The Soul of a man

Episode of Series “The Blues Collection = Martin Scorsese presents The Blues a musical journey [DVD]”.
Part of Martin Scorsese’s “The Blues Collection”. In his inimitable interpretation of the documentary Wim Wenders directs in a mixed form of dramatic re-enactment, interviews, clips and footage combined with contemporary musicians performing their own interpretations of some of the songs of the original era. This work explores three particular blues artists and their legacy of great music - Blind Willie Johnson, Skip James and J.B. Lenoir. Beginning in outer space, we learn that on a record sent to represent the human race is a blues song by Blind Willie Johnson. Wenders constructs a narrative to illustrate the possible life and times of Blind Willie, narrated in first person by Laurence Fishburne. Wenders then cuts to a live recording/performance of some of the songs by artists such as Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds, Lou Reed, Beck, Cassandra Wilson, Lucinda Williams and The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, amongst others, throughout the biographical storytelling. Skip James was another extremely influential artist from the 1920/30s and his story is also re-created - how he won a competition to make a record but never saw any royalty money from it and then left music to start a ministry in the church. Thankfully he was re-discovered in 1965 and some rare live recordings are shown. Also re-discovered for this documentary is footage of the performer and songwriter J.B. Lenoir, seen in his coat-tail costumes, playing guitar and singing songs from his soul. Tragically lost to a car accident, his songs and influence are still felt today.