In the summer of 1985, a chance meeting with the indomitable Oscar Brown Jr. changed everything for a young graduate of Morehouse College from Gary, Ind. Brown’s influence on Morris Nichols Gearring was profound and little would his mentor know of how that relationship would shape Gearring’s personal and professional career. In homage to Brown, Gearring developed a one-man show titled, Something About Oscar Brown, Jr. –t. binns
You’ve just come off a two-date run at Davensport’s Piano Bar. What is the one-man show, Something About Oscar, about?
I had the great privilege of working with musical director Calvin Brunson and his quartet. The show began with some spoken verses by Oscar Brown Jr. and some popular tunes; tunes that Calvin Brunson co-wrote with … Brown. His daughter, Maggie Brown, joined me as a special guest. One of my dearest friends, she has been incredibly generous with her father’s material and helping me become more polished at what I am doing.
Why a one-man show?
I saw the show [Sliced Apple] in 1986 and absolutely fell in love with what Oscar did. I sat on the stairs every night watching the way the show was structured. I sat there always knowing I wanted to do a one-man performance and I was very attracted to that idea.
You met Oscar Brown Jr. in 1985 and had an opportunity to go on the road with him in a play in 1986. What was it about that experience that shaped your professional career?
Well, you know Oscar Brown Jr., had a lot to say about integrity. He coined the phase, ‘edutainment’ — educating while entertaining. That is a great message I carry from him.
You’ve performed in Chicago and New York. What’s next for the show?
We’re hoping to get this thing as close to Off Broadway [or] Broadway as we possibly can and continue to keep the work of Oscar alive. [We want to help] a new generation and audience discover the brilliance, beauty and material that this great artist — who left us way too soon — left behind.
