In the '70s, American major labels had an overwhelming, dominant hold on the international music scene, which often led musicians to feel censored in their artistic choices. In response to this overwhelming pressure, Charles Tolliver and Stanley Cowellan created Strata-East Records, an independant New York City label.

The trumpeter and the pianist find themselves side by side once again on the stage of the 2015 Banlieues Bleues festival, with a group of Strata-East All Stars who each played a role in the historic record label's rise to fame: Alvin Queen on drums, Cecil McBee on double-bass, and vocalist Jean Carn. In addition to performing, the musicians also reflect on the past in a set of exclusive interviews.