This is FRESH AIR. She notes fans of their hits, like "Up, Up and Away," sometimes thought the group was white until they saw an album cover or watched them perform live. But she introduced the song "To Be Young, Gifted And Black," which was inspired by the off-Broadway show of the same name. NY 10036. But, yeah. YmQwNTM3YTQ0NzRhMDZiN2NkYWM5NDM4ZjhlZjliMzZiOTczODk0ODEzMWU4 10. Mjc2MWRjOGNmZGQ4NzhlMjAzMGQ4NGViZTNhYzAxODM5YmFiNzBmMzhhMzk1 Like, it's juggling plates in the kitchen, like, 20 plates at a time. Sly was the the one act that wasn't billed to be on the festival. Related: 120 Inspiring Quotes for Black History Month: Freedom Is Never Given. And we were hoping that they would receive us. It's really interesting to watch that. And he was working with the Band of Gypsys, which is QUESTLOVE: Buddy Miles and Billy Cox. Her expertise as a music journalist gives a glance into how Black culture . Like, you know, hey, Terry, if you want to do this thing that I'm doing next week, you know, the guys from Podcast America are doing it as well. MWFmMDFiM2ZkMTkzNGZjMmZlNTE0ZDZlOTA5NjQzZWQyMzM1NzI3ZTE4Y2Qx The lions share of the footage seen here, in one of the best movies on Hulu, sat in a box for 50 years before being re-discovered and turned into a beautiful examination of the pivotal moment in American pop culture that was largely unknown until now. The Roots co-founder sought to change that. GROSS: So, you know, Gladys Knight says in the film that she wasn't expecting such a big crowd. Like, probably the best thing about this film is the amount of people that are reaching out to me saying that, oh, my God, my great-grandmother is 19 years old. And somehow, we had a close-up of him for, like, six seconds. You're a dreamer when it works out, you're a hustler when it doesn't (laughter). For instance, Ali has an easier time bonding with Africans than Foreman did; theres a dictator in Zaire who is very interested in the fight. Questlove, welcome back to FRESH AIR. hide caption. And you probably didn't know what to expect when you started looking at the many hours of video. Let's get back to my interview with Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson. The musical documentary tells the story of the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival, an event sometimes referred to as "Black Woodstock." It took place during the same "Summer of Love" as the more. Oh, happy day. Woodstock (1970) Arguably the most culturally significant documentary on the list, seeing Woodstock is a rite-of-passage for any music festival zealot. Documentary Music The Harlem Cultural Festival, also known as "Black Woodstock", was a series of music concerts held in Harlem, Manhattan, New York City during the summer of 1969 to celebrate African American music and culture and to promote the continued politics of Black pride. Music fans at the lesser-known 1969 US festival The 50-year basement Questlove was speaking about belonged to Tulchin, who filmed the event. So I think in my case, it was a matter of social survival on how to relate to my friends at school. He has a new book that will be published in the fall called "Music Is History," focusing on 1971 to the present. The Strength of a Woman festival is very similar to the Essence Festival but on a smaller scale. From the 1970s until today, this style of music emerged from Black, inner-city neighborhoods to become a mega-popular genre among white suburban and upper-class neighborhoods, too. I'm wondering, like, how are they not punching each other with their arms and their - like, all their limbs are being utilized. Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, The Fifth Dimension and others entertain and talk about their work here, but as it turns out, because another festival was happening that summer in Woodstock, NY, people lost interest in this footage for a while. GROSS: Let me reintroduce you here because it's time for another break. ESSENCE Festival. NTZmYWVkNTM0N2Q0M2QxYTI4NTdkZDU5ZDE4NGU0NzAyNjNlMzdhY2YyNWVm on Amazon. As African music climbs the charts worldwide and African fashion and art intersect with Black culture, Afrofuture is the first of its kind to put it all on one stage. ZDU2ZGJjODE4OTI3ODE5ZDkzZDBhZDJhMTRjIn0= Rent/Buy Summer of Soul on Amazon. GROSS: And he hosted it. Welcome to Pittsburgh! Let the sunshine in. Questlove and collaborators snapped it up when they found it. If Burna Boy, Wizkid, or Stonebwoy are on your concert wish-list, you should make a point to buy your ticket to the next Afronation festival. GROSS: This is FRESH AIR. YTA4NjQ5OGQwYjg4NWU5NzdkMmE1NTA4ZWJkOTE0ZGE1ZDYyNjkzYjc3YjEz Oh, happy day. We'll hear from Gladys Knight, Mavis Staples, B.B. The fact that 40 hours of this footage was kept from the public is living proof that revisionist history exists," says Questlove. Not sure yet? You haven't booked a hotel yet?!?! The esteemed producer brings together his favorite artists and some upcoming performers, to put on a sleek hip hop and R&B festival in his hometown Virginia Beach. Another concert doc (this one was made in 1972), Wattstax boasts a slew of performances from the likes of Isaac Hayes, Rufus Thomas, The Emotions, The Bar Kays, The Staples Singerseven Richard Pryor makes an appearance. Please click the video above or the mixcloud link / button below to watch our virtual show. It was very moving to see the significance that this had for her and for Billy Davis. GROSS: Or find him, yeah. In 2023, the festival is heading towards the summer months, but that wont stop guests from enjoying the renowned VIP experience and mobilization of Black people through music across 3 different stages. QUESTLOVE: Yeah. If the stars properly align, he will talk about For Love Of The Game being the best baseball movie of all time. The best Black music festivals carve out safe spaces for the Black community to celebrate life, culture, and their heritage through music. Find more infomation on our past & present Black Music Festival concerts and events, please click the button above to view our full list, or alternatively see our lastest events in the pictures below! So now it's like, OK, well, let me get the Van Halen catalog. My guest is Questlove. GROSS: Had there been a concert series like this before with tens of thousands of people, Black people and people of color in a Black neighborhood, like Harlem, before? He directed the new concert documentary, "The Summer Of Soul," which features performances from and interviews about the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival, which presented top performers including Stevie Wonder, Sly and the Family Stone, Nina Simone, Gladys Knight and the Pips, B.B. Whoa, yes I am. However, in this Emmy-nominated documentary, which covers the last two years of the civil rights icons life, you learn that he was also interested in protesting the Vietnam War, the Memphis sanitation strike and the Poor Peoples Campaign. GROSS: Do you know if he delivered on his promises? The City of Pittsburgh is a world-renowned hub for Jazz Music and the birthplace of internationally renown Jazz Artist such as: George Benson,Art Blakey, Stanley Turrentine, Billy Eckstine, Lena Horne, Earl Fatha Hines, Roger Humphries, Joe Negri, Ahmad Jamal and countless more. MWM0YjA1MWRkYTMwNzY3ODQ5YmU5MDA4OGMyN2NmYjQ0ZTZlZDM1OTlkOTdi Just before his death, he signed over the rights to two producers, who brought on Questlove to turn it into the film that is now "Summer Of Soul." Related: Black Booksellers Recommend 25 Books to Read During Black History Month and Beyond. GROSS: Yeah, she sang "Mister Backlash," which is also just a very political song. Well you still have time to decide Where are you staying? And she could have easily been one of them. For Questlove, The Pandemic Meant Embracing Quiet And Buying A Farm. Stream A Band Called Death on Prime Video (with Fandor Channel). King, Gladys Knight and the Pips, The 5th Dimension, The Staple Singers, Mahalia Jackson, Ray Barretto, Max Roach and Abbey Lincoln. The festival is commonly held outside during the host locations hottest times of the year. Unlike many documentaries that cover this event, this one dives deep into. QUESTLOVE: Pretty much, you know, a lot of it was just to jog their memory. Rent/Buy Tina on Amazon. We see her. This film is like a warning, a last chance, Peck has said. And I think really probably no one knew what to expect. And of course, if you say that, then, you know, David Ruffin will say, wait, wait, Stevie's doing it? In a manner that recounts a documentary like 2016's O.J. 28 Days, 28 Black Music Documentaries. Don't you know that I heard it through the grapevine? GROSS: If you're just joining us, my guest is Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson. The documentary features two decades in the making, opening up the vault for the very first time to present the performances and behind-the-scenes stories that shaped the music festival. Eating is a necessity, of course, but soul food is made to be savored and enjoyed. GROSS: Yeah. Directed by Raoul Peck, narrated by Samuel L. Jackson and nominated for an Oscar, this documentary explores author James Baldwin through his own words and interviews, with a lens on his unfinished book Remember This House. Are you ready to smash things and burn buildings? New York, Oh, happy day. Baby, won't you listen to me? (opens in new tab) Watch on. This is FRESH AIR. You will receive a verification email shortly. Take a look at our list of the following Black music festivals from around the world and start saving for your ticket. And it just made me think about what it meant to the performers, you know, to be at the festival. Instead I heard it through the grapevine. A true testament to the human spirit, this powerful and empowering documentary could serve as a great introduction to one of the best soul singers of the past 25 years. The 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival featured some of the biggest names in Black music, but it had largely faded from history. The book was supposed to be centered around Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and Medgar Eversbut he gave it up. ZDg1MDZmMjFjMDhjZDBkY2FlNDZiNGEyYzUxYzBiYzE2Njk4ZDFhYTNkZTAz And, you know, it was also risky. Searchlight Pictures/20th Century Studios Its a feel good addition to the fun youll have during the festival, 11. So, yeah, in a way it's genuine love, but in a lot of ways, it's survival. GROSS: Yeah. He co-founded the band The Roots, which is the house band for "The Tonight Show," where he serves as music director. And his new documentary is called "Summer Of Soul." I saw the segregation, the racial discrimination. When we gather, there is an electricity throughout the crowd and in the air that makes for an experience unlike any other. Signed Black Music Festival T-Shirts - on sale now! What do you want to do first? MARILYN MCCOO: Billy made all those wonderful gospel licks in his ad libs. Yes. Oh, happy day, when Jesus washed, when Jesus washed, when he washed, when Jesus washed, he washed all my sins away. Because the coolest thing in the '60s and early '70s was watching the performers do steps, you know. Eventnoire is the premier platform where Black culture and events intersect connecting attendees and event organizers to the Black community. Keep upto date with the latest news from Black Music Festival. But I knew early that my survival in whatever world that I create really depends on my education level of what I knew so that I could fit into that world. Personal narratives and documents are used to show how black people were put in positions that were close to slavery even after the Civil War, primarily through forced labor. Where to watch it: Netflix or Amazon Prime. If this sounds like the remix work of a master DJ, that's because it is. Sometimes we were called the Black group with the white sound. (opens in new tab), The story of how Tina Turner went from a young girl working the fields in rural Tennessee to one of the most successful and recognizable pop culture icons of all time is impressive to say the very least. This documentary explores the Harlem Cultural Festival, an epic showcase of Black music, art, and culture. Oh, yeah, good God, oh, yes. Stream Amazing Grace on Hulu. And how do you color - that used to be one of our questions - how do you color a sound? It's using everything I know to - I'm certain that if I didn't have this range of knowledge that I probably wouldn't have been chosen to be on "The Tonight Show.". You would have probably heard about the Harlem Cultural Festival. ), The Roots Questlove makes his directorial debut with this exploration of the 1969 Harlem Culture Festival. Look no further. (opens in new tab) But then once hip-hop came along, then it's like, oh, everything I learned, I'm just going to add in this this pot of stew I'm making. And, through new interviews, he lets musicians tell heartfelt stories about what led them to the festival. OK. Alternatively click here to read more about us. MmVmMmZlNzg3NTAzMWMwMDBlMDU0NGVhYzhkMTkwYTc2YTM1ZTdhYWNhNzgx Oscars Best Picture Winners Best Picture Winners Sundance Film Festival Independent Spirit Awards Black History Month SXSW STARmeter Awards Awards Central Festival Central All Events. NjdlZTc1NjhiZjczMTQ1ZWQxNzlhYTg3MjkxZTY5NjQxMDdjOGZkY2UxNDgx So their response was basically like, we don't want to be anywhere near this because it's - we're going to be outnumbered and that sort of thing. We had a kind of a paper trail. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Please refresh the page and try again. Overall, the film focuses on how frustrated Baldwin is with the inability of America to solve its race problems. And that's because he grew up watching like old, you know, Fred Astaire and Broadway musicals as a kid. There's one moment in the film when the crowd is pushing. Completed during the COVID-19 pandemic, Questlove's documentary unveils the epic event that radiated the wholesale reevaluation of Black history, culture, fashion and music. If you want some nostalgia and feel like grooving to artists you may not be familiar with, this could be a good choice. The documentary provides a look at her entire life, from the time when she hoped to be the first black American classical pianist; finding her way after those dreams were dashed; and her role as an artist during the Civil Rights Era. Oh, I heard it through the grapevine. Boy, take a good look at these tears of mine. And because Rock, the directors and the writers of this film arent women, its a good reminder that representation is always important. So it brought out my inner gospel preacher set thing. There was a problem. And so in their minds, they were sort of like, you guys are absolutely crazy to - you know, this is like a keg of dynamite. Where to watch: Netflix and YouTube here. And they're wearing these - they're not wearing suits. QUESTLOVE: Yeah, the Panther known as Bullwhip. This series is an excellent primer, and if you dont know SNCC from SCLC, this series is for you. OTM5NGI5M2IxNWY1N2YyOWI3NzIzYjdmNzBiMmMzYTA1NmYzMDZkMTI5MmJj Updated on: January 20, 2023 / 10:01 PM / CBS News. MDhhMzYwZTg5MDExNzNhMWY5NDNkOTVjMjdhN2MyOTNhNjg4NjAxMWY2Y2I3 (opens in new tab). B. This PBS documentary series features Professor Henry Louis Gates, who travels to Africa and throughout the United States to provide a complete picture of the Black experience in this country. Don't you know that I heard it through the grapevine? The historic-but-forgotten event the film documents is the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival, a series of six concerts held in Harlem's Mount Morris Park, which is now called Marcus Garvey Park. : let me reintroduce you here because it 's survival OK, well, let me you. 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