Almost everyone, regardless of age, has heard of Woodstock, and the performances that happened there in the summer of 1969 have become legendary. What is much less widely known is that in the same year there was a ‘Harlem Cultural Festival’ that featured an astounding line-up of acts, yet it disappeared into the mists of time. Now, ‘Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)’, a new documentary from Ahmir ‘Questlove’ Thompson shines a light on the event and its impact.
When the trailer first appeared for this film, it was unbelievable that such a significant series of concerts, held between June and August 1969, had somehow been overlooked and was not widely known. The list of acts for instance is impressive to say the least, and included: Stevie Wonder, The Staple Singers, Fifth Dimension, Sly and the Family Stone, Nina Simone, B.B. King, Mongo Santamaria, David Ruffin, and Gladys Knight and the Pips. Just a glance at the list and you would have thought it would be a cultural touchstone.
So rarely mentioned has it been, that for many of the combined audience of nearly 300,000, they almost thought they had dreamt it. This is one of the revelations in Questlove’s ‘Summer of Soul’ as he examines the event itself, its impact on the audience, and on the performers. Here he has interviews with several audience members who were either young children or late teens, which really bring home the significance for that community.
Of the performers, members of Fifth Dimension talk about their part, alongside Stevie Wonder, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Gladys Knight, Mavis Staples, and Greg Errico (of Sly and the Family Stone). These interviews provide an intriguing commentary about what it meant for them and in some cases highlights just how important and unique these events were. Mavis Staples for instance, talks about how honoured she was by being able to perform with Mahalia Jackson, and that moment is certainly extraordinary.
The documentary also goes further and puts the concerts in context, both sociologically and politically, beyond just the artistic considerations. From the shift in language and fashion, to how the concerts were perhaps a way to try to prevent a repeat of the previous year’s riots, there is much to digest here. Not least of which is how Tony Lawrence, a local raconteur convinced the New York City Park department to let him put on the shows, and also got backing from both the Maxwell House coffee brand, as well as John Lindsay, the progressive mayor.
Having all this documented is important and we have to be thankful that Festival Producer Hal Tulchin filmed and recorded the whole series of events. The footage that was captured is electrifying and displays an array of talent at the top of their game, with some astounding performances. Summer of Soul will undoubtedly attract a lot of viewers due to just that musical content, but there is so, so much more here. It not only documents the events themselves, but also gives an insight into the cultural side of New York and especially Harlem in the late 1960s, which is invaluable. As documentaries go, this one is unmissable!
‘Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)’ is in cinemas now.
