Summer of Soul
1969 was a tumultuous year in American history. It was a year of war (Viet Nam), space exploration (Apollo 11), assassination (RFK, MLK, Malcolm X), rising black militancy (the Panthers), and the beginning of the heroin epidemic. In July of that year Harlem also mounted its own version of Woodstock, a major cultural festival that celebrated black music and song. Spread out over six weekends, the free concerts in Mt. Morris Park attracted an ocean of people, thrilling to the artistry of such stars as BB King, Mahalia Jackson, the Staples Singers, Stevie Wonder, Sly & the Family Stone, Herbie Mann and The Chambers Brothers (to name but a few).
Backed by New York City’s Mayor Lindsay and several corporate entities, the Harlem Culture Festival was, as one critic said, “an extraordinary event. Not just of musical history. It’s a mind-blowing moment of American history.” The TV producer Hal Tulchin shot the concerts on spec but couldn’t attract financing to complete the film, so his work languished in his basement for nearly fifty years until Searchlight Pictures realized its value and hired director Ahmir (Questlove) Thompson and editor Joshua L. Pearson to assemble a workable version.
As a result,
the public can now see SUMMER OF SOUL, both in theatres and on Hulu. The
freshly restored original footage has been given a new dimension. Some
of the artists who took part in the ‘69 festival were invited to
look back on their own performances–-and comment on the significance
of the event. As drummer Max Roach said, “The festival marked the
year the Negro died and the Black was born. Black liberation was propelled
on a wave of music.”
Leading that wave was Nina Simone, whose fiery songs, “Mister Backlash”
and “To Be Young, Gifted and Black,” inspired the 300,000-strong
crowd to sing along with her–-and shout their approval when she recited
a militant poem by David Nelson, “Are You Ready?”
The plea for change and civil rights was echoed by many of the other festival
head-liners, notably Tony Lawrence and Ray Barretto, whose Afro-Puerto
Rican band had onlookers dancing to a Latin beat while he belted out its
defiant lyrics. Pundits like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton added their
comments, helping to make SUMMER OF SOUL a lot more meaningful than just
another filmed rock concert. As the New Yorker Magazine said, “SUMMER
OF SOUL is like a major archaeological find–-King Tut’s tomb
of 20th-century Black performance.”
SUMMER OF SOUL won the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award at Sundance
2021. It has gone on to enchant audiences around the world.