@,bc.1{ptuflork@m cg

NBW YORI<,FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16,2OO1

FILMREVIEW In his new film; "Rhythm 'n' Bay- ous," Mr. Muggereturns to the South ARamble (thii time to Louisiana) to compile a singing dictionary of the state's roots-music styles and assorted hy- Throu€h brids, from the blues to "swamp pop" to the fusion of Cajun, Creole and rock'n' roll knownas zydeco. Louisiana's Part musical travelogue,part an- "Rhythm 'n' thology, part archival document, Bayous," which "Rhythm 'n' openstoday at the ScreeningRoom, Bayous" is a rambling 'n' Roofs Mustc journey looselydivided into four sec- won't endear itself to rock ro11 tions. Begun as the official chronicle fans who like their music slick and of a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame bus star-driven. A number of the per- By STEPHENHOLDEN tour through New Orleansand south- formances are as rough-hewnas the western Louisiana, it turns into a tiny clubs in which they are filmed. 'Il And while you can appreciate the To describethe recent films of the more informal, out-of-the-wayjour- ney to blues and zydecoclubs, gospel gumption of aging one-hit wonders documentarian Robert Mugge as performing signature songs re- cultural reference books doesn't churchesand radio stalions,and mu- sical family gatheringsin backwater corded four decades ago, time has mean to impl/ that these explora- obviously taken its toll on their tions of the musical byways of South- trayous. From Shreveport, Monroe (in "An- voices. ern rural America are lacking in and Winnsboro the section "Rhythm 'n' .other But Bayous," is fi- pungentmusical sap. It's the careful Country"), Mr. Mugge makes his nally not about being polished. It's ,balancebetween music and scholar- way to Baton Rouge and New Orleans ("Spirits in aboutthe organic processby which a ship that lends Mr. Mugge's films a the Night") and ends in Eunice, culture expressesitself through mu- foundationof academicseriousness Lafayette and Ville Platte ("Music in sic and the hybrids that evolve natu- that flirts with dryness without be- the Air"). Few if any of the performers rally when these cultures begin to coming mired in trivia. Documents who 'n' appear in the film couldbe mingle. That after all is how rock of a flourishingbelow-the-radar cul- described as major artists.All, however,illus- roll was born. ture, ofteninvolving older musicians trate the way authentic, marginally who won't be around much longer, commercialroots music is still em- they are archival records as well as 'NI beddedin the state's overlappingcul- RHYTHM BAYOUS entertainments. tures. Especially in' the late 1950's Robert For every obscure blues or folk Ploduced, directed and edited by and early 60's,these regional styles Mugge; director of photography,David SPer- musician shown performing in his yielded some national hits. Dale ling; released by Cowboy Booking Inteina- there is usually an expert the Screeding Room, 54 Varick films, Hawkins performs his 1957single tional. At standing by to explain "Susie Street, at Laight Street, TriBeCa. Running where this ClaudeKing his 1962 group Q," hit time: 107minutes. This film is not rated. artist or stands on the family "Wolverton Mountain" and the duo. vr'ITH: Dale Hawkins, Claude King, Daie and tree of American vernacular music. Dale and Grace their lg63 swamo- Insteadof concentratingon the trunk "I'm Grace, the Easter Rock Churcb, the Hackber- popchart topper, LeavingIt Lip ry Ramblers, Frankie flq;rl Buddy Ftett, and larger branchesof that tree, Mr. to You." Henry Butler, warren Storm, RoS Ledet and Mugge likes to examine the smaller Among the more intriguing per- the Zydeco Playboys, Bill Best, the Rev. Ger- branches and even the twigs. formances are a slow, brooding ren. ald Lewis. Kermit Ruffins and Lii'Alfred. years "When In recent Mr. Mugge,whose dition of the SaintsGo March- early films were feature-lengthstud- ing In" by the Easter Rock Church ies of musiciansas varied as SunRa, and a performanceby the Hackberry Gil Scott-Heron,Rub6n Blades and Ramblers,a trio that bills itself as "'the SonnyRollins, has turned his atten- oldest performing band in the tion to the South.His last documenta-' "Hellhounds world." (It formed in 1933.)The film ry, on My Trail: The soars to joyous conclusionwith two Afterlife of Robert Johnson,"a calm, performances featuring the, young, scrupulouslybalanced portrait of the innovative zydecosinger RosBLedet pioneering blues guitarist, was as (a rare woman leading a zydeco much a study of the environment band) with her ZydecoPlayboys. that spawnedhim as it was a biogra- phy.