Oscar Micheaux’s Body and Soul (1925) – With Live Theatre Organ Accompaniment by Tedde Gibson

“Body and Soul is a picture of great emotional appeal, indeed… The picture was well acted, especially the part of the minister, which was played by Paul Robeson.” – Baltimore Afro-American

Special thanks to the Theatre Organ Society of the Delaware Valley (TOSDV) for the use of their Wurlitzer Theatre Organ.

THE ORGANIST

Tedde Gibson is one of a few musicians able to play classical and theatre pipe organ, jazz, and gospel on the Hammond and piano. He integrates these styles into his playing of the theatre and classical pipe organ, which are the ultimate vehicles to showcase his talents.

A native of Tacoma, WA, Tedde began playing piano at age four, studying with Gail Brooks and the late Dorothy Bade. He later studied pipe organ with the late Dr. Edward Hansen, president of the American Guild of Organists and organ professor at the University of Puget Sound (UPS). He also studied piano with Dr. Stephen Moore and voice with Dr. Thomas Goleeke at UPS. He has studied Dr. J. Melvin Butler of the University of Washington (UW) and classical improvisation with David Dahl, organist emeritus of Pacific Lutheran University. While attending UW, he studied pipe organ with Dr. Carol Terry. Tedde has also coached with international theatre organists Jonas Nordwall of Portland, OR, and the late Andy Crow of Olympia, WA. He was organist at First Assembly of God/Life Center in Tacoma and First AME Church in Seattle. Since moving to the Metropolitan DC area in November 2003, he studied classical organ with international organist Dr. Mickey Thomas Terry of Howard University, the editor of a 10+ volume anthology of organ works by African American composers. Tedde was an organ performance major at The Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD, in the organ studio of Dr. John Walker.

He cut his theatre organ teeth as an organist at Pizza and Pipes in Tacoma, WA, for five years until that restaurant’s untimely demise due to fire in 1999. Before relocating to the east coast, he played many concerts and silent films on local instruments. Tedde has removed a theatre organ from a church in the Seattle area and became interested in restoring and relocating these American treasures. He is the former chairman of the board of directors of The American Theatre Organ Society (www.atos.org), a non-profit organization charged with preserving the theatre organ, its history, and performance practices and educating new audiences about this uniquely American instrument. He is the first African American to have held this position.

Tedde has recorded and/or accompanied several gospel and jazz artists, including Ernest Pugh, Twinkie Clark, Jennifer Holiday, Melba Moore, Edmonia Jarrett, Shawn McLemore, Twinkie Clark, and Dorinda Clark-Cole.

Tedde is the Director of Fine Arts at Mount Pleasant Church and Ministries (www.mountpleasant.org) in Baltimore, MD., and organist of Capitol Hill Seventh-Day Adventist Church (www.capitolhillsdachurch.org). He is also the house organist at the Weinberg Center of the Performing Arts in Frederick, MD.

He was organist/musician-in-residence at First Baptist Church of Highland Park in Landover, MD (www.fbhp.org) for 18 years. He taught general vocal music for 14 years at Highland Park Christian Academy in Landover, MD, and teaches piano and organ privately.

Tedde performs across the country, accompanying silent films and concertizing. As of July 2024, he will have performed for the Organ Historical Society’s convention in Baltimore, MD, the American Guild of Organists, and the American Theatre Organ Society’s annual conventions.

Tedde has produced two recordings on the former Hardman Studio Wurlitzer: At Last and Let There Be Praise Volume I. He has recorded on the world’s largest pipe organ in Atlantic City, NJ, and is finishing up Let There Be Praise Vol 2.

TICKETS

General Admission: $20.00
Seniors/ Veterans/ Children (under 12): $18.00
Members: $16.00

Please note that all Non-Member ticket prices include a processing fee of $2.00.

THE FILM

A minister (Paul Robeson, his film debut) is malevolent and sinister behind his righteous disguise: he consorts with – and later extorts from – the owner of a gambling house, and betrays an honest girl – driving her and himself into ruin. Directed by Oscar Micheaux, the film is 1hr and 42minuts. It will be presented on Blu-ray.