Summer of Soul

Gladys Knight & the Pips in Summer of Soul

Questlove's Summer of Soul is a compilation of musical performances from the Harlem Cultural Festival of 1969. The festival was a celebration of Afro-American culture held at Harlem's Mt. Morris Park (Marcus Garvey Park since 1977) over six weekends. The concerts, free to the public and fervently attended, were financed by Mayor Lindsay's administration partly to reduce tensions in a Harlem that had been beset by riots the previous summer. The performers were a host of notable Black and Hispanic artists ranging from the legendary (Sly and the Family Stone, B.B. King, Stevie Wonder) to big stars of the day who are largely forgotten now (The Chambers Brothers, The 5th Dimension, Mongo Santamaria).

The performances are superb and beautifully captured. Because of this, Summer of Soul stands alongside other notable concert documentaries of the era such as Monterey Pop, Woodstock, and Wattstax. Questlove is particularly adept at demonstrating how Gospel music was the mainspring of 60's Soul. I could have done without the talking heads blithering over the music, but Questlove wants to evoke the tumult of the Sixties (something I lived through) for today's audience. I would have preferred more Sonny Sharrock and less Nina Simone, but I am a quibbler. Summer of Soul is a feast for the eyes and ears. 

I viewed Summer of Soul in a theater, my first time in 2021. The theater was the Tigard Joy Cinema and Pub, a Portland area jewel. What was primarily a second run theater has morphed, under the stewardship of  Jeff 'Punk Rock' Martin, into a sterling repertory house. Sound of Summer was on a double bill with Vertigo, which should give you an idea of the quality of the theater's offerings. I particularly commend its free Weird Wednesday late show to those in the area.