American Roots Music-Blues DVD-660200303921

From Barnes & Noble Casting its documentary net even wider than Ken Burnss Jazz series. American Roots sets its sights on more of the nations quintessential styles and musical pioneers -- affording context and continuity for viewers turned on by the O Brother. Where Art Thou? soundtrack. In this four-hour. soul-stirring gumbo. just about every root gets its due. including bluegrass (Ralph Stanley. Bill Monroe); blues (B. B. King. Charley Patton. Howlin Wolf. Muddy Waters. Robert Johnson); country (Jimmie Rodgers. the Carter Family. Hank Williams); gospel (Mahalia Jackson. Thomas A. Dorsey); folk (Leadbelly. Woody Guthrie. Mississippi John Hurt); Cajun and zydeco (Clifton Chenier); Tejano (Valerio Longoria. accordion master Flaco Jimenez); and Native American (Floyd 'Red Crow' Westerman). Celebrating these musicians and their contributions are current artists such as Bonnie Raitt. Robbie Robertson. and Ricky Skaggs (who also plays the neo-traditional series theme song). At times. the project threatens to buckle under the weight of its task. But producer-director Jim Brown -- whose previous work includes the passionate The Weavers: Wasnt That a Time! -- and coproducer-editor Sam Pollard are deft masters of subtle excavation. American Roots benefits from the duos command of history and resources. and their willingness to connect the past (as Greil Marcus wrote of Harry Smith. 'the old. weird America') to current artists participating in the roots revival movement. To cure the excerpt fever that often befalls epic documentaries. the two-disc DVD version of the series also allows the viewer to eye some half dozen performances in their entirety. This. in the end. helps American Roots to pack the force of a revelation. Chas Turner