
7.0Chicago blues great Buddy Guy never was the same after he heard John Lee Hooker’s seminal “Boogie Chillun’” while growing up in his rural stomping grounds of Lettswork, Louisiana. In 1957 he set out for the Windy City and its vibrant blues scene, where he played his way into the clubs, cut records, befriended and gigged with other greats (Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Otis Rush), forged his skillful, intense, wild persona, hit the road, influenced new generations of musicians (Mick, Keith, Eric, Stevie Ray Vaughan), performed at the Obama White House and collected nine Grammys along the way. Supported by a sumptuous assemblage of performance footage, testimonials from those he’s inspired (including Clapton, Carlos Santana, Gary Clark Jr., and John Mayer) and some classic blues licks, Buddy Guy: The Blues Chase the Blues Away finds Guy (now a young 84) looking back at his life, providing valuable insight into his music while leaving room for some memorable anecdotes.
0.0This documentary chronicles the inspirational story of a man who would not accept "no" for an answer. Born with cerebral palsy, Cordell Brown faced many challenges and most believed he would amount to nothing. Despite the odds stacked against him, Cordell proves that with heartfelt determination he can make a difference in the world.
5.5Arguably second only to Muddy Waters among the Mississippi Delta singers who traveled north and pioneered urban electric blues (their supposed rivalry is the subject of one of this DVD's bonus features), Wolf was a big, imposing man with an inimitable, booming voice and a lasting influence on generations of rock & rollers--all of which comes across in the 90-minute film.
8.0Granting unprecedented access, Joan Armatrading tells her life story, both as a songwriter and as a performer. Features key performances from Joan and many of the musicians she has influenced.
7.7Boogie Man is a comprehensive look at political strategist, racist, and former Republican National Convention Committee chairman, Lee Atwater, who reinvigorated the Republican Party’s Southern Strategy to increase political support among white voters in the South by appealing to racism against African Americans. He mentored Karl Rove and George W. Bush and played a key role in the elections of Reagan and George H.W. Bush.
10.0Taken from the European tours organised for American blues musicians between 1962 and 1969, this release features performances by several popular blues artists, including: Big Mama Thornton, Roosevelt Sykes, Buddy Guy, Dr. Isaiah Ross, Big Joe Turner, Skip James, Bukka White, Son House, Hound Dog Taylor and Little Walter, Koko Taylor and Little Walter, Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee, Helen Humes, Earl Hooker, and Muddy Waters.
6.9Blind blues musician Paul Pena is perhaps best known for his song "Jet Airliner". In 1993, Pena heard Tuvan throat singing over his shortwave radio and subsequently taught himself how to reproduce these extraordinary sounds. This documentary follows him to Tuva, where he takes part in a throat singing competition. Languages featured in the film include English, Russian and Tuvan.
10.0Documentary film about the legendary blues club in Austin, Texas. The film is filled with historical and dynamic blues performances from the earliest days of the club in the 1970s. Stars David Adelson, Clifford Antone.
6.0Blues Story presents an impressionistic history of one of the most lasting art forms America has ever produced - as told for the first time through the eyes of the artists who lived it. Combining exclusive interview and performance footage with vintage clips and the music of many Blues legends long gone, the history of this richly felt music is illuminated - from its African roots to its American urban expression - along with its profound place in our cultural heritage. The result is a rare, first-hand glimpse into the lives of these vanishing artists, and a moving, insightful and informative look into a music that continues to be loved by millions throughout the world.
0.0The 1920s saw a revolution in technology, the advent of the recording industry, that created the first class of African-American women to sing their way to fame and fortune. Blues divas such as Bessie Smith, Ma Rainey, and Alberta Hunter created and promoted a working-class vision of blues life that provided an alternative to the Victorian gentility of middle-class manners. In their lives and music, blues women presented themselves as strong, independent women who lived hard lives and were unapologetic about their unconventional choices in clothes, recreational activities, and bed partners. Blues singers disseminated a Black feminism that celebrated emotional resilience and sexual pleasure, no matter the source.
0.0J. B. Lenoir (1929 - 1967) was an American blues guitarist and singer-songwriter, active in the Chicago blues scene in the 1950s and 1960s. In 1965 the Swedish/American couple Rönnog and Steve Seaberg visited J.B. at his home on the South Side of Chicago and recorded 30 minutes of music and conversation. Parts of the film was used in "Soul of a Man" (2003).
7.4Live, intimate, and raw, Sessions For Robert J is the essential audio/video companion to Eric Clapton's 2004 gold, Top 10 Me And Mr. Johnson, tribute to blues legend Robert Johnson. Filmed during tour rehearsals in London and Dallas plus a Los Angeles hotel room and the Dallas warehouse where Johnson made some of his final recordings, Sessions for Robert J finds Clapton performing all Robert Johnson songs with his touring band, acoustically with Doyle Bramhall II and solo-as well as discussing Johnson and his influence. A performance/documentary DVD with 14 tracks (from which the 11 CD selections are taken), Sessions for Robert J is blues heaven.
6.5Steely Dan has not had a new studio album in twenty years--"Two Against Nature" was worth the wait! This concert, recorded live in New York at the Sony Studios, contains new songs as well as classic hits from the minds of Donald Fagen and Walter Becker. Together, they deliver a unique music experience that is truly unforgettable. Songs: Green Earrings, Cousin Dupree, Bad Sneakers, Janie Runaway, Josie, FM, Gaslighting Abbie, Black Friday, Babylon Sisters, Kid Charlemagne, Jack of Speed, Peg, What a Shame About Me, Pretzel Logic.
0.0Filmmaker Alexander Freeman who was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at the age of two, was raised by his loving and supportive parents but the one thing he has always wanted was to be in a loving relationship with a woman and to have a family of his own. When Alexander meets his life partner Orina by chance at a film screening his life changes forever for the better, especially when his daughter Maya is born. As Alexander and Orina raise Maya, have a commitment ceremony, start their lives together, and struggle with life's challenges, Alexander's parents learn to accept that Alexander can live a normal life independently and can be a great father despite their original views on the pregnancy.
9.0Hailing from Chicago, The Right Now covers diverse musical ground: dance beat elation, synth-pop grandeur, intimate ballads and gritty soul. Breezy horn lines and soul grooves highlight Chicago's 7-piece rock and jazz group led by vocal powerhouse Stefanie Berecz. The Right Now has opened for Fitz & The Tantrums and George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic. Their newest album Starlight hit the streets in February 2017 to critical acclaim. NPR’s Sound Opinions hailed Stefanie Berecz’s performance as “stronger…than Adele” while others dubbed the songs “insanely infectious and incredibly well crafted” (Tomorrow's Verse). The City of Farmington Hills Special Services Department presents, The Right Now from Chicago. The free concert series is sponsored by Mercedes-Benz Financial Services.
6.8On stage since she was a toddler, Googoosh has been an icon of Iranian pop culture since the 1970s. Her progressive style and raw singing talent attracted worldwide acclaim and saw her performing alongside the likes of Tina Turner and Ray Charles. But the star's career came to an abrupt halt after the Islamic Revolution, which banned women from singing in public. Googoosh was placed under house arrest, where she remained for the next two decades. Niloufar Taghizadeh's documentary, which includes interviews with the charismatic singer (now in her seventies, but still performing and advocating for women and girls) and arresting archival footage, offers both a loving portrait of a national icon and a fascinating historical and cultural record of Iran.
7.6Originally produced in 1997 as part of the Classic Albums television series, this newly edited, expanded edition features almost 40 minutes of additional content not see in the original feature. Bassist Noel Redding, drummer Mitch Mitchell and co-manager Chas Chandler detailed their contributions while engineer Eddie Kramer re-examined the many multi-track tapes created during the sessions. Help from Jimi's `friends and passengers' came by way of new interviews with drummer Buddy Miles, Jefferson Airplane bassist Jack Casady, Traffic's Dave Mason and Steve Winwood, among others.
5.2Caiti Lord had always dreamt of being a singer. A born-and-bred New Yorker, she studied at the best music schools and performed on Broadway. Her future was sparkling bright . . . But today, the only thing that glitters is the snow that falls on the desert. Self-exiled in Madrid, New Mexico, far from the glitz and glamour of the Big Apple, Caiti’s looking for a way forward. In this former ghost town, surrounded by mountains and old hippies, between her day job slinging drinks to tourists and the sleepless festive nights, her life is slipping by. That’s the story she tells each day on her radio show. As the United States sinks into madness and the world turns terrifyingly absurd, Caiti feels increasingly suffocated. She’s about to turn 30 and her future has never felt so uncertain. How can she find her way back to a place of meaning and self-expression?