Summer of Soul (…or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)

haven't seen it yet! but this interview with questlove was great: https://pitchfork.com/features/interview/questlove-summer-of-soul-black-music-history/

Why hasn’t there been such attentiveness toward archiving Black music, and why is it important?

I know that is my purpose. No one is more of a sentimental packrat than I am. I am a VHS-collecting, Super 8-collecting archivist. I’ll take all the first five years of Jet Magazine archives, and make my girlfriend angry because five other boxes of Right On! Magazine are in the living room. I was collecting for personal reasons. But I now see that this is important. Once I finished this, everyone was coming out of the woodworks, DMing me like, “Questlove, we have 19 hours of footage of this concert.” Wait, what?! Things I never heard of before. Somewhere between nine to 15 other incredible high-level events were filmed for posterity and rejected, so now it’s in the basement of UCLA or somewhere. I’m keeping my eye on the Universal Hip-Hop Museum that’s opening in the Bronx. I’m hoping they will preserve history. But all too often, Black culture is so easily disposable in every aspect. TikTok content creations, our slang, our music, our style. I guess the attitude has always been: It’s not a big deal. It’s just a dance; it’s just a concert. But it is a big deal. And I realized it was a big deal with our very first interviewee Musa Jackson. Initially, I was concerned because he was 5 years old [during the Harlem Cultural Festival]. What 5-year-old is going to have true insight into the magnitude of what they’re going through? But when he talked to us, he was like, “This is my first memory of life.” He’s 56, 57 now. The common thing was that no one believed. Can you imagine trying to tell people, “Yeah, in Harlem, I saw Sly and the Family Stone and Stevie Wonder”? It’s unbelievable that this could be that easily dismissed.

We conducted this interview without any context, no photos, showed him nothing. Just: “Alright, tell us everything you know.” And it was almost like talking to a medium. You don’t believe him because he was spot-on with everything. He knew the Fifth Dimension had on creamsicle outfits. When we showed him the footage, the emotional outpouring started. I realized we’re giving him his life back. Even for Marilyn McCoo [of the Fifth Dimension]. She’s done everything. She was in one of the first Black groups to win a major Grammy. I was wondering, why is this particular show hitting your heartstrings with the millions of things that you’ve done? And suddenly, I realized that she and I had something in common. No matter what job they have, every Black person in their workspace has to juggle code-switching. Between Motown and certain acts that wanted not to make it but survive, you had to code-switch.

No example is more obvious than David Ruffin’s performance. It’s in the middle of August. He has on a wool tuxedo and a coat. Why would he do this? And then I thought, man, you’d rather suffer and be uncomfortable in the name of professionalism. That’s something. That was implemented in him via his Motown charm school days. I asked Marilyn McCoo why I’d never seen them be this loose and relaxed at a performance before. She was like, “We’d been dying to perform for Black people for the longest.” At that point, they were the biggest act in the world, bigger than the Supremes. They had the No. 1 song. To them, it’s like, “We had to do this because this is our one chance to get to our people.”

Caught this at the cinema last night - first visit for about 15 months. Damn. Not much to add to the glowing praise here. It's Sly who is bright in my head this morning but so many amazing performances. Not a criticism, but would have loved more jazz: the Roach and Sharrock excerpts were tantalising to say the least.

Who was Sharrock with in this.
I have the expanded Liver At The Whiskey 1969 which is great cos he's doing his own stuff with the players from the Herbie Mann band backing him and have now seen what the price that's going for is. Great performances and stuff so shame its no longer affordable.
There is some great footage of him with taht band or at least a Herbie Mann band from roughly the same time taht was up on youtube a couple of years ago. I think from Europe.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLN9O03YANU

Yeah Sharrock is with Mann's band, although that's not totally clear from the isolated clip of him they play toward the end.

I think from Europe.

RAI, so Italy.

"New York's WNEW-TV Metromedia Channel 5 (now WNYW) broadcast hour-long specials of the footage on Saturday evenings at 10:30 PM in June–August 1969."

I originally couldn't find the thread it was on, but I posted a YouTube of part of that concert on the Best track on Sly and the Family Stone's Greatest Hits (1970) thread in October 2019. The video has since disappeared.

Good interview w Questlove about this---stream or download:
https://www.npr.org/2021/07/21/1018880730/questlove-on-summer-of-soul

https://www.quartzcity.net/ilx/andrew_white_summerofsoul.jpg

I was wondering who Stevie's bassist was (if you can look away from Stevie) and that led to a TalkBass thread who ID'ed him as Andrew White - iconoclastic Coltrane-scholar, saxophone player/bassist, who later played with the 5th Dimension and Weather Report. He passed away last year - his bio is flat-out amazing.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_White_(saxophonist)
https://www.weatherreportdiscography.org/andrew-nathaniel-white-iii-1942-2020/
https://www.capitalbop.com/musician-profile-andrew-white-keeper-of-the-trane-is-a-living-legend-unknown-to-many/

Maybe the weirdest triumph of all are the 5th Dimension, dolled out in creamsicle orange and Big Bird yellow, surely the whitest sounding group of 1969, dazzling the crowd with ‘Let the Sunshine In’.

I'm still knocked out that they (and everyone!) were doing all the harmonies and choreography with little/no stage monitors.

A friend of Andrew’s told me a (likely apocryphal, given the timeline) story about how Andrew was down to his last $50, and saw a posting in a music store about the Fifth Dimension auditioning bassists. He’d never heard any of their songs, but he bought a bass guitar — an instrument he had never played before — with his last $50, and got the gig.

xp

Yeah, apocryphal story or not, that guy is still amazing and not very well known.

From the Capitol Bop link…

“The jazz scene has never been good here, in my opinion,” he said. “That’s why I’m thankful for rock ‘n’ roll; I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for rock ‘n’ roll.” This is a reference to a break he received in 1968. Stevie Wonder was scheduled to play at D.C.’s Carter Barron Amphitheatre, and at the last minute he found himself needing a bass player. White received a call from major D.C.-based bassist Keter Betts.

“I had just started playing bass around that time,” White said, “so I did the Carter Barron show and one thing led to another. I ended up staying with Stevie for almost three years.” And although it may be a stretch to think of Wonder’s music as “rock ‘n’ roll,” White uses the term for Wonder’s commercially successful R&B sound. From Wonder’s band, White landed a spot as the 5th Dimension’s bass player from 1970 until 1975. “That position and the one with Stevie helped me pay the bills,” he said with a smile.

Does this link have anything about his extensive and accurate transcriptions of Coltrane’s solos? Or maybe it was mentioned in the post up above.

All of the links mention his Coltrane work - this is also a good one:
https://www.jazzspeaks.org/andrew-white-iii-speaks/

I really want to know more about this "release" of his:

White was a music scholar, graduating cum laude from Howard University in 1964 with a major in music theory and a minor in the oboe. He continued his academic career at the Paris Conservatory of Music, Dartmouth College, and the State University of New York, and became the principal oboist for the American Ballet Theatre Orchestra in 1968. But he also had a bawdy sense of humor that was unfiltered by the norms of polite society. One of the forty-odd LPs he self-produced was Far Out Flatulence: A Concerto for Flatulaphone, which consists of 56 minutes of White farting into a microphone

(from the Weather Report link above)

Looks like there's a LOT about that here:

https://washingtoncitypaper.com/article/288804/i-genius-i-capitalist/

Guardians of jazz virtue fed up with unimaginative neotraditionalists would do well to hire Andrew White as their spokesman. In his new book, I, Educator, the 53-year-old Northeast D.C. resident attacks the state of jazz (and jazz education) with a fierce wit and—despite indications to the contrary—a sound mind. But hire is the key word, because White isn’t going to work for free. The multitalented saxophonist, oboist, bassist, composer, transcriber, and writer is, above all, a businessman. Having created and marketed over 1,700 different products (according to his self-penned bio, “Andrew White is the most voluminously self-produced artist”), White is always ready for some green.

“That’s my main thing…the money. I’ve made my artistic statement….I’m just an artist, so later for that—let’s make a good living with the art,” exclaims White, sitting in the living room of his South Dakota Avenue home. “I’m diversified. I got a lot of stuff out, so show me some duckies! I’m in business!”

As Andrew’s Musical Enterprises Inc., White has been in business for 25 years. He releases his own records, books, John Coltrane transcriptions (565 to date), and whatever else he thinks can make him some dough. The business is nothing if not demand-driven. An acquaintance whose girlfriend had an odd sexual kink once requested a tape that would be, literally, a gas, and White responded with his most jaw-droppingly outrageous product: Far Out Flatulence: A Concerto for Flatulaphone, which comprises 56 minutes of White lettin’ ’em fly. For $15, it can be yours, too.

White claims that all 27 of his books and treatises were “written out of the needs of my customers.” This number includes titles like 100 and One “Wise Cracks!” and Sideman! (both from his “X-Rated Band Stories” series), and a treatise on the music of John Coltrane, Trane n’ Me, (available in English and in a German-published translation).

The Chuck Tingle of his time.

The whole piece is remarkable, really!

Wow good timing, I read this bump right before getting to that performance in the doc (been watching it slowly in bits), and his bass playing definitely stuck out.

finally finished watching this and it was just so good. I never minded the cuts between stage and interviews and archival footage because the music was always there in the background giving it consistency.

probably the most blown away by the BB King, Staples Singers, David Ruffin, and Nina Simone sequences but it's all great

Meet the archivist who saved the historic footage that became ‘Summer of Soul’ - LATimes, Aug 19 2021

I enjoyed this a lot. Echoing the feeling that it would have been nice with less talking and more uncut music footage, or at least if there was a separate cut available just to see nothing but performances and audience. A fair number of electrifying moments.

WHY DID I WAIT SO LONG TO WATCH THIS HOLY HELL WHAT IS THIS I'M SPEECHLESS

i mean, it feels like everything was the best part. everyone's fashion was so on point — even people in the audience looked like some cool mofos.

on that front, i have to agree with alfred: gladys knight . . . (swoon)

more than that though, mavis staples just comes through once again and proves that "soulfulness" (whatever it is) is real and effective. that performance with mahalia? my god. what a beautiful and powerful presence she is.

the whole part with hugh masekela and ray baretto and those folks was just unreal!

and i mean . . . stevie was just . . . i don't even know man. i do believe in spiritual possession manifesting through music and when stevie is pounding away at that clavinet, i had tears of joy. just unbelievable. like if life was a video game, stevie had just touched the starman from super mario for that shit. holy hell!

when does part two come out?

Dunno! But---

SUMMER OF SOUL (…OR, WHEN THE REVOLUTION COULD NOT BE TELEVISED) ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK TO BE RELEASED VIA

LEGACY RECORDINGS ON JANUARY 28, 2022

DIRECTORIAL DEBUT FROM AHMIR “QUESTLOVE” THOMPSON SUMMER OF SOUL (…OR, WHEN THE REVOLUTION COULD NOT BE TELEVISED) STREAMING ON HULU NOW

...For the album, Questlove carefully selected 17 live renditions of jazz, blues, R&B, Latin, and soul classics performed over the course of The Harlem Cultural Festival in 1969 as chronicled by the film. Heralding the soundtrack, Sly & The Family Stone’s performance of “Sing A Simple Song” debuts today. Listen to it HEREhttps://legacyrecordings.link/SASSPR

Additionally, the Soundtrack boasts everything from B.B. King’s poignant and powerful guitar-driven gem “Why I Sing The Blues” to the rapturous “Precious Lord Take My Hand” by The Operation Breadbasket Orchestra & Choir featuring Mahalia Jackson and Mavis Staples. Not to mention, Gladys Knight & The Pips show out on a simmering “I Heard It Through The Grapevine,” while Nina Simone’s voice smolders on “Backlash Blues” and “Are You Ready.”

Summer of Soul (...Or, When The Revolution Could Not Be Televised) Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is available for pre-order now in digital and CD formats HEREhttps://legacyrecordings.link/SOSPR

A vinyl LP configuration will be released later next year.

CD TRACKLISTING:

1. The Chambers Brothers - “Uptown”

2. B.B. King - “Why I Sing The Blues”

3. The 5th Dimension - “Don’t Cha Hear Me Callin’ To Ya”

4. The 5th Dimension - “Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In (The Flesh Failures)”

5. David Ruffin - “My Girl”

6. The Edwin Hawkins Singers - “Oh Happy Day”

7. The Staple Singers - “It’s Been A Change”

8. The Operation Breadbasket Orchestra & Choir Featuring Mahalia Jackson and Mavis Staples - “Precious Lord Take My Hand”

9. Gladys Knight & The Pips - “I Heard It Through The Grapevine”

10. Mongo Santamaria - “Watermelon Man”
11. Ray Barretto - “Together”

12. Herbie Mann- “Hold On, I’m Comin’”

13. Sly & The Family Stone - “Sing A Simple Song”

14. Sly & The Family Stone - “Everyday People”

15. Nina Simone - “Backlash Blues”

16. Nina Simone - “Are You Ready”

Summer of Soul (...Or, When The Revolution Could Not Be Televised) Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

DIGITAL TRACKLISTING:

1. The Chambers Brothers - “Uptown”

2. B.B. King - “Why I Sing The Blues”

3. The 5th Dimension - “Don’t Cha Hear Me Callin’ To Ya”
4. The 5th Dimension - “Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In (The Flesh Failures)”

5. David Ruffin - “My Girl”

6. The Edwin Hawkins Singers - “Oh Happy Day”

7. The Staple Singers - “It’s Been A Change”

8. The Operation Breadbasket Orchestra & Choir Featuring Mahalia Jackson and Mavis Staples - “Precious Lord Take My Hand”

9. Gladys Knight & The Pips - “I Heard It Through The Grapevine”

10. Mongo Santamaria - “Watermelon Man”

11. Ray Barretto - “Together”

12. Herbie Mann- “Hold On, I’m Comin’”

13. Sly & The Family Stone - “Sing A Simple Song”

14. Sly & The Family Stone - “Everyday People”

15. Abbey Lincoln and Max Roach - “Africa”

16. Nina Simone - “Backlash Blues”

17. Nina Simone - “Are You Ready”
For more information, please contact:

carleen at theoriel dot com

Legacy Recordings, Media Relations: Maria dot Malta at sonymusic dot com

sweet

I’ll pick this up no matter what, but bummed they couldn’t stretch it to two discs to fit “Africa” on the physical edition and to include the Stevie Wonder song.

Still, very cool news!

That's great news but I'm more interested in the Blu-Ray, which I hope contains at least one extra disc of uninterrupted performances as mentioned upthread.

i'm genuinely more excited by the soundtrack than the movie but i'm aware i am a weirdo

https://deadline.com/2022/02/summer-of-soul-abc-broadcast-premiere-oscar-nominated-documentary-ahmir-questlove-thompson-news-1234931050

Nice, Network tv airing on ABC February 20.

questlove gonna get him an egot

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/oct/12/the-20-greatest-concert-films-ranked

Might be splitting hairs, but I see this more as a music documentary (I've not timed it, but I'm sure there's more talking heads than music) than concert movie, so I'm not sure if I'd say its better than Sign O The Times, Jazz On a Summers Day, or stop Making Sense, or whatever, but best concert movie EVER? Anyway, now that concert movies are getting talked about again, I'm hoping they release a sequel made up of the actual sets from Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone etc, or at least issue it on a DVD/Blu Ray release at some point.

I thought there was a little too much editorializing/splaining from contemporary talking heads---gratuitously, since the socio-political connections with what's happenin' now were obvious enough, and what's happenin' then spelled out at times by performers and audience---fuck a moon landing, we got people starving without that money in space, etc.---but overall, the talk/music ratio was quite reasonable, helped considerably by quality of music (also quality of the talk re commentary by performers and members of the audience looking back)

Love the Sly set so much

Yes, that drummer still rattling my double-take skull---and he's just a part of it of course.
Have always hoped that all the footage might be accessible at say National Museum of African American History and Culture etc. if not as more movie releases per se.