Join us for a monthly screening of "Deep City: Birth of the Miami Sound" and a gallery night featuring "One Night Stand: Photography by Greg Clark." Presented in Partnership with Open House Miami: Open House Miami is part of a global effort to make cities more open, accessible, and equitable by providing unique views and perspectives to residents and visitors. So bring your lawn chair and refreshments for this low-key community movie night. The influence of Overtown on American music is significant, and this event commemorates that legacy. Greg Clark's photography captures the local musicians of Overtown, highlighting the allure that attracted music legends like Sam Cooke. His intimate portraits depict musicians with their instruments against the backdrop of empty lots and repurposed buildings that were once prominent entertainment venues in the area. This event is sponsored by OneUnited Bank, the S.E. Overtown/Park West CRA, and the Green Family Foundation. The event is co-sponsored by Impact Edition, the Miami-Dade Department of Cultural Affairs, and Crown Street Films.

Long before the Miami Sound became a well-known brand, there existed a unique musical scene in Miami that Deep City Records represented as its Motown. The documentary film "Deep City: Birth of the Miami Sound," directed and produced by local filmmakers, documents and highlights Miami's central role in American music history. This vibrant music scene emerged in the mid-1960s, characterized by the soul and funk sounds that only Miami could produce. It was raw and gritty, rooted in the sacred grooves of African-American church life and street culture, influenced by the bold sounds of marching bands, and enriched by the lilting cadences of Caribbean music.

Deep City Records was founded by two school teachers, Willie Clarke and the late Johnny Pearsall, who became friends while attending Florida A&M University. Clarke, an art education major and the lead drummer in the school's renowned Marching 100 band had a knack for writing lyrics and melodies. Pearsall, a business education major, did not play an instrument but had an ear for the latest hit records. Back in Miami, they established Deep City Records in the back room of Pearsall’s record shop, Johnny’s Records, located at NW 60th Street and 22nd Avenue in Liberty City. Deep City became Florida's first Black-owned record label.

The documentary is set against the backdrop of a vibrant Overtown, once the center of African-American life in Miami. “It was beautiful—neon lights stretched from one end of the street to the other. Second Avenue looked like Hollywood,” recalls Clarke in the film. Throughout, Overtown plays a significant role in the story. “It was vital for us to showcase black American life in the 1960s in the South, particularly in Miami, in a positive light,” Johnson explains. “During our research, we uncovered archival footage that vividly depicted Black people in Overtown, surrounded by businesses, walking the streets with dignity. This became an important aspect of the film, almost a subplot to the main story.”

The label showcased local talent, including Clarke, his songwriting partner and singer Clarence “Blowfly” Reid, guitarist and singer Willie “Little Beaver” Hale, and singer Betty Wright, along with groups such as The Moovers, Them Two (a vocal duo), and Frank Williams & the Rocketeers. The music produced by Deep City was exceptional; however, by the late 1960s, challenges such as lack of funding, distribution issues, and disagreements among the partners about the label's direction led to its decline. In the early 1970s, Clarke and several Deep City artists found renewed success beyond Florida with Henry Stone’s TK Records, where Clarke became a globally recognized hit-maker, even winning a Grammy in 1975 for “Where Is the Love,” sung by Betty Wright.

Ultimately, “Deep City: Birth of the Miami Sound” narrates a musical journey while also shedding light on the community and its history. In fast-changing Miami, reminders of its past hold critical importance. “Miami has a brief history, and I’ve always been fascinated by how it unfolded in such a short time,” Tingle says, who chose to make Miami his home. Originally from Jamaica, he moved to New York at age 10. After attending college in Miami, he has lived in South Florida for nearly 20 years. “When people think about Miami's music history, they might consider artists like KC [Harry Wayne ‘KC’ Casey of KC and The Sunshine Band] or Luther Campbell, or even jazz bassist Jaco Pastorius. But this is where it all started. Overtown and Deep City are the foundation.”

Host or Publisher Hampton Art Lovers