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Deep Blues: A Musical Pilgrimage to the Crossroads [DVD] [1993] [Region 1] [US Import] [NTSC] starring: Robert Palmer, David A. Stewart, Abraham Schwab, Booker T. Laury, R.L. Burnside

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Rating: - Wonderful Music

Excellent discussion of the state of the real blues 15 years ago. Indispensible, especially if you are a Dave Stewart fan (I'm not, but I like him for paying for this project.

Rating: - Terrific, but what is the guy from Sunderland doing there?

This is a terrific documentary and I endorse everything the reviewers below say. My copy (purchased from Amazon) has a different cover and is unversally encoded (ie it is not Region 1 only).

For me the highlight was Lonnie Pickford's virtuoso, but utterly faithful, take on Robert Johnson's Come On In My Kitchen and If I Had Possession Over Judgment Day. Eerie though it is to listen to a recording of Johnson's original item, it does require some imagination to get through the poor recording quality - it is definitely rewarding to hear (and see) it played freshly and crisply in front of your very eyes. Lonnie - recently deceased at a very early age - definitely is a keeper. Note though that getting hold of any of his music is damn hard.

The only nitpicks have nothing to do with the music, but the (happily brief) appearances of that doyen of Mississippi blues, Sunderland's own Dave Stewart, founder of the Eurythmics and the Spiritual Cowboys.

I suppose we have Dave to thank for having the film at all; seemingly he bank-rolled it - and in fairness, he did have the sense to leave it for the most part to Robert Palmer (no, not THAT Robert Palmer) and the artists. But the vision of this anaemic little guy dressed up as some sort of effete Biker with dyed black hair & a silly beard, when it appears amongst this totally down-home, real-life music - and even JOINING IN at one stage, God forbid - is pure Spinal Tap.

As is the interview segment of the DVD, which inexplicably features a clip of the Eurythmics playing Missionary Man live in its entirety, and concludes with Mr Dave summing up his views on the blues in the following fashion:

"It's like - Shakespeare. How can you ever not have, um, Blues Music?"

Derek Smalls could not have put it better.

Rating: - this is what the blues REALLY looks like

Bankrolled by eurythmics rockstar Dave Stuart and presented by Robert Palmer, author of the blues book of the same name, this film was a very timely voyage into the blues of missisipi. Timely because a number of the cast have died since this film was shot, including the presenter.

Traditional old blues haunts such as Memphis, Clarksdale and Greenville are visited, and fine artists relatively unknown at the time were recorded such as Big Jack Johnson, Booba Barnes and Lonnie Pitchford. Delta old timers Jack Owens, Bud Spires and Booker T. Laury also turn in fine, spirited performances. But for me the highlight is the attention given over to the more obscure "hill country" blues of north missisipi, featuring Jessie Mae Hemphill, R. L. Burnside and the late great Junior Kimbrough and his original juke joint in Holly Springs. Here the music extends from country blues to "drum and fife", a hypnotic musical form that predates blues all the way back to the revolutionary war, but which now faces extinction since the passing of Othar Turner (not featured here, but he was a close friend of Hemphill).

This film helped to revive not just interest in country and acoustic blues in general, but the careers of all of the artists featured. This film is well shot, sounds great, and shares the passion and emotion of some great bluesmen and women. After this, try the "Feelin' Good" CD by Jessie Mae Hemphill. Not only is that a beautiful album, but Jessie's an invalid now who desperately needs the cash!

Rating: - a gritty blues adventure across missisipi

Bankrolled by rockstar superstar Dave Stuart and presented by Robert Palmer, author of the superb book of the same name, this film was a very timely voyage into the blues of missisipi. Timely because a number of the cast have died since this film was shot, including the presenter.

Traditional old blues haunts such as Memphis, Clarksdale and Greenville are visited, and fine artists relatively unknown at the time were recorded such as Big Jack Johnson, Booba Barnes and Lonnie Pitchford. Delta old timers Jack Owens, Bud Spires and Booker T. Laury also turn in fine, spirited performances. But for me the highlight is the attention given over to the more obscure "hill country" blues of north missisipi, featuring Jessie Mae Hemphill, R. L. Burnside and the late great Junior Kimbrough and his original juke joint in Holly Springs. Here the music extends from country blues to "drum and fife", a hypnotic musical form that predates blues all the way back to the revolutionary war, but which now faces extinction since the passing of Othar Turner (not featured here, but a close friend of Hemphill).

This film helped to revive not just interest in country and acoustic blues in general, but the careers of all of the artists featured. This film is well shot, sounds great, and shares the passion and emotion of some great bluesmen and women. After this, try the "Feelin' Good" CD by Jessie Mae Hemphill.