There's one person who's never had a photo of their brother who died. And, you know, it was also risky. There is no denying James Browns place in the history of American music (as well as American history) thanks to the radical changes he brought to soul and rock and roll throughout the second half of the 20th century. Recording engineer Tom Dowd started at Atlantic Records in the 1950s, and gained a reputation within the music business as a technical wizard, who could solve the logistical challenges of. So, yeah, it was even risky for those well-loved gospel acts that we know. '20,000 Species of Bees' star Sofa Otero becomes the youngest-ever winner of Berlin's Silver Bear for best leading performance. (SOUNDBITE OF STEVIE WONDER'S "SHOO-BE-DOO-BE-DOO-DA-DAY"). And we were hoping that they would receive us. The documentary, about the long-overlooked Harlem Cultural. Now, I'd like to start with a clip of Gladys Knight performing at the festival. Generated by Wordfence at Wed, 1 Mar 2023 12:58:07 GMT.Your computer's time: document.write(new Date().toUTCString());. We'll be right back. So, again, the whole family knew of this fact. Not sure yet? Lovers and Friends Festival in Las Vegas, NV. ZTE3MDk5NmZiMzFhYWIyYzJlYTAwN2Y5NjI3ODgyZDRjMjE4MmViMGIxNTlk Stream Charley Pride: Im Just Me on Kanopy. ZTk3N2UzZmVmZWQ3MjdiMmZhNTY0ZGZiMzVkZjBjYzc0M2VmMmY5Yjg1ZGJk And she's just standing almost perfectly still (laughter). Stream Miss Sharon Jones! And Mavis was like, well, we, you know, we want to protest, and this is how we protest. So I'm sure he knows now that he's in the afterlife. The historic-but-forgotten event the film documents is the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival, a series of six concerts held in Harlem's Mount Morris Park, which is now called Marcus Garvey Park. So, OK, great. Woodstock (1970) Arguably the most culturally significant documentary on the list, seeing Woodstock is a rite-of-passage for any music festival zealot. The title references the 13th amendment, which abolishes slavery or involuntary servitude in the United Statesexcept as a punishment of a crime. The mass incarceration problem in this country is largely based around that, the documentary suggests. However, in this Emmy-nominated documentary, which covers the last two years of the civil rights icons life, you learn that he was also interested in protesting the Vietnam War, the Memphis sanitation strike and the Poor Peoples Campaign. Mjc2MWRjOGNmZGQ4NzhlMjAzMGQ4NGViZTNhYzAxODM5YmFiNzBmMzhhMzk1 We had a kind of a paper trail. It is centered around the success of the American EDM festival, Electric Daisy Carnival. I'm wondering, like, how are they not punching each other with their arms and their - like, all their limbs are being utilized. YTNmM2IwMTExNjc4OWQ3MjY5YTljMjdiMmNiNjg3N2FiNDhiZTZjMjcxNmI1 BLACK MUSIC SILENT DISCO 4 mar, 19h Itinerant. Which festival takes attendees to different cities with a view of the water and Afrobeat as the soundtrack? 9. YzUwNTQ2N2RjMzViNWQzNDJjOWIyYTk2MzViNzU2NTEyMWNkMzgzY2UyNzZm Antidote Films/Sony Pictures. The Harlem Cultural Festival served as a pause from the racial and civil unrest sweeping across the United States during the late 1960s including riots, the assassinations of Dr. Martin Luther. June 25, 2021 B.B. And some people started to dismiss Motown-style choreography as being too showbizzy (ph). So I think in my case, it was a matter of social survival on how to relate to my friends at school. Questlove directs this breathtaking chronicle of Black culture in a pivotal moment. Rent/Buy Mr. Dynamite: The Rise of James Brown on Amazon. Through interviews with the likes of Angela Bassett, Oprah Winfrey, and multiple others, this nearly two-hour documentary paints a portrait of a talented, determined, and strong woman who fought like hell to make a place for herself, and is an inspiration to generations of young girls with a dream. Does she figure into, like, your musical life significantly? Summer Of Soul (2021) And she could have easily been one of them. Congratulations on the film. Another concert doc (this one was made in 1972), Wattstax boasts a slew of performances from the likes of Isaac Hayes, Rufus Thomas, The Emotions, The Bar Kays, The Staples Singerseven Richard Pryor makes an appearance. And, you know, he's considering it, too. Everythings made for white kids because this school was made for white kids because this country was made for white kids, says one exasperated student. And it's like - it's hand gestures and, like, steps to the side, synchronized. The best Black music festivals carve out safe spaces for the Black community to celebrate life, culture, and their heritage through music. But watch a little longer, as Wonder sits behind a drumkit to whip off a crackling drum solo. (opens in new tab), Questloves Academy Award-winning documentary, Summer of Soul (Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised), documents the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival, a six-week celebration of Black history and culture that featured outstanding performances by Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, The Staple Singers, Sly and the Family Stone, and dozens of others. There are tons of great documentaries and concert films featuring the late artist, but few hold a candle to this powerful film. I guess we can kind of blame Michael Jackson for this, for like turning it up a notch, you know. Over the last few years, documentaries featuring Black musicians have showcased the talent and drive that it takes to become some of the greatest at their crafts. In a spellbinding sequence, the movie alternates between a new interview with the Rev. This is FRESH AIR. And after seven or eight times of it coming on, you know these songs. An experience like no other, the festival brings together Black culture enthusiasts, executives and content creators from around the world for five . ZjM3MWJlZmJiNWQzNjhkZmZmMTU5MTZlY2NjMzAzM2VjOGY1YTBmYzRmMGEx So they have to share a microphone, which means that they also have to - like, what they're doing with their arms. (opens in new tab), Trailblazing the country singer-songwriter Charley Pride, who passed away in December 2020, spent most of his life breaking down walls and opening doors for other Black artists in the world of country music with hits like Kiss an Angel Good Mornin, All I Have to Offer You (Is Me), and Im Just Me, the latter of which is also the name of the 2019 PBS documentary, Charley Pride: Im Just Me. Oh, yeah, good God, oh, yes. The roster of performers representing different strains of Black and Latino music included Stevie Wonder, Sly and the Family Stone, Nina Simone, B.B. The overall programming featured in-person and online . GROSS: Had there been a concert series like this before with tens of thousands of people, Black people and people of color in a Black neighborhood, like Harlem, before? YouTube Originals and Coachella have partnered to create a feature-length documentary "Coachella: 20 Years in the Desert." Watch now only on YouTube. GROSS: So why don't we hear the Edwin Hawkins Singers doing "Oh Happy Day"? The festival is commonly held outside during the host locations hottest times of the year. He didn't even know. It's really interesting to watch that. QUESTLOVE: Yeah. And that's another thing, like, with the gospel portion, a lot of gospel acts were catching fire because the church felt like it was sinful for them to sing in that style but not sing about just the lord. Then you go to Gladys Knight - well, David Ruffin and Stevie Wonder is considering it. The police ruled Johnsons death a suicide, but friends were so adamant that shed never do that that in 2018, the case was re-opened. When I get to heaven - oh, happy day - I'm gonna spread the news - oh, happy day. Related: Try Not To Laugh Along With the 41 Best Black Comedy Movies of All Time. The Forgotten "Black Woodstock" of 1969 Summer of Soul, Questlove's directorial debut, seeks to resurrect the memory of the Harlem Cultural Festival, a vital touchstone of Black music.. Originally broadcast July 2021. Its triumphant, optimistic, and respectful of The Apollos past and hopeful for its future. Thats why Black documentaries can be so exciting; there are so many things to learn about. And a large part of that story is included in the 2021 HBO documentary, Tina, which doesnt hold back one bit. The Harlem Cultural Festival was filled with stars from soul, R&B, blues and jazz and drew more than 300,000 people. Like, you know, hey, Terry, if you want to do this thing that I'm doing next week, you know, the guys from Podcast America are doing it as well. "Sometimes, we were called the Black group with the white sound we didn't like that because, how do you color a sound?" They say this festival is for the aunties, but wed like to think with events and activations happening all over the city, there is something for everybody. He directed the new film "Summer Of Soul," which features performances from and interviews about the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival, a series of six free concerts at Mount Morris Park in Harlem between June and August of 1969. And because Rock, the directors and the writers of this film arent women, its a good reminder that representation is always important. But Tulchin was unable to produce it into a film or TV series in spite of trying for years to attract funders. Throughout the film, Thompson splices archival news footage and interviews amid the performances, turning every performance into a mini Black history lesson set to music. Selma director Ava DuVernay takes on the prison system in this striking documentary, which won a BAFTA and a Peabody Award. Let's get back to my interview with Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson. And, you know, but again, you're only dealing with 16 channels. Closely tied with Woodstock, this documentary analyses the commonalities between the original 1969 festival crowd and the attendees of the 25th and 30th-anniversary festivals, the latter of which was marred by violence, destruction, and multiple fires that broke out on the festival site. So that was really emotional for them to see him as a 19-year-old. But, yeah, 300,000 people over that summer in '69, and it was not one incident. N2Y2YmI0MTk3OTI4NjAyNzM2M2RjNDQ1MWUwYzEyOTIwYzA2MzEwZmQ2MDU1 She was the Queen of Soul. Instead, he did his only three Harlem performances in Harlem nightclubs with blues master Freddie King. If you believe Wordfence should be allowing you access to this site, please let them know using the steps below so they can investigate why this is happening. This personal and enlightening film is a must for fans of punk who want to learn more about one of the best forgotten bands. Mark Montgomery French 46 Followers Film Composer, Music Historian, Podcaster, and YouTuber. Thank you for signing up to CinemaBlend. The TV veteran was approached over the years by. Stream Summer of Soul on Hulu. Oh, happy day. says McCoo, tearing up while she watched footage of the group performing another hit, "Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In. Having already won numerous accolades, including awards at Sundance film festival and nominations at the Oscars and the Grammy, 'Summer of Soul' is a fascinating watch about a . GROSS: If you're just joining us, my guest is Questlove. And so kind of rule No. So let's hear the Edwin Hawkins Singers doing "Oh Happy Day" from the film "Summer Of Soul.". Clocking in at just under two hours in length, this all encompassing documentary touches on practically every aspect of the late soul singers life, the good and the bad, and the ups and downs. Directed by Raoul Peck, narrated by Samuel L. Jackson and nominated for an Oscar, this documentary explores author James Baldwin through his own words and interviews, with a lens on his unfinished book Remember This House. Do you want to describe? Please click the video above or the mixcloud link / button below to watch our virtual show. Questlove co-founded The Roots, which is, among other things, the house band for "The Tonight Show," where Questlove serves as the music director. The film lines up an impressive array of voices for new interviews, including Chris Rock, Sheila E., Lin-Manuel Miranda and his father, Luis Miranda. And this is really a terrific performance. I mean, it really is a historic document. 1. The 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival featured some of the biggest names in Black music, but it had largely faded from history. Comedian Chris Rock was inspired to make this film when his daughter asked why she didnt have good hair. In this generally well-received documentary (except for some Black women, who side-eye Rock for making it), Rock explores Black hair and the hair weave business, going to India to find out where the hair comes from and how its sold to American buyers. The Harlem Cultural Festival in 1969 in the documentary Summer of Soul. The winner of two Sundance Festival awards (and nominated for an Oscar! And he wanted to be more serious and really, truthfully, just return to his Black roots, which was the blues. (opens in new tab), It is hard to think of a label or entity in American music history that had as much of an impact on American pop culture as Motown Records, which launched the careers of Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder, The Supremes, The Temptations, The Jackson 5, and countless others. And when you think of what choreography is like now, it's like - it's amazingly showbizzy. The star-studded global music festival has reunited rap duo The Clipse, musical icon Missy Elliott with Timbaland and Magoo, as well as a number of other reminiscent artists that Pharell is affiliated with. on Amazon. Director Hal Tulchin Stars The 5th Dimension Gladys Knight & The Pips The film also reflects significant shifts in Black culture and expression at that pivotal moment. ZTAzODI5ZWI5NzlmZTM5NWExN2FmZDZiNTkxZTMwMDNmZDI3NTBlYTFiNWY5 "I want to make sure black erasure doesn't happen during my lifetime and the film was an opportunity to work towards that cause.". Well, yeah, also watching James Brown and Jackie Wilson and whatnot. Sometimes we were called the Black group with the white sound. GLADYS KNIGHT AND THE PIPS: (Singing) I bet you're wondering how I knew - baby, baby, baby - about your plan to make me blue with some other girl you knew before. Philip grew up in Louisiana (not New Orleans) before moving to St. Louis after graduating from Louisiana State University-Shreveport. Copyright 2021 NPR. The most eclectic gathering of Black people around the world is Afropunk. And he directed the new concert documentary, "The Summer Of Soul," which features performances from and interviews about the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival. QUESTLOVE: Besides the previous two Harlem Cultural Festival events, which wasn't hardly the size magnitude of the one that happened at Mount Morris Park, I believe that that answer would be no. With plenty of information for the casual fan and some great moments for Prides long-time followers, youll leave with even more respect for the influential figure. RubyBridges desegrated schools in 1960, right? And he was working with the Band of Gypsys, which is QUESTLOVE: Buddy Miles and Billy Cox. One thing is sure: Black music history cannot be taken at face value anymore.These films and future films are the proof. This documentary explores how brown women navigate a society that ignores or demeans them. The City of Pittsburgh is a world-renowned hub for Jazz Music and the birthplace of internationally renown Jazz Artist such as: George Benson,Art Blakey, Stanley Turrentine, Billy Eckstine, Lena Horne, Earl Fatha Hines, Roger Humphries, Joe Negri, Ahmad Jamal and countless more. Oscars Best Picture Winners Best Picture Winners Sundance Film Festival Independent Spirit Awards Black History Month SXSW STARmeter Awards Awards Central Festival Central All Events. QUESTLOVE: Gladys Knight was everything to us. Related: The Significance of Black History Month and Why It Is Celebrated in February. This highly personal, behind-the-scenes look at one of the most complicated men in the history of 20th-Century music doesnt really hold back in its depiction of Davis, which makes it all the better. Sortida i arribada: Ateneu 24 de Juny 5 / 10 (amb samarreta) BLACK MUSIC BIG BAND JUNIOR + BLACK MUSIC CHOIR 5 mar, 12h. A new documentary by Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson, featuring rarely-seen footage, captures the magic of an event that had long been forgotten in the shadow of that other 1969 New York music festival . In watching the film, I thought about something that I've thought about a lot before, which is how much, like, music choreography has changed over the decades. Stream The Apollo on HBO Max. MjFmN2FiZDdhMmFhNWJjOGFlZGY2NmRhNmJlYmYwMGU3NDBhZmNmNDBiOTRj And the church, you know, really wanted to, again, blackball them because it was as controversial - I mean, the same way that we look at Megan Thee Stallion and Cardi B's "WAP" - that's how controversial the church felt that gospel singers singing in secular environments was, like, it was a sin against God. OK. This documentary series shows that race is still an issue for the teenagers of today, despite progress. And somehow, like, we just lost track of him in 1982. Searchlight Pictures/20th Century Studios, Questlove Discusses His Must-See New Doc, 'Summer Of Soul', Questlove's Roots: A 'Meta' Memoir Of A Lifetime In Music, Questlove Aims To Save Your Brain: 'Creativity Might Be In Jeopardy', Questlove On Prince, Doo-Wop And The Food Equivalent Of The 'Mona Lisa', 'Food Is Social Adhesive,' So Questlove Is Hosting A Virtual Potluck. / 23 Taq. The Strawberries and Creem festival was born from a popular club night promoted by two friends now evolved in an urban music haven. (opens in new tab), One of the most iconic landmarks, not only of Black culture, but American pop culture, is the Apollo Theater in Harlem, New York, which helped make the likes of Billie Holiday, Aretha Franklin, Will Smith, and others into household names throughout the venues storied history. So, yeah, it would have been great to see Buddy Miles, Billy Cox and Freddie King and Jimi Hendrix as the Band of Gypsys perform at the Harlem Cultural Festival. In his documentary, "The Story of the Ozark Music Festival: Three Days of Sodom and Gomorrah in Sedalia, Missouri," Lujin travels back to the summer of '74 . GROSS: Congratulations on the movie. Oh, happy day, when Jesus washed, when Jesus washed, when he washed, when Jesus washed, he washed all my sins away. 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