Tim Van Schmidt Part 1 of a 3-part series Summer of Soul, a new film about Hulu, is much more than just a concert film. It is a documentary that is framed by a series of concerts in Harlem in the summer of 1969, but reflects the changing times in many ways. Great performance sequences … Read more
Where to stream: Summer of Soul (… or when the revolution couldn’t be televised) Powered by Reelgood Since its release earlier this summer, Summer of Soul has been named “one of the best films of the year” and “one of the best concert films of all time”. Directed by musician Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, it records … Read more
3 meditations for summer zen When it’s hot outside: If you notice the sun and sweat on your skin, try doing it with non-judgmental awareness, said Breon Michel, a mindfulness teacher from Phoenix. If the heat is making you restless, bring your attention to your feet. Find a shady spot outside and take off your … Read more
TIts Sundance Prize winner is an absolute delight as it uncovered a treasure trove of vibrant, breathtaking live music recordings (originally recorded by TV veteran Hal Tulchin) that have gone largely unseen for half a century. While Mike Wadleigh’s Woodstock and the Maysles’ Gimme Shelter have long been considered definitive documents of the ups and … Read more
It is June 29, 1969, and the 5th dimension is taking the stage at Mount Morris Park in Harlem (now Marcus Garvey Park). The Los Angeles group are already stars thanks to hits like Up, Up and Away and Aquarius from the musical Hair, which topped the Billboard charts this spring. But her pop-oriented repertoire, … Read more
Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson’s directorial debut “Summer of Soul (… Or, if the revolution couldn’t be televised)” brings to light astonishingly beautiful shots of a criminally overlooked festival with an undeniable historical impact. For 50 years, 45 hours of footage from the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival in New York lay in a basement and remained unseen … Read more
Do you love documentaries? When I talk about my choice, I love documentaries. It has another kind of fascinating ability that compels me to look at it. One such documentary that I saw recently is “Summer of Soul”. If you’ve seen this American documentary you definitely know what it is about, but if not then … Read more
In the summer of 1969, a multicultural concert was held in New York. The festival featured a wide variety of artists destined to become part of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. The meeting was both a time to celebrate the art of its time and a means to peacefully protest the atrocities in … Read more
In the summer of 1969, a historic Black Festival took place: the Harlem Cultural Festival. The concert series was filled with stars from blues, jazz, R&B and soul and attracted over 300,000 visitors. But due to the ongoing eradication of black historical contributions, many have never heard of it. Fortunately, 52 years later, Ahmir “Questlove” … Read more
Twenty years later I received a message asking me to meet with my two future producers Robert Fyvolent and David Dinerstein about a Harlem cultural festival that was like a “Black Woodstock”. Immediately the music snob inside of me said, “I’ve never heard of that before.” So I looked it up on the internet. It’s … Read more