electric guitarist/vocalist Johnny hands throughout. While Brom- spiritual common ground. The film to shut his legendary venues Winter during “Walking Thru’ the berg does talk some theory and is also about the modernization of Fillmore East and West in 1971, Park,” a song from Hard Again, technique, this is not an instruc- ancient cultures and the struggle citing expanding demands from their 1977 collaboration with tional video in the usual sense. It is, to pass both music and ceremony artists and difficulty making ends harmonica player James Cotton. however, a perfect example of how to younger generations. The film meet in these relatively intimate Remaining for the rest of the set, to learn great guitar technique by concludes with a Parisian concert venues. This long-unavailable film the Texas-born blues-rocker propels observing and listening. featuring musicians from both Mali chronicles the final week of shows Waters and the band to new heights, — Lahri Bond (Leverett, MA) and Morocco and leaves many ques- at the Fillmore West (the New stirring things with his barbed-wire tions where answers may become York venue closed the previous guitar picking, taking over lead more clear with repeated viewings. week) intercut with reality show- vocals for “Going Down Slow,” and — Lahri Bond (Leverett, MA) style footage of Graham verbally then, joined by Mighty Joe Young, jousting with musicians, light “You’ve Got to Love Her With shows, and demanding managers a Feeling.” With the addition of Billie Holiday: as he hustles to pull off the closing legendary Chicago bluesman Larry The Life and Artistry week shows. The disc includes “Big Twist” Nolan (Big Twist and of Lady Day some great performance footage the Mellow Fellows), Waters leads Idem Home Video iDVD 1115 (2009) of the Grateful Dead, Santana, and the full cast in a rousing rendition Though Billie Holiday was gifted Hot Tuna, along with generous of his trademark tune, “Got My with a heart-melting voice that still screen time given to groups on Mojo Working,” closing the 50- resonates a century after she died Graham’s label such as Cold Blood, minute-plus set on an upswing. This in a New York hospital while under Elvin Bishop, and Lamb. The DVD release restores two tunes cut from arrest for drug possession, she was release does not contain any outtake the original broadcast (“She’s Nine- plagued by never-ceasing demons footage, but it does offer a vivid teen Years Old” and “You’ve Got her entire life, as shown in this too- look back at what arguably may Love Her With a Feeling”). Unfor- short, half-hour documentary. The have been the perfect rock venue of tunately, black-and-white footage illegitimate daughter of Fletcher its time, as well as profiling the first was substituted for the apparently Henderson’s rhythm guitarist, who and most powerful entrepreneur of lost original color film. Wijdan left her mother before she was born, the modern rock ’n’ roll business. — Craig Harris (Chicopee, MA) Possible Pictures MO103 (2007); Holiday was raped twice by the age Ironically, Graham fairly quickly ISBN 794881856794 of 14. When she wasn’t in reform moved back to promoting shows in his own smaller venues not long Don’t let the comparatively short school or imprisoned for solicitation, The Guitar Artistry after the demise of the Fillmores, length (52 minutes) of this film fool she walked the streets as a prostitute. of David Bromberg: including his upscale remake of the you, there are decades of knowledge When it came to music, though, it Demon in Disguise original Fillmore Auditorium that to be gained from it. The documen- was a different story. Discovered Vestapol 13115 (2009) gave his enterprises their name. tary centers mainly on the Gnawa by producer John Hammond while However, the Fillmore West did not David Bromberg is one of the finest people, who were exiled from the singing in a Harlem nightclub, she fare so well. It was converted into exponents of the acoustic guitar, Malian empire and brought as slaves went on to become one the most a storage room for cars above the and in this intimate portrait, filmed to Morocco in the 16th century. This distinctive artists of the 1940s, San Francisco Honda dealership at in a studio setting, he talks about tribal society is shrouded in mystery, recording with Benny Goodman, Market and Van Ness. his influences and performs a wide especially pertaining to the captivat- Louis Armstrong, Buck Clayton, selection of American blues, folk, ingly hypnotic music they created and Count Basie, in whose band — Michael Parrish (San Jose, CA) country, bluegrass, ragtime, jazz, to induce trance states to commune she met Lester Young, a tenor saxo- and contemporary compositions. In with spirits for healing purposes. phonist and her longtime lover. On Johnny Winter Live just under two hours, he plays such Filmmakers Bella Le Nestour and her own, she scored hits with “Lover favorites as “Demon in Disguise,” Through the ’70s John Allen present an intimate Man,” “God Bless the Child,” and MVD Visual MVDV4755 (2008) “Mule Riding Blues,” “Maple Leaf portrait of the meeting between two her haunting look at lynching, Rag,” “Levee Camp Moan,” “Try men from vastly different, yet ulti- “Strange Fruit.” Comprising still Johnny Winter is certainly one of Me One More Time,” “Spanish mately anciently linked cultures. photographs and clips from her rare the undisputed masters of the elec- John,” “Shebeg an Shemore,” Sirbiri Samake is a Bambarra musi- TV and film appearances, The Life tric blues guitar. Having ridden “Buck Dancer’s Choice,” “Some- cian and a traditional hunter from and Artistry of Lady Day explores the blues boom of the late 1960s, where Over the Rainbow,” and a Mali who has mastered the kora, the contradictions that continue along with the likes of Clapton, host of others. Between every song an African lute-harp, outside the to make Holiday such an enigma. Beck, Hendrix, and Canned Heat, he speaks candidly about his influ- usual Griot caste system. Brahim Four full-song clips from the 1947 Winter was also a pioneer of the ences, from old recordings of Blind El Belkani is a Gnawa musician film Do You Know What It Means style of endless improvisation on Blake, Lonnie Johnson, Big Bill from Morocco who also came to to Miss New Orleans?, featuring old blues riffs. Throughout the 70s, Broonzy, Marshall Owens, and Luke his masterful playing of the bass- Holiday singing alone and with he toured with an ever-revolving Jordan to contemporary recordings toned gimbre not through the usual Louis Armstrong, are at the core of lineup of backing musicians, each of the Weavers, B.B. King, Freddie apprenticeship, but through private this long-overdue tribute. providing him with a bedrock from which to soar. King, and Albert King. His stories practice and dreams. The film — Craig Harris (Chicopee, MA) of these great musicians could make focuses on their historic meeting This collection, like his many bands, up a DVD just by themselves. He in 2000, resulting in the film’s title is a mixed bag of great groups, speaks with particular reverence Wijdan, which in Arabic means “the Fillmore: performances, footage, and mate- about his mentor and guitar teacher meeting of souls.” Each musician The Last Days rial. In some cases it may be histori- the Rev. Gary Davis. The video is carries a deep connection with the Bill Graham Memorial Foundation/Rhino cally important, but overall, it may beautifully filmed, and because it earth, and each is trained in the R2 516386 (2009), reissue be a little long for the casual few. is part of the Stefan Grossman’s natural healing arts of his culture. After five years running venues in For the die-hard Winter fanatics, this Guitar Workshop series, the camera Their meeting is touching and fasci- San Francisco and New York, rock compilation is the treasure trove for remains lovingly on Bromberg’s nating as they find both musical and impresario Bill Graham decided which they have been waiting. One

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