The Function of Music with Jad Abumrad

Gimme Shelter(en)

A detailed chronicle of the famous 1969 tour of the United States by the British rock band The Rolling Stones, which culminated with the disastrous and tragic concert held on December 6 at the Altamont Speedway Free Festival, an event of historical significance, as it marked the end of an era: the generation of peace and love suddenly became the generation of disillusionment.

Borderline(fr)

BLACKPINK'S SUMMER DIARY [IN HAWAII](ko)

The famous k-pop girl group, BLACKPINK, go on a vacation to Hawaii in 2019.

The Story of the Weeping Camel(mn)

When a Mongolian nomadic family's newest camel colt is rejected by its mother, a musician is needed for a ritual to change her mind.

The Smiths: The Queen Is Dead - A Classic Album Under Review(en)

Showing for the first time how it all came together and what made it so great, the film is all at once hugely enlightening, downright entertaining, and remains the only visual document of this momentous happening ever released.

The Red Elvis(de)

A documentary on the late American entertainer Dean Reed, who became a huge star in East Germany after settling there in 1973.

I Never Promised You a Rose Garden: A Portrait of David Toop Through His Records Collection(en)

British musician and writer David Toop leads viewers through a tour of his voluminous record collection, reflecting on perception, the limits of music and the connections between seemingly disparate performers. This unusual documentary from filmmakers Guy Marc Hinant and Dominique Lohlé also captures Toop's progression from engagement to near exhaustion as he methodically combs through tens of thousands of records.

Johnny Mercer: The Dream's on Me(en)

Commemorating the centennial of Mercer's birth, this documentary is part biography, part archive, and part recontextualization, taking Mercer's tunes and putting them in the hands of modern singers like Jamie Cullum and Dr. John to show they are still relevant today. Host Clint Eastwood also interviews artists who collaborated with Mercer or performed his songs, including composer John Williams, Blake Edwards, Andre Previn, Tony Bennett, and Julie Andrews.

Act Your Age: The Kids of Widney High Story(en)

Follows the world-famous Kids of Widney High, a group of young adults with developmental disabilities who write, record, and perform their own unique brand of rock music. Based out of Los Angeles, the band grows and becomes involved in other creative endeavors including films, writing, painting, and clothing design. This documentary chronicles Kids' rise to underground cult fame over a ten year period, and incorporates the Kids' recent West Coast tour.

Cincinnati's Rock 'N Roll Legends(en)

An excellent comprehensive look at all the music that came out of Cincinnati, Ohio. Cincinnati "Rock Legends" "James Brown" "King Records" "Pure Prairie League" "Lemon Pipers" "Syd Nathan" WEBN "Bootsy Collins" "Lonnie Mack" "The Who concert 1979" "Rick Derringer"

Britney Spears: Workin' It(en)

With the release of her eighth studio album, Britney is back and she's workin' it! This documentary chronicles the career of international superstar from her more innocent years with the release of "Baby One more Time" to being the highest paid judge on US X Factor and collaborating with Will.i.am on her latest album. She is worldwide a pop icon, who continues to grow and deliver to her fans. This is her inside story.

Aikatsu! Music Award: We all get a prize SHOW!(ja)

An Aikatsu! All-Star awards ceremony will take place. The film will feature songs and stages featured throughout the anime series.

Björk: Minuscule(en)

This documentary offers a behind-the-scenes look at Björk and her touring entourage for the 2001 Vespertine tour. It includes interviews with harpist Zeena Parkins, the Inuit choir from Greenland, electronic duo Matmos, and an ongoing conversation with Björk herself about her recordings and her tours. The documentary is interspersed with live footage of songs from the tour shot by Ragnheidur Gestsdóttir, which themselves correspond to the performances chosen for the Vespertine Live album.

A Conversational Exploration of Sonic Practice(en)

Frequently after talking to another artist, Todd Anderson-Kunert found himself thinking of another question he would have liked to have asked them, but didn’t. This film is about what happened if he did ask those questions. Between 2014 and 2017, in and around Melbourne, Australia, he conversed with a selection of 31 sonic artists, each time for 30 minutes. These conversations were edited down, each time finding a new question he wished he had of asked. This question was used as the starting point for the next conversation with a completely different artist. This documentary film follows that process. The conversation engages with a variety of themes, including temporality, performance, fragility, recording, artistic development, and creative process. It also offers an insight into some of the experimental sound communities operating within Melbourne, Australia.

Louis Armstrong: 100th Anniversary 1901-2001(en)

A documentary featuring archive footage to celebrate the 100th birth of jazz legend Louis Armstrong.

Funk Brazil(fr)

The Sound of Tiger & Bunny(ja)

The official website for the Tiger & Bunny anime announced on Friday that the Pacifico Yokohama's National Convention Hall of Yokohama is hosting special Tiger & Bunny concerts with a new short anime on September 19 and 20. The franchise's composer Yoshihiro Ike is personally conducting the "Sternbild Orchestra & Band" for live performances of music from the television series and two films.

The Aristocats(en)

When Madame Adelaide Bonfamille leaves her fortune to Duchess and her children—Bonfamille’s beloved family of cats—the butler plots to steal the money and kidnaps the legatees, leaving them out on a country road. All seems lost until the wily Thomas O’Malley Cat and his jazz-playing alley cats come to the aristocats’ rescue.

The Distortion of Sound(en)

The last two decades have seen a striking decline in the quality of sound and listening experience. Compressed music, MP3s and streaming, have diminished the quality and flattened the emotion. Marketing gimmicks and convenience now take the place of excellence. The Distortion of Sound is an eye-opening exposé of the current state of sound starring Linkin Park, Slash, Quincy Jones and more. This documentary will open your ears and inspire you to reach for richer, more soul-stirring musical experiences.

Noseland(de)

A humorous ode to the world of classical music and some of its star musicians.