Could a moderator put a link to the Documentary List a the top of the first post, so its easy to find, so individuals don't have to scroll back and hunt it down. The list is on page 16 and this is the link: https://www.criterionforum.org/forum/vi ... 23#p474923.
Thanks.
Documentaries List Discussion & Suggestions (Genre Project)
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Lemmy Caution
- Joined: Wed Mar 29, 2006 7:26 am
- Location: East of Shanghai
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Lemmy Caution
- Joined: Wed Mar 29, 2006 7:26 am
- Location: East of Shanghai
Ike & Tina on the Road to Ghana
Soul to Soul (1972) is one of those mega-concerts of the era, which I somehow never heard of before. A 14 hour concert in 1971 Accra celebrating Ghana's 14th anniversary of independence. The headliners are Ike & Tina (& the Ikettes), Santana (with Willie Bobo), and Wilson Pickett who seems the only one well-known by the locals. While the other American musicians on the program are an amazing collection as well: the Staples Singers, Eddie Harris & Les McCann, Roberta Flack, the Voices of East Harlem. All pretty much right in their peak. For whatever reason this film disappeared for 3 decades, resurfaced in a 2004 dvd (though Roberta Flack apparently withheld her permission and wasn't included on that release).
The documentary provides some great concert performances, and a good deal of the American musicians touring Ghana. Tina Turner is the most riveting as she dances to local rhythms, learns to sing a few verses in an African language, takes in traditional singing and dancing. Seems to be having a ball. I was waiting for Tina to try walking around with something large balanced on her head.
Of course this was when black pride and identity were taking root, with a significant aspect of that being returning to Africa and getting in touch with the motherland. Plenty of glimpses how disparate the cultures are and why this pursuit will largely fizzle. Its nice to witness the musicians camaraderie on the flight over and on the busses to local villages. The scenes taking in the local culture are terrific. The film dispenses with interviews or narration, focusing on maintaining a pretty direct presentation of the music and the experience of visiting Africa.
I would have preferred a little more audience reaction shots at the concert. During the initial Wilson Pickett performance we see the audience swaying like crazy, police holding them back, one policeman enjoying the music, and then one wild front row fella tries to scramble on to the stage and Wilson Pickett invites him up. While Wicked Pickett sings, the guy, looking like he was dressed by Bootsy Collins, breaks into dance moves next to him. Tremendous.
Aside from the crowd going crazy for Pickett, the brief glimpses show audience members looking on sedately and politely. I got the impression from Santana's set that guitar solos weren't what the Africans came for. Interestingly, Santana and Willie Bobo, the only non-black US musicians on the tour, play the most African-sounding and percussive music. Aside from Harris & McCann bringing a wild local percussionist to join them onstage. He shakes a large orange ball like some combination of a big round maraca and tambourine. His act is described as an amalgam of percussion, ballet and basketball which oddly enough sums it up quite well. He's also dressed in just a feather skirt and headband, while his dance is highly stylized.
I would have liked to see & hear the African musicians, as a half dozen or so Ghanian groups also performed throughout the day. Understandably this US film focused on the famous American musicians, and during a marathon 14 hour all-day concert a whole lot of music just cant make it into the film. Instead of the African portion of the concert we get traditional performances in villages, more exuberant and less polished, and almost certainly the right choice. Still I would have been up for an extra half hour of unused footage as a dvd supplement to the fairly standard 96 min runtime.
One bonus is that nearly half the concert songs are lesser known songs nicely supplementing the well known hits. And even Ike & Tinas rendition of River Deep Mountain High is far from the familiar album track. Featuring a blistering and amusing Ike guitar solo. Unfortunately Ike Turners behavior towards women along with Tinas great talent and resilience have largely overshadowed what a talented musician, producer, bandleader, talent scout Ike was.
Overall a very engaging film.
The documentary provides some great concert performances, and a good deal of the American musicians touring Ghana. Tina Turner is the most riveting as she dances to local rhythms, learns to sing a few verses in an African language, takes in traditional singing and dancing. Seems to be having a ball. I was waiting for Tina to try walking around with something large balanced on her head.
Of course this was when black pride and identity were taking root, with a significant aspect of that being returning to Africa and getting in touch with the motherland. Plenty of glimpses how disparate the cultures are and why this pursuit will largely fizzle. Its nice to witness the musicians camaraderie on the flight over and on the busses to local villages. The scenes taking in the local culture are terrific. The film dispenses with interviews or narration, focusing on maintaining a pretty direct presentation of the music and the experience of visiting Africa.
I would have preferred a little more audience reaction shots at the concert. During the initial Wilson Pickett performance we see the audience swaying like crazy, police holding them back, one policeman enjoying the music, and then one wild front row fella tries to scramble on to the stage and Wilson Pickett invites him up. While Wicked Pickett sings, the guy, looking like he was dressed by Bootsy Collins, breaks into dance moves next to him. Tremendous.
Aside from the crowd going crazy for Pickett, the brief glimpses show audience members looking on sedately and politely. I got the impression from Santana's set that guitar solos weren't what the Africans came for. Interestingly, Santana and Willie Bobo, the only non-black US musicians on the tour, play the most African-sounding and percussive music. Aside from Harris & McCann bringing a wild local percussionist to join them onstage. He shakes a large orange ball like some combination of a big round maraca and tambourine. His act is described as an amalgam of percussion, ballet and basketball which oddly enough sums it up quite well. He's also dressed in just a feather skirt and headband, while his dance is highly stylized.
I would have liked to see & hear the African musicians, as a half dozen or so Ghanian groups also performed throughout the day. Understandably this US film focused on the famous American musicians, and during a marathon 14 hour all-day concert a whole lot of music just cant make it into the film. Instead of the African portion of the concert we get traditional performances in villages, more exuberant and less polished, and almost certainly the right choice. Still I would have been up for an extra half hour of unused footage as a dvd supplement to the fairly standard 96 min runtime.
One bonus is that nearly half the concert songs are lesser known songs nicely supplementing the well known hits. And even Ike & Tinas rendition of River Deep Mountain High is far from the familiar album track. Featuring a blistering and amusing Ike guitar solo. Unfortunately Ike Turners behavior towards women along with Tinas great talent and resilience have largely overshadowed what a talented musician, producer, bandleader, talent scout Ike was.
Overall a very engaging film.