The Filtered Excellence: June 5, 2020
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 week’s 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.
WATCH THIS
30 For 30: Be Water. The latest edition of the acclaimed ESPN documentary series looks back at the brief, but impactful life of Bruce Lee. Directed by Bao Nguyen, it uses film & TV clips, home movies, photos and behind the scenes footage to trace Lee’s rise from child star in Hong Kong, to breakout success as an adult on The Green Hornet, to international film superstar with The Big Boss, Fists Of Fury, The Way Of The Dragon, and the seminal Enter The Dragon. The doc also deals with the American entertainment industry’s uneasy, at times openly hostile, relationship with Asian-American actors, and how, despite having various projects rejected (including a version of what became the series, Kung-Fu), Lee was able to present his talents – and the world of martial arts – on his own terms. With remembrances from Lee’s widow, Linda Lee Cadwell, his children Shannon and Robert, former students Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Chuck Norris, collaborators, historians and fans, Nguyen presents a loving salute to an artist and athlete whose influence is still being felt today. 30 For 30: Be Water premieres Sunday at 9pm on ESPN.
40 Years Of Rocky: The Birth Of A Classic. Made for just over a million dollars, Rocky became the surprise hit of 1976, grossing over 200 million dollars, winning the Oscar for Best Picture, spawning a slew of sequels, and made Sylvester Stallone a household name. Narrated by Stallone and directed by Derek Wayne Johnson, the documentary looks back at how the movie with the shoestring budget and an unknown playing the lead ended up becoming part of cinematic history. With great behind the scenes stories and never before seen footage chronicling the making of the film, Johnson has put together a doc that celebrates the underdogs in all of us. 40 Years Of Rocky: The Birth Of A Classic premieres June 9th on Apple TV.
Live With Carnegie Hall: Rosanne Cash. This online event was originally scheduled for June 2nd, but got pushed back in the wake of events surrounding the death of George Floyd. Carnegie Hall will team up with singer-songwriter Rosanne Cash to present an online look at how protest music, past and present, has been able to bring people together and address the issues that affect us all. John Schaefer will moderate and Cash will be joined by Elvis Costello, Brandie Carlile, Gary Clark, Jr, Ry Cooder and Marc Cohn to bring these songs to life. With all of the political unrest happening across the nation, this promises to be an inspiring informative afternoon of music and conversation. Live With Carnegie Hall: Rosanne Cash will take place, Thursday, June 11th at 2pm East through Carnegie Hall’s Facebook and Instagram pages.
LISTEN TO THIS
Apogee by Whitney Tai. For the follow up to her critically acclaimed debut Metamorphosis, singer-songwriter Whitney Tai emerges from a period of personal and professional growth with an astonishing and diverse array of new songs. Working with long time collaborator Tim Janssens, the album has everything from soaring, dream-pop (‘Starfish’, ‘Electrified’); 80s influenced New Wave (‘Not Have Each Other’); defiant rockers (‘The Cure’ ‘Righteous, ‘Not Without Love’); Latin flavored pop (‘Meet Me On Melrose’); cinematic ballads (‘Surrender’, Scolded’) and majestic meditations (‘Incantation’). The musical leaps are incredible, effortlessly showcasing Tai’s vocal talents with songs about how to overcome grief, sadness, anxiety, pain into powerful anthems that celebrate the resiliency of the human spirit. Anchored by Janssens, crisp, spot on production, Whitney Tai makes a strong case for being the next great voice in pop. One of the year’s best. Apogee by Whitney Tai is available now through Amazon, Apple Music, and all major streaming services.
She Smiles Because She Presses The Button by Trickfinger. Before returning to The Red Hot Chili Peppers after a 10 year absence, guitarist John Frusciante has, according to his Bandcamp page, ‘immersed himself in machines, learning tracker programs, synths and drum machines inside and out’. Working under the name Trickfinger, Fruiciante has been releasing a series of EP since 2017. This latest release continues this recent creative burst, with songs that effortless blends in acid house, techno, and ambient. It shows yet another side of Frusciante’s deep well of talent embracing with the new technology with the same energy and passion as he did with the Chili Peppers. Frusciante has promised to release one more EP before diving headfirst back into his primary band, but if this EP is any indication, let’s hope this is more than a side project. She Smiles Because She Presses The Button by Trickfinger is available now through Bandcamp, Apple Music and all major streaming services.
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