The Filtered Excellence: July 19, 2019

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

David Crosby:  Remember My Name.  Cameron Crowe produced this new, all in look at one of rock’s most iconic artists.  Directed by A.J. Eaton and done with full cooperation with Crosby, it tells how he achieved superstardom as a seminal member of The Byrdsand Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young before a raging drug addiction out in a Texas jail for five months.  The doc doesn’t gloss over these dark days, nor does his look past how Crosby has managed to alienate his former bandmates, friends and former lovers to the point where they are no longer on speaking terms.  It also looks at how despite several heart attacks, a liver transplant and being a diabetic, Crosby continues to make record and tour at a pace that artists half his age wouldn’t be able to keep up.  As you expect, Crosby refuses to be nostalgic, remaining cagey about his enemies, but being hardest on himself.  It’s a one of the most candid, brutally honest rock doc ever made, and exactly the way David Crosby would want it.  David Crosby:  Remember My Name opens this weekend in New York and Los Angeles.  You can also go to www.RememberMyNameFilm.com for more information.

LISTEN TO THIS

The Music Of Red Dead Redemption 2 by Various Artists.  Esteemed producer Daniel Lanois curates a soundtrack that takes ‘the music inspired by’ genre to a whole new level.  As he’s done with albums by Bob Dylan, U2, Peter Gabriel, Lanois delivers a selection of moody, echo-drenched guitar instrumentals, hypnotic wordless hymns and atmospheric soundscapes that perfectly matches the tonality of the game.  Willie Nelson, Joshua Homme of Queens Of The Stone and Rocco DeLuca contribute new music and D’Angelo offers his first new song in five years with the soulful, dramatic ‘Unshaken’.  If you are a fan of the game or looking for themes from an imaginary western, this set will blow you away.  The Music Of Red Dead Redemption 2 is available now through Amazon, Apple Music and all major streaming services.

Africa Speaks by Santana.  When asked by producer Rick Rubin what he wanted to do for his 25th studio album, Carlos Santana made only two requests:  That it feature only African music and that Buika and Laura Mvula were the featured vocalists.  Santana got his wish and the album – which was cut at Rubin’s Shangri-La Studios in just 10 days – manages to re-capture the explosive fusion of rock, funk, soul and jazz of the band’s classic material – but also make great leaps into the present and future.  Santana, as always, is in peak form with Grammy nominated Buika, already a global sensation, ready to show the States why she’s one of the top vocalists in music today.  Another instant classic from an all-time great.  Africa Speaks by Santana is available now through Amazon, Apple Music and all major streaming services.

DO THIS

New York City: 51Fest: The Female Majority on Screen. The IFC Center teams up with Women in the World to present this weekend festival featuring screenings and conversations by or about women.  It will have the New York premieres of Kathy Griffin:  A Hell Of A Story, Brittany Runs A Marathon starring Jillian Bell and After The Wedding with Julianne Moore and Michelle Williams; a sneak preview of Otherhood starring Angela Bassett, Patricia Arquette and Felicity Huffman; and Untouchable, Ursula Macfarlane’s documentary about the rise and fall of Harvey Weinstein.  Former Vanity Fair editor, Daily Beast and Women Of The World founder Tina Brown will also be on hand to moderate a panel discussing a ‘New Deal’ for women and how that will impact the global landscape.  With issues pertaining to women at the forefront of the cultural and political landscape, this festival is more vital than ever.  51Fest runs July 18th through the 21st.  You can also go to www.51fest.org for tickets, full schedule and additional information.

New York City: Ozy Fest.  Now in its 4th year, this two day fest features live music, interactive art, cooking demos and conversations with a cross section of some of the biggest names in pop culture.  Trevor Noah, Ronny Chieng, Dulce Sloan and Desi Lydic of The Daily Show and Tom Rhodes will represent the world of comedy, with John Legend, Miguel and Tove Lo are some of the artists slated to perform live sets.  There will also be a slew of panel discussions featuring Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Beto O’Roarke, Stacy Abrams, Malcolm Gladwell, Spike Lee, Meegan Rapinoe, and Alex Rodriguez, among many others.  With great food to go with great conversation and music, this has all of the makings of the go to event of summer.  Ozy Fest will take place July 20th and 21st at Central Park.   You can also go to www.ozy.com for tickets, a complete rundown of events and additional information.  CANCELLED DUE TO THE HEAT WAVE!