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Ever see the documentary film of the music festival-Wattstax? If not- then picture Dave Chappel's Block Party rewound to more than 30 years ago filled with more Soul,more Funk, Black Power,Black Politics, and Black Love-it is often called the Black Woodstock. The concert was held at the Los Angeles Coliseum on August 20, 1972(3) and organized by Memphis's Stax Records( responsible for artist Issac Hayes,Otis Redding,WIlson Picket, The Dramatics, etc) to commemorate the seventh anniversary of the Watts riots. It is said that to get as many black people to attend, they were only charged $1. What?!! Can we get a concert like that today?! The film features heavy hitters such as Jessie Jackson, Richard Pryor, Issac Hayes, The Emotions,The Staple Singers, Ruby Dee, Ossie Davis, Johnnie Taylor,Melvin Van Pebbles,The Bar Kays doing live performances and everyday people doing interviews and commentary on the social, political, and economical strain and beauty in the black community at the time.

I was first introduced to the film a year ago by a friend and about a week ago VH1 Soul aired it as apart of Black Music Month. I watched it both times wide eye, geeked up, and filled with a sense of sadness, joy, and excitement all stirred up from the aspect that this film depicts what is so lacking in the Black community today- a sense or feeling of pride and soul. Black people are REALLY singing,dancing, rocking Afros, performing, talking with real raw emotions and feeling issues, playing live instruments, raising the mighty Black fist, loving, being free despite the problems of that era. Black consciousness was alive and scorching. Wouldn't it be wonderful to relight the flame?
You have to purchase http://www.amazon.com/Wattstax-Anniversary-Special-Ossie-Davis/dp/B00029... as a part of your film/documentry collection- you will enjoy it, for real!

These are some of my favorite highlights of the movie-
Sing it Mavis Staples! And check out a young Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis-


Johnny Taylor(R.I.P.) singing about a cat named Jody- my Grandma loves this man


Luther Ingram singing If Loving You Is Wrong-the cheaters theme.LOL!


Rufus Thomas does the Funky Chicken-look at the Brothers and Sisters getting down!

Black Love-where is it?

The Bar Kays-Destiny Child, Danity Kane, and the Pussy Cat Dolls stage outfits don't have nothing on these Brothers-