By José Alberto Hermosillo
“Summer of Soul” is spectacular! A gleaming gem, beautifully crafted and assembled. A marvelous discovery!
The historic documentary captures Soul, Gospel, Jazz, Blues, politics, and the decisive Afro-American cultural revolution of the late 1960s.
In the heart of Harlem, New York, during the summer of 1969, a once-in-a-lifetime music event called the Harlem Cultural Festival took place. It was when Woodstock grabbed all the headlines of the season. The black-music-themed event received little media coverage and was not even televised. In the end, nobody knew such a fantastic series of concerts existed.
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| Harlem Cultural Festival, New York City. |
The event was recorded, but the footage was lost for over 50 years. Until now, that fantastic footage has been discovered and effectively assembled by the enthusiastic director Questlove.
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| Director Questlove, Summer of Soul. |
The Harlem Cultural Festival drew a significant 300,000 euphoric, well-dressed black people who enjoyed every bit of the delights of Soul music in a peaceful party atmosphere. It was the day that many people felt free.
The plethora of interviews with attendees is eye-opening. The vivid recollection of those remarkable moments filled their hearts with joy.
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| Attendees at The Harlem Cultural Festival. |
The Harlem Cultural Festival was a musical and political revolution.
The lineup included Stevie Wonder, B.B. King, Max Roach, and David Ruffin.
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| David Ruffin performing at the Harlem Cultural Festival. |
The charismatic Tony Lawrence served as both a performer and an MC.
Herbie Mann and The 5th Dimension, with their mega-hit “Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In” (from the musical “Hair”), were sensational. They were called “The black group with a white sound.”
The Edwin Hawkins Singers, performing “Oh Happy Day,” arrived from Oakland, California, to deliver a memorable Gospel performance.
Passionate Mahala Jackson made people throb with emotion. Gladys Knight, the Queen of Soul, said, “America had started to listen to their music, and it took them to the next level.” Integrity, class, and politeness are the keys to success. Black people wanted to progress. They called the event “Neo-super Blackness.”
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| Mongo Santamaria performing at The Harlem Cultural Festival in “Summer of Soul.” |
Many attendees and musicians were very proud of their African musical roots. In addition, Mongo Santamaria and Ray Barreto presented their Afro-Caribbean Latin beat, giving voice to the intense rhythms of Cuban, Panamanian, and Puerto Rican music. The music from their barrio created a unique bond between the Latino and Afro-American communities.
On that glorious day, Nina Simone’s determination and positive energy empowered and instilled confidence in the already excited congregation of beautiful black people.
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| Nina Simone at The Harlem Cultural Festival. |
The documentary emphasizes the political turmoil of those crucial years, including the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. a year before. The killing of Democratic Presidential candidate Robert Kennedy early that year. The Vietnam War. The Civil Rights Movement and the moon landing.
The filmmakers did not mention another critical turning point in history, such as the Black Power Protest at the Olympic Games in Mexico City in 1968, which gave the Civil Rights movement international recognition.
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| Black Power Protest at the Olympic Games in Mexico, 1968. |
In terms of conceptualization, Stevie Wonder said some great words: “1969 was a pivotal year where the Negro died, and Black was born.” This means Americans will stop using the letter “N” from that day forward.
The event’s logistics had to be precise and well-organized. That
includes sound quality, speakers, stage design, security, and sponsors—managing that in an open-air venue with little or no money was
challenging.
Back then, segregated music became mainstream, but they called it “Freedom Music.”
In the film, every player’s background is worth learning, and the filmmakers showed that individually. The documentary intelligently shows who these people are, where they
come from, their goals, and their passions.
“Summer of Soul” is a work of art that grasps America’s musical
history with force and madness. The impressive material is presented effectively and efficiently in structure and timing, and this extraordinary documentary is worth seeing for sheer enjoyment.
SUMMER OF SOUL Official trailer
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