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Plot Summary
On February 7, 2003, renowned artists across music genres and generations commandeered the stage at New York City's Radio City Music Hall to pay tribute to their common heritage and passion: the blues. Shared with thousands of fans in attendance, legendary performers from the roots of rock, jazz,and rap joined forces for a once-in-a-lifetime salute to the blues benefit concert whose proceeds went to musical education. Executive produced by Martin Scorcese, produced by Alex Gibney and directed by Antoine Fuqua, Lightning in a Bottle captures the night's magic and weaves a history of blues through the juxtaposition of performers, backstage interviews, rehearsals, and archival clips of some of the greatest names in American music, from blues royalty like Buddy Guy and B. B. King to their musical heirs ranging from John Fogerty and Bonnie Raitt to Mos Def and Indie.Arie.
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Rotten Tomatoes Movie Reviews
TOMATOMETER
87%- Reviews Counted: 63
- Fresh: 55
- Rotten: 8
- Average Rating: 7.4/10
Top Critics' Reviews
Fresh: Any movie with Ruth Brown, Bonnie Raitt, Mavis Staples and Aaron Neville (with his brothers) for openers can't be all bad.
Fresh: It's hugely entertaining.
Fresh: The event's musical director, Steve Jordan, marvels at one point: 'Looks like y'all hired the phone book . . . just looked up "Blues" in the Yellow Pages.'
Fresh: Features a who's who of world-wise bluesmen (and women) and newbie practitioners.
Customer Reviews
Lightening in a Bottle
A superb collection of some of the greatest then still living blues musicians ever. But Natalie Cole STOLE THE SHOW!! Her rendition of "The Saint Louis Blues" was one of the finest, most moving single performances I've ever heard...in any idiom...in any genre....and I've heard a lot. It still sends chills down my spine 7 years later. I fell in love with that woman within the first 5 seconds of that song. I'm a blues guitarist and still delight in playing along with most of the performances. Solomon Burke's renditions of Bobby Blue Bland's "Turn on Your Love Light" and his own "Down in The Valley" are absolutely wonderful. And, of course, BB King's and Bonnie Raitt's duet...and Buddy Guy.....need I say more. I just wish Jimmy Reed had still been alive. Thank you so much, Martin Scorsese......
Lightning in Bottle and on Stage
Anyone interested in seeing a Living History of Blues Music performed and faithfully recorded should see, own and will love this video. As most people know, the Blues served as a major contributing source for the music genre we now call, Rock & Roll. These performers represent a broad cross-section of Blues artists still performing today, playing the music of singers and song writers of the past and exhibit different Blues styles as originating from various home-grown regions of America. This is a Martin Scorsese production, so you know by reputation it will be well-produced with attention to detail. The Blues is purely an American style of music which exemplifies and amplifies the contributions of black people to the sum total of all music in this country. This video should be considered as an appropriately named frozen moment in time that will never again be repeated and should not be missed.
Fantastic
As a musician and a patron of the blues, I can say without a doubt," This movie rocks!" It is a must see for any person that soul is driven by that thunder found only in music. It touches on all facets of the creation of blues to the here and now.
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- $12.99
- Genre: Music Documentaries
- Released: 2005
- © 2004 Blues Music Foundation. All Rights Reserved.