Note: This list is not intended to be comprehensive, but rather to show the current scope of resource materials for the teaching of American Music.
A Selective Videography:
Multicultural Media (1-800-550-9675)
A Singing Stream: A Black Family Chronicle - VIDEO The remarkable story of an African American family in the rural South, with interviews and stories. Captures scenes from daily life, re- unions, gospel concerts, and church services, and traces the history of the Landis family of Granville County, North Carolina, over the lifetime of its oldest surviving member, 86-year- old Bertha M. Landis.
At the Jazz Band Ball: Early Hot Jazz, Song and Dance. This film brings together some of the greatest hot music, song and dance captured at the height of the jazz age and in the early days of sound film (1925-1933).
Blues Houseparty: Masters of the Piedmont Blues Some of America's true blues greats get together at home to swap songs from the old days and stories of what those days were like
Blues Masters Vol 1: The Essential History of the Blues - VIDEO Volume 1 includes performances by Son House, Leadbelly, Bessie Smith, Mamie Smith, Roy Milton, Jimmy Rushing, Ethel Waters, and Big Bill Broonzy.
Blues Masters Vol 2: The Essential History of the Blues Volume 2 includes performances by Ida Cox, Bille Holiday, Big Mama Thronton, Muddy Waters, Big Joe Turner, Joe Williams, Buddy Guy, Jiimmy Witherspoon, and B.B. King. Each film is 51 minutes.
Cajun Country. A wonderful trip through cajun country, visiting some of the finest musicians and encountering many facets of this beautiful and fascinating culture.
Chicago Blues: Muddy Waters A highly praised study of how Chicago's tough, urban music was forged. Sessions with bluesmen, Johnnie Lewis, Floyd Jones, Muddy Water, Buddy Guy, Junior Wells and J.B. Hutto.
Chulas Fronteras & Del Mero Corazon. Two films by Les Blank on one tape. Many consider Chulas Fronteras the best Chicano documentary film of its time. Includes footage of Lydia Mendoza, Flaco Jimenez, Narciso Martinez, Los Alegres De Teran, Rumel Fuentes, Santiago Jimenez and others.
Discovering American Indian Music Introduce students to the varied music and dance traditions of native Americans. This film distinguishes and explains traditions of the Navajo, Seneca, Ute, Kiowa, Taos Pueblo, Apache, Creeks and Cherokees.
Discovering Jazz Trace the history of jazz from its roots in 19th century Black America. Explains how Black Americans added rhythmic and melodic freedom of African traditions to the harmony and structure of European music.
Elizabeth Cotton Elizabeth Cotten, born in 1893, inspired every fledgling fingerpicker of the folk boom era with her classic "Freight Train."
Fiddlin' Man: The Life and Times of Bob Wills. Bob Wills was the King of Western Swing, an irresistible combination of soulful country blues, the swinging horns of big band jazz, and the joyous sound of country & western strings.
High Lonesome: The Story of Bluegrass Music. Bill Monroe is at the center of this detailed historical perspective, but other seminal figures are here too, including the Stanley Brothers, Jimmy Martin and Mac Wiseman who narrates the film.
Jimmie Rodgers: The Father of Country Music. Jimmie Rodgers was country music's first bona fide superstar whose songs spoke to common people everywhere. At the height of his fame, during the Depression, he sold more than 20 million albums, a feat unachieved by even some of the most successful pop artists today.
JVC/ Smithsonian Folkways Video Anthology of Music and Danceof the Americas. Produced by JVC and Multicultural Media, in collaboration with Smithsonian/Folkways Recordings, this six videotape, six book collection includes 158 performances form Canada, the United States, the Caribbean, and Central and South America.
Lady Day: The Many Faces of Billie Holiday. This sparkling documentary lets us see and hear the miracle that was Billie Holiday. Featured are rare TV and movie clips, along with commentary by, among others, Carmen McRae, Annie Ross, Buck Clayton, Harry ":Sweets" Edison, and Mal Waldron. Ruby Dee also reads from Holiday's autobiography.
Legends of Old Time Music. Performances from legendary "old time music" artists such as Roscoe Holcomb, Tommy Jarrell, Clarence Ashley, Sam McGee, The Walker Family, Jean Ritchie, Pete Steele, Doc Watson, and others. 29 classic songs are performed by singers and musicians (guitar, fiddle, banjo, mountain dulcimer, among others, are seen), as well as danced (square and buck dancing).
Let the Good Times Roll: The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. A semi-documentary with archival footage from 1991's event, along with commentary by many of the musicians, examining the roots of American music.
Merle Travis: Rare Performances. The music and guitar style of Travis has been a seminal influence on American music.
New England Dances: Squares, Quadrilles and Step Dances. This is a spirited visit to some of the old dances in New England and with the callers and musicians who make them happen.
Salsa: Latin Pop Music in the Cities. Salsa is not only hot sauce, but hot music - the exuberant dance music of Latino communities in New York and other Eastern U.S. cities, as well as Puerto Rico and Cuba. Over the past 25 years Latin music has profoundly influenced jazz and pop music.
Saturday Night, Sunday Morning: The Travels of Gatemouth Moore. Saturday Night, Sunday Morning is an award-winning documentary which reveals the common roots of gospel and the blues by tracing the story of Gatemouth Moore from Beale Street to baptisms.
Tex-Mex: The Music of the Borderlands. This film documents the cultural stew-pot along the Rio Grande, 1000 miles separating Texas and Mexico. The two cultures have produced an exuberant music with a Mexican soul and a rock-and-roll heart.
The History of Rock & Roll - 10 VIDEOS. The much-heralded and most complete documentary history ever produced about the music that has changed the world. 204 interviews, 1,807 clips of archival footage, 250 songs.
The Ladies Sing the Blues. Priceless footage of the great American divas, singing complete songs, not just excerpts. Billie holiday backed by Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young, Benny Webster and Gerry Mulligan. The great Bessie Smith in her only film appearance.
Times Ain't Like They Used to Be: Early Rural and Popular American Music. From rare original film, 1928-35, the striking faces of Depression-era rural America come alive with its music.
Tryin' To Get Home: A History of African American Song. Extensive use of still photos and documentary film footage dramatizes this one-man musical odyssey from slavery's spirituals to contemporary rap.
Wisconsin Powwow and Naamikaaged: Dancer for the People. A two-video set providing an in-depth look at powwows from a male Indian's perspective.
Zydeco. An entertaining exploration of Louisiana Creole
culture and the fast-paced music known as Zydeco. Shot on location in
rural southwestern Louisiana, this combines cinema verite-style
footage, interviews and musical performance.