YUH Episode 23 - Summer of Soul Review with Aaron

Rather than our standard write up,  I thought it might be interesting to just post our pre-show notes from this mid-week episode of Yeah Uh Huh. We are really excited about the topic and hope it inspires you consume this amazing film!Summer of Soul … (or when the Revolution could not be televised) in theatres and on Hulu now!- The Harlem Cultural Festival in Mt. Morris Park.- Festival lasted 6 weeks, celebrating black culture.- Footage sat for 50 years in a basement in Karl Knudson’s house. Knudson was the owner of the Jazz Label Storyville.- In January 2021, the film won the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival- Amir “Questlove” Thompson is the producer,  as well as the musical director for the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.- Tony Lawrence was the festival organizer and MC. He dressed flamboyantly.- Aretha Franklin was supposed to appear, but was a late scratch.- Jimi Hendrix DID want to be there, does not seem to have been invited. He was with the Band of Gypsies at the time.- You (Aaron) have said it might be the best rock doc yet. What is in the same ballpark?- Tony Lawrence - Flamboyant organizer of the festival.- 300k ppl and not a single incident of violence.- Sly and the Family Stone was paid $2500 to play the show.- The police did not want to work the festival, so the Black Panthers provided it under the leadership of “Bullwhip”. By the second week the police took over.- Mahalia Jackson was highest at $10k. Jackson had performed “Precious Lord” at MLK’s funeral.- Mahalia was the granddaughter of enslaved people⁃ “Summer of Soul” was directed by Questlove.⁃ Recoded over 6 weeks in the Summer of 69 in Harlem.- In an article about Questlove, a woman recounts seeing her brother who was later killed in Vietnam in a six second closeup. They had no other pictures of him.⁃ John Lindsay was the Republican mayor of NY at the time - “Blue eyed soul brother” was introduced to a cheering crowd as a "liberal" Republican mayor.⁃ Stevie Wonder, BB King, The Fifth Dimension⁃ Ppl thought the 5th Dimension was a white act. “Age of Aquarius”⁃ Aquarius was from the musical Hair, but the 5th Dimension popularized it.⁃ Edwin Hawkins “Oh Happy Day” was very controversial with the pentecostal church.⁃ It had elements of a revival.⁃ Mahalia Jackson performed. Gospel was ever present.⁃ “Precious Lord” by Tim Branch was MLK’s favorite song. “Take my hand.”⁃ Precious Lord was playing whenn MLK was assassinated.⁃ David Ruffin recently departed from the Temptations did “My Girl”.⁃ Gladys Night and the Pups did “Grapevine”.⁃ Sly and the Family Stone - “Sing a Happy Song”⁃ “Every Day People”⁃ Style was fluid at the time between the conservatism of the early.60’s and afro centic influences of the esly 70’s.⁃ Spanish Harlem was East Harlem.⁃ Ray Barreto drummer. Seemed to inspire Shelia E.⁃ Space program was happening at the time, but black ppl why money could not be applied to poverty than celestial pursuits.⁃ Stevie: Shoo Bee Doo Bee Doo Da Day.⁃ He was 19 yo.⁃ Sonny Sharrock - Free form guitar music.⁃ Abbey Lincoln and Max Roach - “unapologetically black.”⁃ Hugh Maskela played the Festival⁃ Nina Simone - “Mississippi God Damn!” “To be young, gifted and black.”⁃ “Are You ready to kill, if necessary?”, she asked.⁃ “Going to leave you with the bliues”.⁃ The festival was lost as a part of history. Promotion paled by comparison to Woodstock.YUH on Twitterhttps://twitter.com/yeahuhhuhpodYUH on Facebookhttps://facebook.com/yeahuhhuhpodYUH on Instagramhttps://instagram.com/yeahuhhuhpod