(NPC) Feature Article - Martin Scorsese Presents "The Blues"
BoMaGoSh Yndit
Waltz, where The Band played Mannish Boy backing Muddy Waters (who actually
lived in the next town from me when I was in High School.) Muddy Waters =
holy shit. Goddam I love blues. The only thing to me that's comparable to
a Phish show is a Chicago blues band -- so much fun and everyone can just
get loose and happy. I'm really looking forward to this series!
"John Metzger" <edi...@musicbox-online.com> wrote in message
news:NXJcb.6911$ev2.3...@newssrv26.news.prodigy.com...
> Feature Article - Martin Scorsese Presents "The Blues"
>
>
> On September 28, PBS will air the first segment of a seven-part series
> that provides an in-depth examination of the blues. Acclaimed director
> Martin Scorsese served as the catalyst for the project, which features
> films directed by Scorsese as well as Wim Wenders, Richard Pearce,
> Charles Burnett, Marc Levin, Mike Figgis, and Clint Eastwood -- each of
> whom was given the mission of exploring the blues through his own
> personal style and perspective. Needless to say, this program is the
> true definition of "must see TV," but for those who want even more, a
> special DVD-set that includes all seven films plus three hours of bonus
> material will be released on October 7.
>
> In conjunction with the film project, Universal Music and Sony Legacy
> have combined their efforts, combed their archives, and culled material
> from other labels in order to create the most comprehensive blues
> compilation ever to be presented. Featuring nearly 500 songs, the
> collection will cover material recorded between the 1920s and present
> day, including 30 brand-new tracks. The centerpiece is a 5-disc box set
> titled The Blues: A Musical Journey, which pulls together 116 tunes and
> touches briefly upon nearly every important blues artist of the 20th
> Century. For those seeking something either more or less in-depth, there
> are separate soundtracks for each of the films, 12 individual artist
> compilations (Robert Johnson, Son House, Muddy Waters, B.B. King, Eric
> Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Keb' Mo', Stevie Ray Vaughan, J.B. Lenoir, Taj
> Mahal, Bessie Smith, and the Allman Brothers Band), and a 21-track,
> single disc overview of the project, so one need look no further to
> build an astounding blues catalog.
>
> Still, whether one opts for the 5-disc box set or some combination of
> the other 19 compilations, this is quite an enormous investment. Not to
> mention, paring down the collection to something more manageable is an
> extraordinarily difficult task. The Music Box has opted to cover a mere
> four albums from this mammoth project, and these were chosen after much
> consideration was given to the song cycle contained on each album. In a
> way, the individual artist compilations speak for themselves, leaving
> the seven separate soundtracks. The final four -- Feel Like Going Home:
> A Film by Martin Scorsese, The Soul of a Man: A Film by Wim Wenders,
> Warming by the Devil's Fire: A Film by Charles Burnett, and Piano Blues:
> A Film by Clint Eastwood -- were selected carefully in order to balance
> personal interest with the needs of our readers.
>
> Part One:
>
> Various Artists
> Feel Like Going Home: A Film by Martin Scorsese
> (Columbia/Legacy)
>
> Like most people, Martin Scorsese was drawn into the blues through his
> enjoyment of rock 'n' roll. Upon digging deeper, he discovered a rich
> and vast heritage, and the further he delved, the more he found. In
> fact, Scorsese soon realized that the legacy of the blues formed a
> two-way cultural highway that stretched across continents. With the help
> of contemporary bluesman Corey Harris, Scorsese explored and examined
> this exchange of ideas, taking a journey that followed a path from
> Mississippi to West Africa. Together, the duo searched for the blues'
> earliest beginnings and in the process charted its evolution.
>
> This is an excerpt. To read the complete review, please visit:
>
> http://www.musicbox-online.com
>
>