If it was poppin’ off somewhere where people were disenfranchised, disempowered, or needed support, it was like a tractor beam for him. He always wanted to be within the people. His son, Selema Masekela contributes, “My father realized there was this real hunger for Black Americans to feel and see and taste what it would be like to be African. Max Roach’s son, Raoul Roach adds, “My dad and Abbey just didn’t see the civil rights struggle as an American thing, they saw the struggles in the Caribbean, South America, and in Africa all as part of a common struggle.” Hugh Masekela commands the stage, as the film describes how the South African musician always supported oppressed citizens worldwide. Drummer Max Roach appears with vocalist Abbey Lincoln interpreting John Coltrane’s “Africa”. Jazz aficionados will savor a performance clip of flutist Herbie Mann featuring Roy Ayers on vibraphone. Sly and the Family Stone, the racially integrated rock band that would go on to play Woodstock, also give an amazingly electrifying performance, including their multiracial anthem of unity, “Everyday People”. King, David Ruffin, the Chambers Brothers, Mongo Santamaría, the Edwin Hawkins Singers, and a nineteen-year-old Stevie Wonder, who masters the drums in addition to the keyboards. Musically, culturally, and yes, politically, there is much to learn here.Ī lone review of this film may not do justice in attempting to describe the raw energy and magic of the performers. This is a feast for both ears and eyes, as the fashions and wardrobes of the era are on full, colorful display. We see iconic musicians on stage, alongside lesser known artists of equally exquisite talent. Summer of Soul contains an abundance of awe-inspiring material. The archival performances within are extraordinary and easily stand on their own…but Questlove’s direction and dedication in telling the complete story of how this all came into being shines through brightly.

Questlove, drummer for the Roots, the in-house band for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, flawlessly combines never-before-seen footage of the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival with new commentaries, creating a truly essential and entertaining viewing experience. Summer of Soul is directed by Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, and it’s easy to recognize this was definitely a labor of love for the musician and filmmaker. Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised), a new music documentary of the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival has recently premiered, contributing another very important record of African-American culture during that era. Wattstax, the 1973 film of the August 20, 1972, Stax Records benefit concert in Los Angeles (commemorating the seventh anniversary of the Watts riots) has probably been the most accessible and well-known document of outdoor African-American stage performances from this era…until now. The sheer volume of talent at the time was overwhelming. The music scene of the late sixties and early seventies was a zenith for these styles, and African Americans were a vital part of it all. Soul, gospel, blues, jazz, R & B, funk, and rock.

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