The Filtered Excellence: July 2, 2015

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Bob Geldof once asked us, “Where is the filtered excellence!?” It’s right here. Once a week we take a break from comedy to bring you this weeks picks of the best things to watch, the most interesting things to do, great things to try, the best picks to read, our favorite things to listen to and more:


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The Poem Is A Naked Person.  He’s been a sought after sideman, co-founded and ran a successful label (Shelter Records), written some of the most definitive songs of the 1970s, if not, ever (‘A Song For You’, ‘This Masquerade’, ‘Superstar’), helped jump start the careers of Freddie King, Willie Nelson and George Benson, and played a huge role in breaking in the careers of Joe Cocker, Elton John and Rita Coolidge.  But Leon Russell still remains one of rock’s biggest enigmas.  Les Blank’s The Poem Is a Naked Person was shot during Russell’s artistic and commercial peak in the mid 70s, but never got a proper theaterical release, until now.  Watching the film is like stepping into a time capsule as Blank captures Russell and Co.performing live, recording and traveling within an America still reeling from the turbulent events of the 1960s. Put on part church revival, country & western romp, part slice of life and full on rock n roll, A Poem Is A Naked Person is a must see film for Leon Russell fans and music fans in general.  It’s showing now in select theaters across the country.

Go to www.janusfilms.com for a complete list and more information.

Amy.  **EDITORS PICK** Asif Kapadia’s eagerly awaited documentary on Amy Winehouse rolls out this weekend, but its already been cloaked in controversy:  Amy’s father Mitch has already denounced the project, claiming that it misrepresents her relationship with her family – even though the film was made with full cooperation of the Winehouse estate.  If anything, Amy is a loving, tender tribute to a singer the first great pop star of the 21st Century.  whose star was still on the rise.  With full access to the Winehouse archive – photos, home videos, behind the scenes footage, along with interviews with family, friends, managers and her former husband Blake Fielder-Civil –  Kapadia gives us full insight into Amy Winehouse the person and the artist.  Kapadia doesn’t shy away from the darker side of Winehouse’s eating disorders and  the drug & alcohol problems that ultimately took her life, but it doesn’t consume the movie either.  It’s a balanced, compassionate look at a singer who left us way too soon.  Amy opens in New York and LA on Friday and nationwide on July 10th.

You can also go to www.amy-movie.com for more information.

Women’s World Cup Final. The Women’s World Cup wraps up Sunday night as the United States takes on Japan.  After stunning Germany in the semi-final, the U.S. team is feeling confident about winning it’s first World Cup in 16 years.  Defending champs Japan are back in the Final after surviving a tough semi-final match against England which ended with England giving up on own goal minutes as regulation was winding down.  For the team USA it’s a chance to put down some old demons.  For Japan, it’s an opportunity to cement their status as a one of the elite in women’s soccer.  Who will come out on top?  Tune in Sunday night at 7pm on FOX.

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The Songs My Mother Taught Me by Fannie Lou Hamer. Directly descended from slaves, Fannie Lou Hamer overcame illiteracy, poverty and injustice to become one of the unsung heroes of the American Civil Rights Movement.  She played a key role in Mississippi’s Freedom Summer campaign and was the vice-chair of The Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party.  Her line, ‘I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired’ before the Credentials Committee at the 1964 Democratic Convention in Atlantic City captured  the anguish and frustration blacks felt during this period.  Originally issued as a limited edition field recording in the 60s, Smithsonian Folkways has now reissued this landmark album and includes excerpts from a 1965 interview did with Julius Lester and new liner notes by folklorist Mark Puryear.  It’s also the only known publicly available recording featuring Hamer singing some of the spirituals and hymns that fueled the movement.  The songs will stir your spirit, but to hear Hamer in a straight forward, candid tone tell her story and what she had to overcome is truly inspiring.  It’s a fitting salute and reclaimation to a great humanitarian.

Songs My Mother Taught Me is available now through Amazon, Itunes and all major music retailers.  You can also go to www.folkways.si.edu for more information.

 

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I Am Charlie Wilson by Charlie Wilson.  As a key member of The Gap Band, Charlie Wilson was the voice behind such hits as ‘You Dropped A Bomb On Me’, ‘Party Train’, and ‘Early In The Morning’.  He would later launch a successful solo career that featured a string of top selling albums including two that reached the top of the tBillboard R&B Album Charts.  Wilson also mentored and collaborated with future stars Snoop Dogg, Pharrell Williams, Justin Timberlake, R. Kelly and Kanye West, all of whom cite Wilson as a major influence.  Now for the first time, Wilson tells his story of how he and his brothers formed The Gap Band (putting Oklahoma on funk’s musical map), and how their successful 40 plus year run impacted the musical landscape.  Wilson also does not pull any punches on the drug and alcohol addiction that left him homeless for two years, his battle with prostate cancer and becoming an strong advocate for prostate cancer awareness.  Told with candor, warmth and humor, Charlie Wilson has penned an incredible story of survival and perseverance.  I Am Charlie Wilson is out now through Amazon, Barnes & Noble and all major book retailers.

You can also go to www.charliewilsonmusic.com for more information.

Allen Klein: The Man Who Bailed Out The Beatles, Made The Stones & Transformed Rock & Roll by Fred Goodman. Rock n Roll was as much about business as it was music, and no one understood the business end better than Allen Klein.  Working with artists such as The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Sam Cooke, The Kinks, and Donovan, Klein got his clients out of draconian record deals and insured that they were fairly compensated for their work.  The flip side of the deals were that Klein often come out of it better than anyone, retaining control of many of his clients publishing rights.  With unprecedented access to Klein’s archives, acclaimed music journalist Fred Goodman look back at a man who loved to negotiate, litigate and how it forever shaped the business side of the music industry.  We get new insight into how Klein saved The Beatles from financial ruin, made The Stones the most commercially successful rock band in history and the importance of retaining song publishing rights.  Goodman crafts the story like a board room/courtroom thriller, making legalese easy to follow, yet compelling, and covering all sides of Klein’s paradoxical behavior.  Its an entertaining, three-dimensional look at one of rock’s most enigmatic behind the scenes players.

Allen Klein: The Man Who Bailed Out The Beatles, Made The Stones & Transformed Rock & Roll is available now through Amazon, Barnes & Noble and all major book retailers.

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New York City: International African Arts Festival. 44 years strong, The International African Arts Festival attracts the best artists, writers and vendors from across the globe that fully represent the full African diaspora. Adeyemi Bandele will the MC as Living Colour, Talib Kweli, Norman Connors, Kaissa and much more are slated to perform. There will also be dancers, drum ensembles, workshops, symposiums, among many other scheduled events. An event that serves as both a celebration and history lesson. The International African Arts Festival will take place July 2nd through July 5th.

Go to www.iaafestival.org for tickets and a complete rundown of events.

New York City: Danny Elfman’s Music From The Films Of Tim Burton at Lincoln Center. After blowing away audiences in London and L.A., this multi-media celebration of Danny Elfman’s scores of Tim Burton films finally comes to New York for a week long run at Lincoln Center. Everyone is encouraged to dress in their favorite Tim Burton character as Elfman – backed by a full orchestra, choir and movie clips – performs music from Pee Wee’s Big Adventure, Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands and much more. Whether you are a Burton fan, an Elfman fan or looking for a new way to experience the joys of film, this is for you. July 6 through 12.

Go to www.lincolncenterfestival.lincolncenter.org for tickets and more info.

Los Angeles: Cinespia Cemetery Screenings. Now in its 14th year, The Cinespia Cemetery presents outdoor screenings of classic films, under the stars, on Fairbanks Lawn, an open grassy field inside The Hollywood Forever Cemetery. The season kicks off this weekend with a 30th anniversary screening of The Goonies and Top Gun – complete with fireworks. Other films scheduled to air throughout the summer include A Hard Day’s Night, Grindhouse, Pee Wee’s Big Adventure, Apocalypse Now, Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory, Kevin Bacon’s new film, ‘Cop Car’, and much more. With DJ’s spinning music before and after each film, this series takes a night at the movies to a whole new level. June 3 through August 29th.

Go to www.cinespia.org for a complete list of films, tickets and more information.


Want more excellence? Read last week’s The Filtered Excellence and visit The Interrobang Recommmends

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