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Down Home Music 1963 Film

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AFDVD205_web_versionDown Home Music A Journey Through the Heartland 1963

filmed by Dietrich Wawzyn In 1963 German filmmaker Dietrich Wawzyn set out to shoot a series of films for German television that took him through the southern US in search of American jazz and roots music. He contacted Arhoolie Records founder Chris Strachwitz, who jumped at the chance to join him and share his enthusiasm for regional musical traditions. Wawzyn made three films dealing with blues, gospel, and hillbilly music. The negatives to those films were lost. This film re-creates the journey from the best elements still available and includes much previously unreleased footage. There is an optional audio track featuring off-the-cuff commentary by Chris Strachwitz. Edited by Maureen Gosling. Black and White. 75 minutes. NTSC, all regions.

Performances by:

Jesse Fuller — Lightnin’ Hopkins — Lowell Fulson — Red Sovine — King Louis H. Narcisse — Mance Lipscomb — George Lewis Quartet — Chief White Cloud — Black Ace — Rev. Louis Overstreet — Sweet Emma Barrett — Barbara Dane — Blind James Campbell — Whistlin’ Alex Moore — Lewis Family — Willie Thomas — Goodtime Washboard 3 — Shorty LeBlanc —  Ed Lee Natay — Hodges Brothers — Eddie Schaible —J. E. Mainer — Tohono O’Odham Conjunto — Willis Brothers — Brother Davis

A few scenes from the DVD:


REVIEW

“…Just typing the names makes me salivate. Watching the film, nugget after nugget, sets the pulse racing! Some segments are just fragments of a performance but it’s still enough to ignite a frisson of delight. The DVD comes with alternative commentaries. The first has comments from Dietrich Wawzyn with some of his views on the trip, the second has an off-the-cuff, informative (often amusing) running commentary by Chris Strachwitz. For me this is, without doubt, the finest music DVD of the last year. 75 minutes of pure gold!” – Dave Peabody, FRoots Magazine

Click here to purchase a copy.

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Dear friends,

On Giving Tuesday, we announced the capital campaign to purchase our building at 10341 San Pablo Ave in El Cerrito — home to the Arhoolie Foundation (and before that Arhoolie Records), Les Blank Films, and Down Home Music Store since 1976. We’ve been heartened by the community’s response to our fundraising announcement. To all who have donated so far: thank you. We couldn’t do this without you.

Now, while there is a contract in place to buy the building in partnership with Les Blank Films, we need to raise $1.2 million — our half of the purchase price — by April 15. Donations to the campaign can be made via the link below, by check, or by bank transfer. (To make a bank transfer, please email us at info@arhoolie.org).

In the new year, we look forward to collaborating with Les Blank Films and Down Home Music to bring more public programming to our community. We plan to revive Les Blank and Chris Strachwitz’s tradition of in-store film screenings and will host more informal, free performances and gatherings in the store as part of our outreach work. We believe this collaboration will result in a vibrant community gathering place dedicated to music, film, and deep roots culture.

If you’re interested in donating and would like to discuss our plans for the building, please don’t hesitate to email director Adam Machado at adam@arhoolie.org.

Thank you for your support as we begin this exciting new chapter!

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