“Legendary West Philadelphia jazz promoter Leo Gadson reflects on his 50-year mission of keeping live jazz alive—and confronts the possibility that he may not be able to do so much longer.”
LEO: Keeping The Music Alive is a student documentary exploring the life and legacy of Leo Gadson, a legendary West Philadelphia jazz concert promoter whose work shaped the city’s musical landscape for decades. From presenting icons such as Dexter Gordon, Jackie McLean and Joe Henderson in the 1970s to championing emerging artists today, Leo’s lifelong mission has been creating performance opportunities that sustain Philadelphia’s jazz community. 
Many musicians featured in Leo’s concerts are students in Temple University’s Jazz Studies program at Boyer College, positioning Temple as a natural home for this screening. Through concert footage and interviews with Temple artists Deborah Smith and Joshua Peeler, the film highlights a dynamic pipeline linking community performance spaces, academic training and Philadelphia’s broader jazz ecosystem. 
Previous screenings of the film around the community have been met with high engagement and praise, most recently filling Scribe Video Center in West Philly to its capacity. 
The event will include a post-screening Q&A conversation with the filmmaker and Mr. Gadson moderated by WRTI radio host J. Michael Harrison, as well as a live performance by student musicians, further deepening engagement with the film’s themes and community in The Cinema located in the Howard Gittis Student Center.

DIRECTOR BIO: 
Adam Reim is a filmmaker and cinematographer based in South Jersey, currently in his fourth year studying Film at Rowan University. In June 2025, Adam founded Evidence Films, a production company dedicated to authentic storytelling through client work, documentary, and narrative films.
ARTIST’S STATEMENT: 
Leo's story is one of historical prominence, personal sacrifice, and overwhelming love for community, family, and jazz. Having presented jazz independently in Philly for 50 years and counting, Leo Gadson, now age 78, reflects upon his past, present, and future in this raw portrait documentary. I shot this film in a mixed style, incorporating verite scenes shot with a single camera by myself, and over a dozen interviews with the many characters who have a part in Leo’s story. While the film is a proud achievement, the greatest thing to come from this production has been the gaining of a true friend. Leo and I have been best friends since production began and can often be seen frequenting local Philly jazz spots together.