Standing in the shadows of Motown [DVD]

This award winning, acclaimed documentary is in part a biographical profile of the Funk Brothers, the Hitsville studio band originally assembled by Berry Gordy in 1959, who played behind numerous Motown Records hits, but whose talents went largely unsung. In this work remaining band members are reunited to reminisce about past glories and those departed, and in order to stage a concert that celebrates their contribution to music. Using archival footage, this work also addresses the cultural revolution of the rhythm and blues movement of the 1950s and the racism and inequities that saw the originators of the music, principally African Americans, languish whilst their white counterparts (such as Elvis Presley) prospered. In Detroit the Funk brothers overcame these hurdles with a new sound - known as Motown - that not only championed their artistry but also were phenomenally successful, producing hit after hit. Musicians featured in the reunion concert include: Joan Osborne, Ben Harper, Me’Shell Ndege Ocello, Chaka Khan, Bootsy Collins and the Funk Brothers.