Page 28 - Akae Beka

In 2012, we released a follow-up documentary called We Other Must-See Blues Films
Juke Up in Here! which concentrated as much on the juke joints Other recommended blues films include: The Blues Accordin’ to
and their owners as the musicians performing inside. The jukes Lightnin’ Hopkins (one of the greatest blues docs ever; lesblank.com),
included the Blue Front Café, Po Monkey’s Lounge and Red’s all of the American Folk Blues Festival films (exceptional big-name
Lounge. The musicians ranged from Anthony “Big A” Sherrod to concert performances captured in the 1960s; see on YouTube),
Elmo Williams, Hezekiah Early and Lil Poochie. The Search for Robert Johnson (with John Hammond, Johnny
Shines, Honeyboy Edwards; trailer on YouTube), The Early Films
of William Ferris (including bluesman James “Son” Thomas;
dust-digital.com), Cheesehead Blues (a Dutchman’s adventures
in Delta blues land; vimeo.com/58095701), Late Blossom Blues
(the late-in-life discovery of gospel-bluesman Leo “Bud” Welch;
lateblossomblues.com) and Gip (story of 90-something Henry
“Gip” Gipson and his juke joint; gipthemovie.com).
Clarksdale Film & Music Festival
A decade ago, along with my fellow Juke Joint Festival
co-organizers, we started a highly specialized film festival.
Our theme? Films must be either blues (or roots music)
related or Mississippi connected. Most are both. We accept
submissions, but also search all year for new films in the
process of being made or classic docs that are new to us.
Leo "Bud" Welch during Moonshine & Mojo Hands filming. Photo by Lou Bopp This is a curated festival that also includes a healthy dose of
live blues performances, workshops, history tours and more.
Moonshine & Mojo Hands Check out our last festival’s lineup, and plans for 2021 at
As DVDs gave way to Blu-rays, and everything gave way to www.clarksdalefilmfestival.com.
downloading and streaming, we thought we’d take a different By the way, at this year’s festival, we previewed Part I of a
tact on our (so far) final film contribution to the blues world. Co- forthcoming full-length blues doc by Bostonian Ted Reed. Half
producer Konkel and I created a free web series with the hope filmed by college student Reed in 1970, and half by modern Reed
it would give musicians, juke owners and related personalities in 2019, his final work, The Blues Trail Revisited, will compare and
bigger exposure. We again hit our own bank accounts, but also contrast the blues of then and now. Come see his blues finale at
ran a successful Kickstarter campaign. our fest in Clarksdale January 29-31 of 2021, y’all.
The resulting 10-episode web series Moonshine & Mojo
Hands (2016) covers a lot of territory throughout the Mississippi Till then… Will somebody, please get the lights?
Delta, North Mississippi Hill Country and even a quick foray into
Memphis. We’re proud of the results, and you can see them at Roger Stolle operates Cat Head – “Mississippi’s blues store
www.moonshineandmojohands.com. in Clarksdale since 2002” – co-produces the occasional film
or recording project, and is author of Mississippi Juke Joint
The True Delta Project Confidential and Hidden History of Mississippi Blues (The History
Around this time, I met a few Press). His website www.cathead.biz has a local music calendar as
part-time filmmakers from New well as a celebrated web store.
York who wanted to document
the blues in Clarksdale. The
main ringleaders were Erickson
Blakney and Lee Quinby, and
they have gone on to create
some beautiful blues films
under the umbrella of the True
Delta Project, including “True
Delta,” “From the Crossroads
to the White House” and
“Walk with Me,” among
others. More info on the films
and how to view them at Owner Red Paden sits outside Red's Lounge during We Juke Up in Here! filming.
truedeltaproject.org. Photo by Lou Bopp

26 Blues Festival Guide 2020