Edward Bland is an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 composer and musical director. He studied at the American Conservatory of Music

American Conservatory of Music

The American Conservatory of Music was a major American school of music founded in 1886 by John James Hattstaedt . The conservatory was incorporated as an Illinois non-profit corporation. It was located in Chicago until 1991 when its Board of Trustees — chaired by Frederic Wilbur Hickman...

 in Chicago

Chicago

Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...

. Among his compositions is a concerto for electric violin and chamber orchestra. He has composed scores for A Raisin in the Sun (1989) and A Soldier's Story (1984), made-for-television motion pictures. Another notable work is Sketches Set Seven for piano

Piano

The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...

. He wrote, directed, and produced the 1959 film Cry of Jazz

Cry of Jazz

Cry of Jazz is a film by Ed Bland documenting Chicago's black neighborhoods. It includes interviews with artists and intellectuals and performances by Sun Ra and John Gilmore. In 2010, this film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress...

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