Summer of Soul – 7

I marveled at the quality of this documentary: the concert footage from 50 years ago was phenomenal, and the larger story of Black history and culture was woven in seamlessly. The crowd shots, albeit a tad repetitive, were worth the price of admission, as was Sly and the Family Stone’s rendition of “Everyday People.” In presenting the gamut of music on display, however, the film lost emotional punch. If you liked this performer, there was a good chance you would be turned off by the next. There was funk, gospel, pop, r-&-b, jazz, Latin, rock, soul, blues, Afrobeat. Maybe because it wasn’t my culture, but the film and the event were a shadow of Woodstock.