nwFilmCenter

24th Reel Music Film Festival

Jazz, R&B, rock, folk, reggaeâ€”from a cappella and accordions to tango and twirling dervishesâ€”it's all here in our annual celebration of film and music. We hope you'll find something to get your 2007 off to a lively and memorable start. This year's programs feature live performances at the Crystal Ballroom and Towne Lounge, visiting filmmakers and rarities you won't want to miss. Our thanks to Music Millenium, Willamette Week's Music Fest NW and Living Room Theaters for helping make it all happen.

Click for a PDF Reel Music calendar to view or print.

Fri, Jan 27, 2006 at 9 PM	MAHELEO DIRECTOR: Caesar, Marie-Clemence Paes, Raymond Rayaonarivelo BELGIUM/FRANCE/MADAGASCAR MAHELEO vibrantly follows Madagascar's most popular musical group through their daily lives and offers a glimpse of the social and economic issues facing the Malagasy people. The group came together in1972, just before the collapse of the colonial regime, and was the first in Malagasy to write and sing urban-style pop music. With their anthem-like calls to action, rocking rants of anger and despair, and beautiful ballads of hope, Maheleo's courage, humility and talent provide insight into the role of artists in a developing country. ( 102 min ) ^ Top
Fri, Jan 5, 2007 at 7 PM Sun, Jan 7, 2007 at 2 PM	THE HOLY MODAL ROUNDERS: BOUND TO LOSE DIRECTOR: Sam Wainwright Douglas and Paul Lovelace US From their origins in New York's Greenwich Village folk scene in the 60s and their involvement in the EASY RIDER soundtrack, to the lost years of constant drugging, endless touring and a final shot at redemption, BOUND TO LOSE recounts the unique 40-year history of true American originals. With startling intimacy, Douglas and Lovelace document fiddler Peter Stampfel and guitarist Steve Weber's arduous, amusing, and sometimes heartbreaking struggle to capitalize on a late career resurgence in popularity that culminated in an unpredictable 40th anniversary concert here in Portland. More than just a chronicle of psychedelic folk rock legends, BOUND TO LOSE is a raucous celebration of a lost American outlaw subculture as it draws its final rebellious breaths. This warm, funny story of friendship, growing older, and great music features endearing appearances by playwright (and former Rounders drummer) Sam Shepard, Dennis Hopper, John Sebastian of The Lovin' Spoonful, Peter Tork of the Monkees, Ed Sanders and Tuli Kupferberg of the Fugs, Loudon Wainwright III, Ira Kaplan of Yo La Tengo, music editor Robert Christgau of the "Village Voice," Wavy Gravy and many more. ( 87 min ) The directors will introduce the film For Both Screenings. Sponsored by Artichoke Music. ^ Top
Fri, Jan 5, 2007 at 9:30 PM Sat, Jan 6, 2007 at 6:30 PM	BOB MARLEY & FRIENDS DIRECTOR: Saul Swimmer US Swimmer's (CONCERT FOR BANGLADESH) celebration of the life and art of the incomparable Bob Marley puts the reggae master's music front and center, featuring rare concert footage as well as outstanding performances of Marley compositions from a bevy of contemporary talents. Along with vintage 70's performances of such classics as "Buffalo Soldier," "I Shot the Sheriff," "War," "One Love," and "Redemption Song," Marley's son, Stephen, joins Wyclef Jean and Lauryn Hill for a powerful rendition of "No Woman No Cry," while Sting, Peter Gabriel, Bruce Springsteen and Tracy Chapman perform an anthemic "Get Up Stand Up." With additional performances by Ziggy Marley, Seal and the late Peter Tosh, and featuring interviews with Marley contemporaries like Bunny Wailer and legendary Miami deejay Clint O'Neil, BOB MARLEY & FRIENDS offers an infectious celebration of Marley's music and a powerful testament to his enduring legacy. ( 94 min ) Q & A with co-producer Mario Custodio will follow both screenings. ^ Top
Sat, Jan 6, 2007 at 4 PM	NEW ORLEANS: MUSIC IN EXILE DIRECTOR: Robert Mugge US Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath devastated the legendary New Orleans music community. Music documentarian Robert Mugge (GOSPEL ACCORDING TO AL GREEN, SAXOPHONE COLOSSUS, DEEP BLUES) creates an emotional portrait of horror, heartbreak and hope as the musicians who lived through the disaster pick up the pieces and try to rebuild their lives. Performances and interviews with New Orleans artists such as Dr. John, Cyril Neville, Kermit Ruffin, Irma Thomas, The Iguanas, Cowboy Mouth and The ReBirth Brass Band demonstrate how Katrina, broken levees, floods, looting, black mold and their consequences wreaked havoc on music and life in this colorful city. ( 117 min ) ^ Top
Sat, Jan 6, 2007 at 8 PM	SAT JAN 6 8PM The Rounders LIVE at the Crystal Ballroom Join us at the Crystal Ballroom (1332 W Burnside) for a live Rounders reunion concert featuring Peter Stampfel and surprise guests including many of the great Portland musicians who played with the band over the years. The Freak Mountain Ramblers will open the show. All ages. $15. www.mcmenamins.com/Crystal ^ Top
Sat, Jan 6, 2007 at 9 PM Sun, Jan 7, 2007 at 5 PM	WHO IS HARRY NILSSON? (AND WHY IS EVERYBODY TALKIN' ABOUT HIM?) DIRECTOR: John Scheinfeld US Enigmatic singer-songwriter Harry Nilsson was singled out by the Beatles as their favorite "group" and regarded by songwriter Jimmy Webb as the greatest vocalist of the twentieth century. Gifted with a remarkable three and-a-half octave range, Nilsson won two Grammys and many Gold records, yet never cut his music to fit mainstream fashion. From MIDNIGHT COWBOY'S "Everybody's Talkin'" to love song classic "Without You," hair-raising rocker, "Jump Into The Fire," or the whimsical "Me And My Arrow" from his animated film, THE POINT, Nilsson's short and eclectic career was singular. Scheinfeld's lively film celebrates his legacy with rarely seen footage and interviews with a stellar group of his peers, including Micky Dolenz, Eric Idle, Randy Newman, Yoko Ono, The Smothers Brothers, Robin Williams, and Brian Wilson, among others. ( 90 min ) Sponsored by Blackbird Presents. ^ Top
Sun, Jan 7, 2007 at 7 PM	TONIGHT LET'S ALL MAKE LOVE IN LONDON DIRECTOR: Peter Whitehead BRITAIN Mods, mini skirts, topless models and music by, among many others, The Pink Floyd, back when the band was the definite article. Peter Whitehead's sexy, psychedelic record of the Swinging London scene could be the documentary cousin of Antonioni's BLOW UP. A self-described "Pop Concerto for Film," it captures a heady time when Britannia no longer ruled the waves but Carnaby Street definitely ruled the music and fashion worlds. Amid the pop art, pop music, paisley, anti-war protests and painted naked ladies are appearances by Mick Jagger, Julie Christie, Michael Caine, Lee Marvin (opining on mini skirts), Andrew Loog Oldham, artists Alan Aldridge and David Hockney, and a bevy of sexually liberated "dolly girls." One of the few filmmakers trusted within the perfumed gardens of the 60s rock illuminati, Whitehead was allowed unparalleled access into the center of the pop circle to capture the moment for this dazzling, kaleidoscopic record from the very core of the in-crowd." ( 70 min ) ^ Top
Sun, Jan 7, 2007 at 7 PM	THE BEACH BOYS IN LONDON DIRECTOR: Peter Whitehead BRITAIN Whitehead's rare document of the Beach Boys' 1966 UK Tour features the band at its peak, but with a missing Brian Wilson, in Los Angeles to finish recording "Smile." ( 30 min ) ^ Top
Mon, Jan 8, 2007 at 7 PM	KEITH JARRETT-THE ART OF IMPROVISATION DIRECTOR: Mike Dibb BRITAIN Pianist Keith Jarrett is one of jazz's true stars, an artist whose interests and influences range from ethnic and folk music to Bach, Mozart, Stravinsky and Samuel Barber. Contrasting his boundary blurring immersion in the worlds of jazz and classical music, Mike Dibb's (THE MILES DAVIS STORY) incisive portrait explores, through a collage of interviews and great archival film, the complete range of Jarrett's life and work and the numerous musical greats he has played with over the years. Among the many contributors are Chick Corea, Steve Cloud, Charlie Haden, Jan Garbarek, Gary Burton and many others. ( 85 min ) ^ Top
Wed, Jan 10, 2007 at 7 PM	FIRE IN THE WATER DIRECTOR: Peter Whitehead BRITAIN Whithead's last film is an alchemical allegory set in the Highlands of Scotland in which a filmmaker reviews his brief movie career while his girlfriend explores the countryside alone. Along with appearances by David Hockney and John Lennon, Whitehead incorporates footage from some of his previous films to fashion a coda to era. ( 90 min ) ^ Top
Wed, Jan 10, 2007 at 7 PM	PINK FLOYD: LONDON 1966/67 DIRECTOR: Peter Whitehead BRITAIN The first-ever footage of Pink Floyd and the legendary Syd Barrett, performing live in the UFO Club in London and at the Sound Techniques Studio. ( 30 min ) ^ Top
Thu, Jan 11, 2007 at 7 PM	PETER WHITEHEAD: POP FILMS DIRECTOR: Peter Whitehead BRITAIN Whitehead's films for The Small Faces, The Animals, The Shadows and other major, minor and mega pop music figures of the era were the very inception of the artful, experimental and daring pop promo. This compilation program brings together a wealth of his proto-music videos, including vintage pieces made with The Jimi Hendrix Experience ("Hey Joe"), Nico ("I'm Not Saying"), Eric Burdon and The Animals ("When I Was Young"), The Small Faces ("Itchycoo Park"), and many others. Dramatist Dennis Potter (THE SINGING DETECTIVE), in an admiring 1967 newspaper review, described one of the pieces included here-The Dubliner's "Seven Drunken Nights"-as "a brilliant piece of footage...Pop records do not have to be surrounded by inane superlatives, it seems." Along with the recognizable are some very rare surprises from Whitehead's extensive archives. ( 100 min ) ^ Top
Fri, Jan 12, 2007 at 7 PM	ACCORDION TRIBE DIRECTOR: Stefan Schweitert SWITZERLAND/AUSTRIA The squeezebox receives a long overdue salute! Five highly individual musicians from different countries (Guy Klucevsek, NYC; Lars Hollmer, Sweden; Maria Kalaniemi, Finland; Otto Lechner, Austria; and Bratko Bibic, Slovenia) get together to form the "Accordion Tribe" and to achieve the seemingly impossible: return their long disregarded instrument to the worldwide recognition it once enjoyed as a powerhouse of emotions. We follow the charismatic musicians as they journey through Europe, rediscovering the past, searching for new beginnings, and listening to the transformative power of an instrument fascinatingly at home in the hands of folk, jazz and "new-wave" spirits. ( 80 min ) ^ Top
Fri, Jan 12, 2007 at 9 PM	RURAL ROCK AND ROLL DIRECTOR: Jensen Rufe US Outside the major music meccas and industry limelight are thousands of bands in small towns, most of whom will never travel, record or ever be heard of any place else. Yet despite limited opportunities, they press on, pillars of local scenes and dreams that thrive and surprise, at least for locals. One such place is Eureka, CA-halfway between the big scenes in San Francisco and Portland-where despite the limited resources, a flourishing, "why aren't these guys famous," rock world thrives. Jensen Rufe's prideful valentine to Eureka celebrates the main players in a beautiful underground community and the day jobs, rehearsals and tavern shows that are part of survival in a pond that like many, is so close, but so far. ( 65 min ) Jensen Rufe will introduce his film. Sponsored by ^ Top
Fri, Jan 12, 2007 at 9 PM	After Party at the Towne Lounge Following the screening, join Eureka bands Buffy Swayze and JPG for an after party at the Towne Lounge, 721 SW 20th Place. www.townelounge.com ^ Top
Sat, Jan 13, 2007 at 6:30 PM	THE SOUND OF SOUL: THE FEZ FESTIVAL OF WORLD SACRED MUSIC DIRECTOR: Stephen Olsson US Music is a language that is understood by every faith.The ethereal city of Fez, Morocco, provides a fitting backdrop for a filmmaker's exploration of the musical methods used by cultures to "communicate with and know the essence of God." Filmed at the Fez Festival of World Sacred Music, witness expressions of mysticism through song, including an entrancing female-led Sufi group from Afghanistan, a choir dedicated to ancient Russian church music, an all-brass gospel group from New York, and a French-Algerian Jew who sings in Andalusian with Muslim musicians. In addition to showcasing performers representing a range of cultures from around the world, the footage also reveals the meshing of cultures within Fez through depictions of its history and architecture. ( 68 min ) ^ Top
Sat, Jan 13, 2007 at 6:30 PM	FANDANGO, SEARCHING FOR THE WHITE MONKEY DIRECTOR: Ricardo Baraojos US/MEXICO FANDANGO chronicles one of the most fascinating cultural movements of the past two decades. Weaving together the stories of musicians struggling to revive a dying tradition of Southern Veracruz, Mexico-Son Jarocho, a dynamic music and dance forged by African, European and indigenous influences-the film moves from California's inner cities to the heart of the Veracruz savannah, the cradle of Son Jarocho. Featuring rare footage spanning 25 years, this is a story of transformation and the power of culture. Performances and interviews feature musicians Grupo Mono Blanco, Antonio Garcia de Leon, Esteban Utrera, Juana Cobos, Los Cojolites, Unidad Indigena de Santa Rosa Lomalarga, Los Cenzontles and fandangueros in Veracruz and California. ( 65 min ) Sponsored by The Miracle Theater/El Teatro Milagro. ^ Top
Sat, Jan 13, 2007 at 9:15 PM	AIR GUITAR NATION DIRECTOR: Alexandra Lipsitz US Those who have spent hours in front of the mirror, sober or otherwise, perfecting their Eddie Van Halen, Steve Vai, Eric Clapton or other guitar god moves know that Oulu, Finland is host to the Air Guitar World Championships. If the rock star stage fantasy is yours, or if you just want to be amazed and amused by the technical accuracy, stage presence Zen "airness" and charming self-delusional genius of the top competitors, Lipsitz's high-energy film is for you. Tracking the path of a number of American contestants intent on triumph in a competition long dominated by Europeans, her film captures the entertainment and excitement of the air guitar phenomenon and proves that though the instruments may be invisible, the rock is real. ( 80 min ) ^ Top
Sun, Jan 14, 2007 at 4 PM	AWAKE, MY SOUL: THE STORY OF THE SACRED HARP DIRECTOR: Matt Hinton and Erica Hinton US Sacred Harp singing, a haunting, form of a cappella with deep roots in the American south, has survived for over 200 years tucked away from notice in old country churches. Singers break open 'The Sacred Harp', a 160-year-old shape note hymnal that has preserved these fiercely beautiful songs that are some of the oldest in America. Unlike traditional gospel, this four-note music has no gentle harmonies or sentimental lyrics; rather, Sacred Harp provides a haunting, stirring sound that feels like a force of nature. Seven years in the making, this film offers a glimpse into the largely unknown lives and music of a 'Lost Tonal Tribe' whose history is a story of both rebellion and tradition. ( 75 min ) Following the film there will be a live performance by Portland Sacred Harp. ^ Top
Sun, Jan 14, 2007 at 7 PM	HOME, CHARLES LLOYD AND BILLY HIGGINS DIRECTOR: Dorothy Darr US Among the most remarkable recordings in jazz saxophonist Charles Lloyd's discography is "Which Way Is East," which emanated from a week spent playing improvised duets with jazz drummer extraordinaire Billy Higgins. Dorothy Darr, Lloyd's wife, was on hand to film the sessions, held in their living room just a few months before Higgins died of liver cancer in 2001. An intimate and moving document of an extraordinary friendship between two extraordinary musicians, both find new musical terrain that at once acknowledges the deep roots of free playing and the possibility of finding spiritual inspiration and celebration in sound. ( 72 min ) Sponsored by KMHD, Portland's Jazz station. Charles Lloyd will perform February 18 at this year's Portland Jazz Festival. Full program information at www.pdxjazz.org. ^ Top
Sun, Jan 14, 2007 at 7 PM	JON HENDRICKS: THE FREDDIE SESSIONS DIRECTOR: Jeff Feuerzeig US Jon Hendricks has been called the "James Joyce of Jive" and the "Poet Laureate of Jazz." As a member of the trio Lambert, Hendricks and Ross, he gained notoriety for adding lyrics to Jazz instrumental classics and working with the likes of Count Basie, Dizzy Gillespie, Art Blakey, Miles Davis and Thelonious Monk. Feuerzeig's (THE DEVIL & DANIEL JOHNSTON) film documents the recording of Hendrick's stellar vocal version of Miles Davis' classic (off "Kind of Blue") "Freddie Freeloader," with Hendricks, George Benson, Al Jarreau, and Bobby McFerrin each singing (and talking about) the instrumental parts played by Davis, Cannonball Adderley, Wynton Kelly and Paul Chambers. ( 30 min ) ^ Top
Mon, Jan 15, 2007 at 7 PM	DERROLL ADAMS: BANJO MAN DIRECTOR: Patrick Ferryn BELGIUM Portland native Derrol Adams (1925-1990) spent most of his musical career performing on the European street, folk festival, and folk club scene. After attending the Museum Art School in Portland, he moved to California in the mid-1950's, joining the genealogy of the Topanga Canyon folk revival scene that included Woody Guthrie and Will Geer. Migrating to Europe with Ramblin' Jack Elliot, Adams eventually busked his way to Brussels, where a prolific recording and performing career influenced a new generation of artists that included Donovan (who recorded many of Adams' songs), Alex Campbell and Ralph McTell among others. Best known for his anti-war lament "Portland Town," which became a folk standard, Adams never won popular fame, but as Ferryn's affectionate film reveals, his place in the pantheon of folk music performers, writers and storytellers remains secure and awaits wider discovery. ( 85 min ) ^ Top
Wed, Jan 17, 2007 at 7 PM	DANIELSON: A FAMILY MOVIE DIRECTOR: J.L. Aronson US Aronson's film explores unbridled creativity vs. accessibility, Christian faith vs. popular culture, underground music vs. survival, and family vs. individuality. DANIELSON follows a decade-long quest by Daniel Smith, an eccentric musician and visual artist, as he leads his four siblings and best friend to modest indie rock stardom and the eventually struggle to become viable as a solo act. Danielson is, in a very technical sense, a Christian rock band, but only if a group that sounds like The Partridge Family channeling The Fall, The Pixies, and Pere Ubu and wears nurse's outfits can be called Christian rock. Along the way Smith mentors Sufjan Stevens, a then unknown singer-songwriter and fill-in drummer whose subsequent success stands in stark contrast to Danielson's uneasy reception. Collage, direct cinema, animation and memorable performances all contribute to inventively capturing the Danielson saga and spectacle. "They make deeply religious music that is all at once uplifting, disturbing, performative and playful. With ringing xylophones, piercing falsettos, clean cut looks, live shows like revivals and a dominant, corporeal love of Christ that would make even Flannery O'Connor pause."-SPIN MAGAZINE. ( 95 min ) ^ Top
Fri, Jan 19, 2007 at 7 PM	EVERY BEAT OF MY HEART: THE JOHNNY OTIS STORY DIRECTOR: Bruce Schmiechen US Born John Veliotis, the son of Greek immigrants, Johnny Otis grew up in the heart of Berkeley California's African-American community. By the mid-forties he had one of the top big bands on Central Avenue, L.A.'s jazz Mecca, and toured the country from the Fillmore to the Apollo to the Deep South. Often called the "Godfather of Rhythm & Blues," Otis not only had his own hit recordings ("Harlem Nocturne," "Willie and the Hand Jive"), but also had a legendary eye for talent. He discovered such greats as Etta James, Esther Phillips, Jackie Wilson, Little Willie John and Big Mama Thornton, for whom he produced the original "Hound Dog." More than the story of a man and his music, Otis' six-decade odyssey through the world of African American music provides a unique window into aspects of race and culture that have defined and transformed contemporary America. Schmiechen's affectionate film charts the rich life, insights and unusual perspective of a man who, at 80, in addition to his continuing advancement and preservation of Black music and culture, is an expressive painter, organic farmer, cook, cartoonist, author, bird breeder and fisherman. ( 82 min ) We welcome director Bruce Schmiechen and producer Kevin White for this special work-in-progress screening of their soon to be completed film. ^ Top
Fri, Jan 19, 2007 at 9:30 PM	BURN TO SHINE: PORTLAND, OREGON DIRECTOR: Christopher Green US The concept is simple: travel to lively music Meccas, invite a local "curator" to select a dozen local bands of the moment, set them up and record them in the living room of a house about to be demolished, then burn the house down. Produced by Fugazi's Brendan Canty and directed by filmmaker Christopher Green, BURN TO SHINE'S third installment (after Washington, DC and Chicago) is Portland. Chris Funk of The Decemberists brings together 12 of his favorite bands-a cross section of Portland's vital music scene captured in a single day and celebrating a moment in time and place. Featuring performances by The Thermals, Quasi, The Planet The, Wet Confetti, Lifesavas, Tom Heinl, Mirah, The Decemberists, The Shins, The Gossip, The Ready and Sleater-Kinney. ( 55 min ) Sponsored by KPSU, Portland State's College Radio. ^ Top
Tue, Jan 23, 2007 at 7 PM	FROM SHTETL TO SWING DIRECTOR: Fabienne Rousso-Lenoir FRANCE/US FROM SHTETL TO SWING explores the birth of American popular music by turn of the century immigrants, tracing the intermixing of Yiddish klezmorim with African-American melody and rhythms that created new versions of ragtime, stride, jazz and swing. Harvey Fierstein's lively narration, brought to life by an extraordinary assemblage of archival footage and music, chronicles the rise of vaudeville, Tin Pan Alley, Broadway, Hollywood and the Big Band era and such Jewish artists and entertainers as Al Jolson, Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, Fanny Brice, Sophie Tucker, The Marx Brothers, Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw and many others who transformed themselves into Americans by becoming the most popular media stars of their day. ( 58 min ) Sponsored by the Oregon Jewish Museum. ^ Top
Tue, Jan 23, 2007 at 7 PM	CHAGALL: TO RUSSIA, ASSES AND OTHERS DIRECTOR: Francois Levy-Kuentz FRANCE Born in the shtetl of Vitebsk in tsarist Russia in 1887, Marc Chagall made his way to Paris, and then to New York to become one of the great artists of the 20th century. Levy-Kuentz's film retraces his life, much of the narrative drawn from Chagall's autobiography, "Ma Vie" (My Life) and unique film footage of Chagall being interviewed as he paints. Chagall's attempts to connect the Jewish traditions of his childhood to the artistic modernity of his time yielded a profoundly original body of work-from painting and stained glass to theater and ballet collaborations- both in and outside of the prevailing currents of modern art. As he said, "I chose painting because it seemed a window through which I could take flight -- to another world. ( 51 min ) ^ Top
Fri, Jan 26, 2007 at 7 PM	GYPSY CARAVAN DIRECTOR: Jasmine Dellal US Five top Gypsy bands from Romania, Macedonia and Spain unite on a caravan that takes them on a six week American tour. Astounding every audience they meet with musical styles that range from flamenco to brass band, Romanian violin to Indian folk, each band celebrates the cultural richness of Romani people. But as we follow the musicians back to their homelands, it is apparent that life offstage stands in stark reality to the cheering foreign crowds. Ostracized and discriminated against, it is only tradition and strong, soulful identities that hold their culture together. Given extraordinary access to a culture known by few outsiders, Dellal conveys the full flavor of Romani society, revealing that while the music enthralls, the story is truly with the people who make it. ( 110 min ) ^ Top
Fri, Jan 26, 2007 at 9:15 PM	ROLLING LIKE A STONE DIRECTOR: Stefan Berg and Magnus Gertten SWEDEN Berg and Gerteten's wonderful film resonates with universal recognition. It was June 1965 in Malmö, Sweden. At a private after party following a concert by the Rolling Stones, the biggest thing to ever happen in town, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Brian Jones showed up to see the local Swedish bands of the moment-the Namelosers and Gonks. 40 years later, memories and a reel of 8-mm home movie keep the special night alive for a crowd once in, but now just old. We meet the people in the flickering images, whose identities, so formed during a few golden years in the middle of the sixties, now cope with ageing dreams, lives lived and bittersweet realities. ( 65 min ) Sponsored by ^ Top
Fri, Jan 26, 2007 at 9:15 PM	LET ME HAVE IT ALL DIRECTOR: Jergen Berkvens and Walter Stokman NETHERLANDS For Sly Stone, the musical genius behind the pioneering funk-rock Sly & the Family Stone, Woodstock was the glory era. Soon after, he disappeared from the scene, prompting Berkvens and Storkman on a documentary road trip to find out what happened. Starting their quest in San Francisco and winding up in LA, they come across critics, a photographer, his music-teacher and many band members, who form a picture of a man who's admired, respected, vilified and cherished as a living legend. But Sly is on the sly and hard to find. Maybe legend is better than reality. ( 48 min ) ^ Top
Wed, Jan 31, 2007 at 7 PM	EL MILAGRO DE CANDEAL DIRECTOR: Fernando Trueba SPAIN In this vibrant musical documentary from director Fernando Trueba (CALLE 54), Cuban pianist Bebo Valdes fulfills his long-held ambition to visit the city of Salvador da Bahia in Northern Brazil. With local musician Carlinhos Brown as his guide, he meets and plays with great players both little known and legendary, such as Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil. He also experiences magnificent street carnivals and learns about diverse community projects involving music and dance. Essential viewing for any lover of Latin music, Trueba's film bursts with color, movement and life-affirming rhythms, harmonies and melodies. ( 133 min ) ^ Top
Thu, Feb 1, 2007 at 7 PM	TIS AUTUMN-THE SEARCH FOR JACKIE PARIS DIRECTOR: Raymond De Felitta US One of be-bop music's great mysteries: how could the singer of choice for everyone from Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie to Mingus, ranked by critics in the class of Sinatra and Tony Bennett completely drop out of sight at the height of his popularity in the early 1960s? Using both new and archival performance footage, found footage, photographs and rare unreleased recordings, Felitta tries to discover what was at the heart of Paris' enigmatic career (he was Lenny Bruce's regular opener), glorious art and mysterious personal life. ( 100 min ) ^ Top
Thu, Feb 1, 2007 at 7 PM	THE COLE NOBODY KNOWS DIRECTOR: Clay Walker US Musician Freddy Cole often refers to himself as 'The Cole Nobody Knows' because he is the lesser known younger brother of legendary pianist-vocalist Nat 'King' Cole and uncle of renowned singer Natalie Cole. Full of surprising performances and interviews with a host of jazz legends, the 75 year-old-Cole gets a bit of long overdue recognition for his amazing talent. ( 21 min ) ^ Top
Fri, Feb 2, 2007 at 7 PM	MARIA BETHÂNIA: MUSIC IS PERFUME DIRECTOR: George Cachot BRAZIL/SWITZERLAND "Samba is sadness dancing," says Brazilian singer Maria Bethânia, a woman who extols the heart and soul of her nation through song. Bethânia is a living musical legend whose earthy interpretations of Brazilian film music-"tropicalia"-have inspired generations of fans and musical colleagues all over the world. Gachot intercuts concert footage and interviews with the singer's family, friends and peers to create a warm and personal portrait of a woman and her impeccable art. "Music is like perfume, nothing else instantly affects you, changes you." In an age of disposable culture and mechanized pop melodies, Bethânia is a reminder of how the power of music can give voice and identity to an entire nation. ( 82 min ) ^ Top
Fri, Feb 2, 2007 at 9 PM Sat, Feb 3, 2007 at 4:30 PM	ASTOR PIAZZOLLA-A PORTRAIT DIRECTOR: Mike Dibb BRITAIN One of the giants of Argentine music, Astor Piazzolla's vibrant influence extends throughout the world. Drawing on candid interviews and a treasury of archival footage, Dibb uncovers a turbulent, complicated personal and professional life that has yielded some of the most exhilarating music anywhere and associations with virtuosos as diverse as Daniel Barenboim, a fellow student of Nadia Boulanger, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, jazz vibraphonist Gary Burton, the Kronos Quartet, the Paris-based Gotan Project, the Tango Pasión dance company, British pianist Joanna MacGregor, Scottish accordionist James Crabb and French accordionist and bandoneon player Richard Galliano. ( 90 min ) ^ Top
Sat, Feb 3, 2007 at 1:30 PM	BEFORE THE MUSIC DIES DIRECTOR: Andrew Shapter and Joel Rasmussen US Weaving together outstanding performances, historic footage and revealing interviews, Shapter and Rassmussen take a critical and comedic look at the homogenization of popular music, creatively pulling back the curtain to expose the sad truth behind today's "artificial" music stars, where marketing, conformity and appearance take precedent over art. Among the interviews with musicians, fans, industry executives, and music journalists in 20 cities are the perspectives of Eric Clapton, Dave Matthews, Bonnie Raitt, Branford Marsalis, Erykah Badu, Questlove, Calexico, and Les Paul. ( 95 min ) Cosponsored with Musicians Union Local 99. Following the film, Union President Bruce Fife, along with special guests, will discuss issues raised in the film of importance to local musicians. This screening has been rescheduled for February 3rd after the originally scheduled screening was snowed out. The discussion will still follow the film on February 3rd. ^ Top
Sat, Feb 3, 2007 at 6:30 PM	U-CARMEN EKHAYELITSHA DIRECTOR: Mark Dornford-May SOUTH AFRICA A spirited tribute to the power of African music, U-CARMEN EKHAYELITSHA translates Bizet's timeless opera into Xhosa (one of South Africa's eleven official languages), mixes in traditional song and transports the story from the slums of Seville to the streets of one of South Africa's poorest townships. Carmen (opera singer Pauline Malefane) works in a cigarette factory. Her Don José (Andile Tshoni) is a policeman set to marry another woman. But Carmen proves seductive, and the two live out their tempestuous, tragic affair with visceral passion. Adapted from an acclaimed stage production mounted by the Dimpho Di Kopane Lyric Theater Company, director Dornford-May's adaptation is full of both purity and invention as it fashions a thrilling synthesis of Xhosa culture, European opera and entertaining filmmaking. Winner of the Best Film Prize at the Berlin Film Festival. ( 120 min ) ^ Top
Sat, Feb 3, 2007 at 9 PM	MY WAY DIRECTOR: Nigel Finch BRITAIN Produced for the BBC's Arena program, MY WAY amusingly examines the appeal and staying power of the phenomenally popular anthem to individualism, "My Way." Originally written in French in 1967, the song was adapted by Paul Anka for Frank Sinatra one rainy night in New York City. It has gone on to be recorded by more than 140 artists, including Sid Vicious, Elvis Presley, Shirley Bassey and David Bowie. The song's self-gratulatory, lowest common denominator appeal endures, with everyone from drag queens to politicians and choirboys claiming it as their own. Finch interviews Anka and a host of others about their relationship to the song, while a range of artists show how they did it-their way. ( 50 min ) Sponsored by ^ Top
Sat, Feb 3, 2007 at 9 PM	THAT RHYTHM, THOSE BLUES DIRECTOR: George Nierenberg US This story of Rhythm and Blues and two of its legendary creators, Ruth Brown (1928-2006) and Charles Brown (1922-1999), provides classic insight into the story of this country's Black musical heritage. Nierenberg captures them in performance and interviews that reveal the reality of being a black artist in the 40s and 50s, traveling the country on "one niters," dealing with record labels, breaking down dance hall segregation in the South, and making the music white singers would later copy and call Rock n' Roll. ( 60 min ) ^ Top
Sat, Feb 3, 2007 at 9 PM	SOLOMON BURKE: SOLOMON REIGNS DIRECTOR: Rene Hazekamp NETHERLANDS Solomon Burke's career started in the early 1960s with a record that scored in the top ten with songs like "Cry To Me," "A Change Is Gonna Come" and "Everybody Needs Somebody To Love." Lola da Musica catches up with the soul singer, father, funeral parlor owner, and minister as he visits churches to sing, preach, donate money, and cook up lots of beef. ( 45 min ) ^ Top
Sun, Feb 4, 2007 at 5 PM	FLOW: LIVING IN THE STREAM DIRECTOR: Jim Gabour US Composer and trumpeter Terence Blanchard is one of the premiere jazz artists and bandleaders today. Filmed over the course of a year of touring, FLOW documents performances before sold-out audiences in Paris, Tokyo, Osaka and Capetown, South Africa with a group that includes Lionel Loueke on guitar and vocals, Brice Winston on sax, Aaron Parks on piano, and Derrick Hodge on bass. In Hollywood, the band members perform as soloists as Blanchard conducts an eighty-piece orchestra recording his score for Spike Lee's INSIDE MAN-Blanchard's 38th film. Part travelogue, part concert, FLOW offers engaging insight into what it means to commit to a life in music. ( 90 min ) ^ Top
Sun, Feb 4, 2007 at 7 PM	THE LEGEND OF LIAM CLANCY DIRECTOR: Alan Gilsenan US Liam Clancy, whom Bob Dylan hailed as the greatest ballad singer of all time, is the subject of this definitive portrait. Blending interviews with stunning archival footage, Gilsenan uncovers the real story behind the phenomenon that was The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem. Taking us from the innocence of Clancy's Irish childhood to the alcoholism and discord that dogged much of his adult life, the film is a testament to the lasting legacy of one of Ireland's greatest musical ambassadors. ( 104 min ) ^ Top
Thu, Feb 15, 2007 at 7 PM	NORTHWEST PASSAGE: THE BIRTH OF PORTLAND'S DIY CULTURE DIRECTOR: Michael Lastra US Portland video pioneer Michael Lastra captures the rebellion and energetic glee that was in Portland's alternative music scene during the late 70s and early 80s as told by the musicians and rare performance footage of such Portland legends as Poison Idea, Sadonation, The Wipers, The Dead Kennedys, The Neo Boys, Smegma, The Bags, The Rats, and The Styphnoids. If The Earth was your home, return for a visit. ( 90 min ) ^ Top