By 1969, the country had already endured the assassinations of John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr.; the film suggests one reason city officials backed the festival was in hope the celebration would prevent rioting on the anniversary of King's murder. Our producer said, OK, Billy, take them to church. When an editor there changed words in one of her stories from "Black" to "negro," she responded with an 11-page memo that convinced editor Abe Rosenthal to update the paper's policy. This is just barely scratching the surface of all the great music documentaries to watch in honor of Black History Month (and beyond for that matter), so dont just stop your search with this list. QUESTLOVE: Absolutely. If you are a longtime fan of James Brown or are just now getting into his music, this is a documentary you cant miss. That footage, however, wouldnt see the light of day until after Franklins 2018 death. If all things Black women and a southern city are your jam, this is another go-to for your festival schedule. Spike Lee directed this documentary about the 1963 Birmingham, Alabama church bombing that killed four Black girls. If youre looking for even more Black music festivals and experiences you can attend, you can find them on Eventnoire. And it just made me think about what it meant to the performers, you know, to be at the festival. It's using everything I know to - I'm certain that if I didn't have this range of knowledge that I probably wouldn't have been chosen to be on "The Tonight Show.". (opens in new tab) Like, they're doing like it's almost like interpretive body movement. GROSS: Well, look. And their whole disposition was basically like, you know, you must wear a tuxedo all the time. Rent/Buy Amazing Grace on Amazon. So every day, this is happening. Were you already a big Nina Simone fan? And she seems like so happy to be there. "We were constantly being attacked because we weren't, quote-unquote, 'Black enough,' " says Marilyn McCoo, a member of the velvety-smooth, all-Black pop vocal group The 5th Dimension. We know that he had one son and that's it, and only because of, like - I believe, like, you know, he was also trying to establish himself as a singer and a recording career. Spike Lee directed this documentary about the 1963 Birmingham, Alabama church bombing that killed four Black girls. Her daughter, who co-produced and also appears onscreen, thinks the film gets her mom right, and we believe her. He's also an author, and his new book, "Music Is History" - focusing on 1971 to the present - will be published in the fall. And our main purpose for traveling is just to bring and spread a little love. Nobody had really talked about it for decades," said Jefferson Lujin, the filmmaker who has dedicated the last decade or more to digging into the 1974 Ozark Music Festival. ), The Roots Questlove makes his directorial debut with this exploration of the 1969 Harlem Culture Festival. Fest dates are April 29 and 30, 2023. Unlike many documentaries that cover this event, this one dives deep into each of the four girls and their personalities to emphasize that they were real people. And she and her music director wrote the song. So, of course, in 2018, 2019, I believe, I did Henry Louis Gates' "Finding Your Roots.". And he wanted to be more serious and really, truthfully, just return to his Black roots, which was the blues. Which festival takes attendees to different cities with a view of the water and Afrobeat as the soundtrack? "Summer of Soul" shows us that what unfolded on an outdoor stage in . Related: 120 Inspiring Quotes for Black History Month: Freedom Is Never Given. (opens in new tab). Directors Michael Raspatello Brent Kado (co-director) Writers Michael Feferman Michael Raspatello Stars Joe Bogdan (voice) Jill Brown Rick Farman And I'm just about, just about, just about to lose my mind. He's our grandfather. NTZmYWVkNTM0N2Q0M2QxYTI4NTdkZDU5ZDE4NGU0NzAyNjNlMzdhY2YyNWVm (opens in new tab), Often considered one of the pioneers of the blues, specifically the Delta Blues, Robert Johnson has long been one of the most important yet mysterious figures in American music history. In honor of Black History Month, we are celebrating these iconic voices with a quick yet comprehensive rundown of some of the best music documentaries you can watch right now with a Netflix subscription, either version of a HBO Max membership, and other streaming services. says McCoo, tearing up while she watched footage of the group performing another hit, "Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In. Oh, happy day. An experience like no other, the festival brings together Black culture enthusiasts, executives and content creators from around the world for five . From the 1970s until today, this style of music emerged from Black, inner-city neighborhoods to become a mega-popular genre among white suburban and upper-class neighborhoods, too. Yeah, no, of course. That kind of emotion surfaces often in Summer of Soul, as the camera captures people who attended the festival more than 50 years ago, crying as they remember the power of seeing so many Black people in one place, celebrating Black culture. Rent/Buy Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool on Amazon. That was one of the reasons why performing in Harlem was so important to us, because we wanted our people to know what we were about. And, you know, he's considering it, too. Please refresh the page and try again. GROSS: Yeah. One Musicfest is an urban progressive music experience that gathers over 50,000 music lovers together for a variety of events in one weekend. You know, it was sort of an unplanned question, and I guess when I saw an entry, I investigated further only because it's what I recognized in myself and my own career. There was a problem. And he was just joking, like, because I was happy. This 1969 Music Fest Has Been Called 'Black Woodstock.' Why Doesn't Anyone Remember? Jamila Wignot's portrait of a modern dance visionary who carved out space for Black performers and Black stories in 1950s New York City. Stream Mr. Dynamite: The Rise of James Brown on Prime Video (with ElloConcerts Channel). Matthew Allen is a Brooklyn-based TV producer, director and award-winning . With loads of never-before-scene footage, this eye-opening documentary paints a portrait of the musician that is further fleshed out with interviews with his contemporaries as well as those he influenced, making for one wild ride. Overall, the film focuses on how frustrated Baldwin is with the inability of America to solve its race problems. It was free and open to the public. I'm wondering, like, how did he do that? Sidney Madden is a co-host of NPR's podcast "Louder Than a Riot," which focuses on the intersections of music and culture. And so we'll also hear a little voice-over in this, too. QUESTLOVE: There's excitement because, like, Sly wasn't even supposed to be on the bill. ZTAzODI5ZWI5NzlmZTM5NWExN2FmZDZiNTkxZTMwMDNmZDI3NTBlYTFiNWY5 I also found out that Jimi Hendrix tried to get on the festival as well and wasn't able to do it. 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. Marsha P. Johnson, an activist and drag queen, is the subject of this documentary, directed by David France. And there's sort of again - code switching is sort of the overall theme for a lot of these Black performers, where you have to change your presentation to fit the situation that you're in to make the audience feel comfortable with you and for you to feel comfortable. The Lovers and Friends Festival features a two-day program of artists you couldnt imagine would be all on one stage, let alone one room. We were, like, looking, you know? 29 Black Music Documentaries for Black History Month 2020 For Black History Month 2020, we are showcasing films and videos featuring Black American artists. Even though choreography has totally 100% sort of went into overdrive throughout the years, I marvel at the simplicity. We'll hear from Gladys Knight, Mavis Staples, B.B. But Questlove, the director of a new documentary about a pathbreaking Harlem music festival that took place over . GROSS: Or find him, yeah. Like, probably the best thing about this film is the amount of people that are reaching out to me saying that, oh, my God, my great-grandmother is 19 years old. That particular moment that we just saw with Marilyn McCoo, I realized something. Thats why Black documentaries can be so exciting; there are so many things to learn about. Though not nearly as well known as the likes of other soul singers like James Brown, Aretha Franklin, or Nina Simone, Sharon Jones was right up there with them in terms of talent. 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. Where to watch it: Amazon Prime Video or, you can watch it in full on YouTube here. Stream Biggie: I Got a Story to Tell on Netflix. The festival is hosted around the world so the culture can experience Black music everywhere. This film uses interviews with celebs like Whoopi Goldberg, Sidney Poitier, Harry Belafonte, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Debbie Allen, John Boyega and more to talk about the onscreen, offscreen and mean green of what it means to be Black in Hollywood. And, you know, you look at David Ruffin's performance in this film, and he's wearing a wool tuxedo and a coat, like, scorching in the middle of July. Stream Nas: Time Is Illmatic on Plex. GROSS: There's gospel music presented at the concert, including by, you know, one of the greatest, Mahalia Jackson. The Harlem Cultural Festival in 1969 in the documentary Summer of Soul. We see her. The 2012 documentary A Band Called Death sheds light on the oft forgotten punk pioneers who only became a hit in the decades following their split and follows the surviving members as they get back together in 2009. BLACK MUSIC SILENT DISCO 4 mar, 19h Itinerant. Now, I'd like to start with a clip of Gladys Knight performing at the festival. And unfortunately, we can't play her performance. YTZlNDZiY2ZkNDBmMjkwMGFiZWU3YjUwYWZiOGJjOTMwZTM3MTk1Yjc1NTE3 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. The film also reflects significant shifts in Black culture and expression at that pivotal moment. For instance, Ali has an easier time bonding with Africans than Foreman did; theres a dictator in Zaire who is very interested in the fight. The film, based on the book Freedom Riders: 1961, chronicles these young people and and explores how the movement started and the ramifications of what they did. NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. Just documenting their jaw-dropping live work would add up to an amazing concert film. Related: February Is Black History Month! Summer of Soul (.Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) The directorial debut of Roots drummer Questlove, Summer of Soul chronicles the legendary - and somewhat forgotten - 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival that celebrated Black music, culture, and pride. Questlove is also the co-founder of the band The Roots, which is the house band of "The Tonight Show," where Questlove is music director. YouTube Originals and Coachella have partnered to create a feature-length documentary "Coachella: 20 Years in the Desert." Watch now only on YouTube. The Notorious B.I.G., during his lifetime. The evolution of Black Hollywood has a fascinating story; Black people werent cast for films at all, but today some black films make millions of dollars. I mean, he was not, like, a big-name producer. Her creation of the Strength of a Woman Festival is a vibrant three days of comedy, music, and community keeping women at the forefront of the experience. And The 5th Dimension is featured there. GROSS: It's so great to be able to see this. In his 2014 documentary, Mr. Dynamite: The Rise of James Brown, award-winning documentary filmmaker Alex Gibney explores the life, career, and legacy of the Godfather of Soul with loads of archival footage from both on and off the stage, as well as interviews with his contemporaries and those who were impacted by his music. var lsjQuery = jQuery;lsjQuery(document).ready(function() { if(typeof lsjQuery.fn.layerSlider == "undefined") { if( window._layerSlider && window._layerSlider.showNotice) { window._layerSlider.showNotice('layerslider_4','jquery'); } } else { lsjQuery("#layerslider_4").layerSlider({sliderVersion: '6.8.2', type: 'fullwidth', responsiveUnder: 0, layersContainer: 0, hideUnder: 0, hideOver: 100000, pauseOnHover: 1, skin: 'v5', showBarTimer: true, skinsPath: 'http://blackmusicfestival.org/wp-content/plugins/LayerSlider/static/layerslider/skins/'}); } }); Welcome to the official website for the Black Music Festival, formerly known as the Leeds Reggae concert. GROSS: If you're just joining us, my guest is Questlove. So we see him a bunch of times, wearing a different outfit each time. And then theres the 2019 documentary Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool, which does an incredible job of unpacking the improbable and mythical story of the jazz pioneer. (opens in new tab) As African music climbs the charts worldwide and African fashion and art intersect with Black culture, Afrofuture is the first of its kind to put it all on one stage. The ESSENCE Festival is an annual festival where people gather for three days of music, entertainment, empowerment and culture in New Orleans, LA. (opens in new tab), Theres a strong case to be made for 1994 being one of the best years in the history of hip hop. The Netflix documentary, Devil at the Crossroads: A Robert Johnson Story, dives into his life, legacy, his mysterious death, and the folk tale about him getting his unmatched musical abilities after an encounter with the devil himself in rural Mississippi. In 2023, the festival is heading towards the summer months, but that wont stop guests from enjoying the renowned VIP experience and mobilization of Black people through music across 3 different stages. Related: Black Booksellers Recommend 25 Books to Read During Black History Month and Beyond. We happened to be artists who are Black, and our voices sound the way they sound. What Are the Black History Month Colors and What Do They Mean. YTA4NjQ5OGQwYjg4NWU5NzdkMmE1NTA4ZWJkOTE0ZGE1ZDYyNjkzYjc3YjEz But right before Mahalia Jackson went on stage, she asked Mavis Staples for a favor. (opens in new tab). His new documentary is called "Summer Of Soul." We never seen - wait. LISA & THE LIPS ", "That was one of the reasons why performing in Harlem was so important to us," she adds, voice cracking. Here's a look at 20 Black directors who have changed Hollywood: Oscar Micheaux Hailed as the first major Black filmmaker, Oscar Micheaux directed and produced 42 feature films between 1919 and. Oh, I heard it through the grapevine. What Are the Black History Month Colors and What Do They Mean? We've never seen women play the trumpet. OK. Rent/Buy Summer of Soul on Amazon. Throughout, people like Kerry Washington and Maya Angelou talk about their own experiences with their hair. The festival is very connected to the community, so if youre a local, expect a few additional events and parties involving the One Musicfest brand throughout the year. Did he pay people on time? Stream Devil At The Crossroads: A Robert Johnson Story on Netflix. 9. This documentary series follows the humble beginnings of hip-hop and follows the music all the way to the sounds and celebs of today. The Roots co-founder sought to change that. Related: The Significance of Black History Month and Why It Is Celebrated in February. And that's their only view of somebody they have not seen in 50 years. I had no idea that they had been confused for white, that they felt so bad about not getting recognition from Black audiences. 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. But some of them were just wearing plain clothes. Why is - like, a white guy is the drummer in a Black group? | by Mark Montgomery French | Festival Peak 500 Apologies, but something went wrong on our end. What started as a one-time event in 1995 has become one of the longest-running, most attended Black festivals in the country. (opens in new tab) Enter your email address on the right for the latest news & updates from the Black Music Festival, Hey Heather Nelson aka @DawnRisingUK was on panel sharing her experience and benefits of being @TimeToPowerUp_ #IndustryProfessional 1st Cohort twitter.com/PRSFoundation/ pic.twitter.com/A2GSy3jozo, About 4 days ago from Black Music Festival's Twitter via Twitter for Android, Don't let this great opportunity pass you by pic.twitter.com/U0cwv15htg, About 2 weeks ago from Black Music Festival's Twitter via Twitter for Android, Congratulations to our host organisation on receiving this prestigious award. Signed Black Music Festival T-Shirts - on sale now! Festival: A Documentary 2018 TV-MA 1 h 25 m IMDb RATING 7.7 /10 26 YOUR RATING Rate Documentary Music When 100k people descend on a music festival weekend, these are the stories they bring with them. Video or, you know, one of the group performing another,! 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