New York Filmmakers set to Rock-the-Juke in Jackson Mississippi October 25th!
JAMES "SUPER CHIKAN" JOHNSON | Photo © M. Scanlan
TRUE DELTA, www.truedeltaproject.org, a cinematic snapshot of the Blues tradition that remains vibrant in and around Clarksdale, Mississippi -- the renowned birthplace of the Blues, is an official selection of the Mississippi International Film Festival 2013 October 25th - 26th, www.msfilm.org. The film will screen at the historic Russell C. Davis Planetarium in the heart of downtown Jackson.
A Lucky Find production, TRUE DELTA captures the excitement of festival audiences that come from all over the world and the sweaty bravado and skill of the blues musicians and singers on stage. Additional interviews with church leaders, blues historians and local business owners show how intertwined blues music is with the religious, economic and cultural life of the Delta region. Most compelling are the interviews with musicians and singers from the ages of 10 to 90, showing their commitment, their struggles, and their deep passion for the blues. Guitarist/vocalist Bill "Howl-N-Madd" Perry, James "Super Chikan" Johnson, the late James Lewis "T-Model" Ford,http://bit.ly/16ITDFL Grammy award-winner James "Jimbo" Mathus and the late Johnnie "Mr. Johnnie" Billington http://bit.ly/12iqU49 are some of the musicians viewers will meet in TRUE DELTA. "True Delta, a warm and loving tribute to the blues, captures many of the essential points about the true nature of the music and the culture that produced - and continues to produce it," says Jim O'Neal of Living Blues Magazine and the Mississippi Blues Trail. According to Dion Brown, Director of the B. B. King Museum in Indianola, "The film captures the true meaning of the blues in the Delta and the legacy it provides for the future generations who will carry the tradition forward." And University of Mississippi English and Southern Studies professor Adam Gussow says, "The footage is beautiful and the film gives the musicians a chance to speak at length, uninterrupted, about what they do."
TRUE DELTA premiered alongside films by Ken Burns and Rory Kennedy at Mountainfilm Festival in Telluride, Colorado. It also screened at Lincoln Center in New York City. The film is written by Macaulay Honors College Professor Lee Quinby and directed by both Ms. Quinby and Daniel Cowen, who is also director of photography. It's based on a concept by CBS News writer/reporter Erickson Blakney. Blakney co-produced the film with Quinby. The film's graphics were created by Oxford, Mississippi-native, Mac Warren.
Of the Mississippi International Film Festival, Ms. Quinby says, "It's a great honor to be able to share the stories and music of these hardworking blues artists." To view the film trailer and learn more about the True Delta Project and upcoming film projects, please visit: www.truedeltaproject.org.
The TRUE DELTA PROJECT is a multimedia initiative leveraging the cultural assets of the Mississippi Delta to support a range of community-based efforts, including recognition for regional blues musicians, music instruction for young musicians, and improved education initiatives in the region. Three new films are currently in development as is a book of photography. Michael Scanlan, an Assistant Headmaster at St. Benedict's Preparatory High School in Newark, NJ so far has captured nearly 5000 arresting images, which tell a beautiful story that partly mirrors the film. In keeping with the project's mission, a percentage of the proceeds from sales of photographs will be donated to the Delta Blues Museum's Arts and Education Program. A selection of Scanlan's work is currently on exhibit at the Delta Blues Museum in Clarksdale www.deltabluesmuseum.org.