I never used to watch Sky TV because of its association with the ‘Dirty Digger’ Rupert Murdoch, but I have relented recently since they put Sky Arts on Freeview. Last night while flicking around the channels looking for something worth watching I stumbled across two documentaries which I enjoyed immensely. The first was called Born In Chicago which was about the Blues scene in Chicago. The title comes from a song written by blues singer and guitarist Nick Gravenites which was included on the first album by the Paul Butterfield Blues Band. He also wrote a song with Mike Bloomfield for their second album. I had heard of these people, but in the mid-1960s all this music passed me by. To me, American music in 1965 was The Beach Boys. That is why I found this documentary very educational. I knew Al Kooper mainly through his association with Bob Dylan who is also featured here. Some British bands get a look in, such as The Rolling Stones, The Yardbirds and The Animals. They were all hugely influenced by black American Blues musicians such as Howling Wolf, Muddy Waters, Little Walter and B.B. King. Apparently, The Stones only agreed to go on an American coast to coast TV show if Howling Wolf was booked as well. There were some other musicians featured who even today I am not familiar with such as Charlie Musselwhite and Harvey Mandel.
In 1967 Mike Bloomfield, Nick Gravenites, Buddy Miles, Barry Goldberg and Harvey Brooks formed the Electric Flag. I remember the name because a friend of mine at college had a soundtrack album by them called The Trip. There is some great footage of the Monterey Festival of 1967 although Mike Bloomfield looked stoned out of his head. It was nice to see Country Joe McDonald make a brief appearance in this film. Sadly, Mike Bloomfield and Paul Butterfield both died too young in the 1980s. One thing I especially liked about this film was the mutual respect between black and white musicians. Music is something that brings people together, which is needed more than ever in the modern age.
I was going to go to bed then, but started watching the next programme which was Jimmy Carter, The Rock & Roll President. I enjoyed this film equally as much. I have always admired Jimmy Carter and he had great taste in music. The likes of The Allman Brothers, Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, The Staples Singers and many more are featured. One amusing little thing was in his autobiography Willie Nelson related how he had smoked pot at the White House with a member of staff and Jimmy Carter revealed how it was actually his son. Jimmy Carter also believed in bringing people of all colours and creeds together. I’m sure he got a lot of pleasure watching the inauguration the other day. Anyway, it was a most enjoyable night of television.
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