Somehow in the grains of time that have passed since the summer of 1969, history has reserved the spotlight and historical reverence for The Woodstock Music and Art Fair. Don’t get me wrong, that was huge. But merely 100 miles to the south over six weeks, not simply one, a heritage, musical history—past, present, and future—would be celebrated as people gathered at Mount Morris Park (now Marcus Garvey Park). Capturing it all was Summer of Soul—now available on streaming, Digital, and DVD.
What’s crazy is that the footage got buried, along with the true history of the event and with the societal explosion that was Woodstock ’69 when it came to music festivals, the headlines were all about that upstate New York event that featured Jimi Hendrix, The Grateful Dead, The Who, and Sly and the Family Stone (who also played The Harlem Cultural Festival!).
Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, probably better known for being the drummer for The Roots and the anchor of the Tonight Show Band, trades in his skins for an editing bay, and what he has produced will surely result in an “I need to know everything about this festival, the artists, New York City in 1969 and more.”
What’s so great, amongst a laundry list of aspects, of Questlove’s film debut as it serves as one part historical record, one part music film, and the epitome of Black history celebration. There’s even a section on Harlem fashion and its rich history based on African civilization.
Summer of Soul is powerful and possesses the ability to transport its audience to another time, but most importantly, being able to put that landscape in historical and cultural perspective. The film is many things, but primarily, I would use the word “healing” if confined to a single term to describe how one feels witnessing Questlove’s documentary. It is particularly during periods of unrest and discord—whatever form that takes—where one can see that healing power of music, especially emanating from a diverse group of musicians who make performances feel like going to church.
There’s also a church-ian sense of inclusiveness. When New York City Mayor John Lindsay, a Republican, was asked to open the six-week festival, he moved his schedule around, and not only was there to figuratively cut the ribbon on the Harlem fest, but Questlove illustrates why the man was so beloved in black households, he was there at the concert to show that adoration of musical melodies does not know the color of one’s skin, nor does it care.
The performances are otherworldly to behold. Sure, excellence from Nina Simone, Stevie Wonder, B.B. King, The Fifth Dimension, and Gladys Knight & the Pips is to be expected. But what sets Summer of Soul apart from Woodstock are the reverberating sets from folks who managed to capture lightning in a bottle at that particular event at that particular moment in time. For example, having the digital version of this film fills me with such delight that I can watch—over and over and over—the exemplary show turned in by gospel artists (at the time) The Staple Singers.
There are three main bonus features for the digital release or the DVD. Wanting desperately to hear from the man who had just moved mountains for me, I dove into the audio commentary track by Questlove. Watching the film with the man who not only made it but who was so clearly influenced by everything to do with that festival over his professional and personal lifespan is nothing less than priceless.
Soul Searching is a making-of documentary short of Summer of Soul. Questions will be answered when it comes to how the footage was found in the first place and why the drummer felt compelled to make this film his first film and one that brilliantly has his fingerprints all over it.
As someone who grew up in the shadow of New York City, the last featurette—Harlem: Then & Now—is of special interest. Questlove has taken his camera and took audiences back to Mount Morris Park and are treated to a crash course in the neighborhood. It was a pulsating epicenter of urgent and potentially life-changing politics.
Lastly, this featurette brings it full circle and triumphantly shows how we are stronger as a peaceful and united group. As our society grapples with the aftermath of the George Floyd murder, it’s fascinating to witness something so relevant that can speak to our time, even though it is anchored in what seems like a time period that might as well be ancient Egypt. It’s mesmerizingly inspiring. To think of what people can achieve as a social force versus a lone wolfs acting solo is just one avenue of thought that this writer navigated after loving every minute of the Questlove Summer of Soul experience.
Film Grade: A
Bonus Features: A