The Overtown Music Project, a non-profit organization, believes that music is transformational and can act as an engine of change to revitalize impoverished communities. Their mission is a movement that shines a light on the different genres of music, celebrating the history and spirit of Overtown in its heyday.

On October 1, 2011 the Overtown Music Project invites you to put on your swankiest outfit and  join them as they pay tribute to the greatest African American entertainers of the era and all juke joints that lined the streets of Overtown as they come one step closer to bringing the music back permanently to Overtown and funding its jazz and blues residency in the historic Lyric Theater.

Throughout the year, Overtown Music Project  hosts a series of concerts in historic Overtown landmarks as well as in venues all over the City, and initiated a project that created a blues and jazz residency in Overtown’s former entertainment district.

This Saturday October 1st,  Overtown Music Project invites you to Epic, an homage to O-town in its prime. You can sip on prohibition cocktails and get down to a mashup of big band music and hip hop, performed by an 18 piece band helmed by one of the great Count Basie’s disciples. There’s also a special jazz performance by The Melton Mustafa Orchestra with MC Monie Love. Proceeds from this event, which is being held at Liv in the Fontainebleau Hotel, will benefit the blues and jazz residency in the historic Lyric Theater. Purchase discounted advance tickets or pay $50 at the door.

The Harlem of the South

This is a great documentary showing Overtown in it’s heyday, narrated by Jordan Levin and produced by C.W. Griffin for the Miami Herald: