Make It Funky! (2005)

I stretched out to this documentary on the music of New Orleans as someone whose interest has been piqued by the excellent HBO series 'Treme'. It's an easy ride through the history of elements, artists and events that helped to shape the unique sound and culture that blasts out of the old southern city. The interviews, clips and narration are shaped around a concert that took place in New Orleans featuring many legends of the town. Funnily, the actual concert is not mentioned which is a bit odd as it features so heavily but it is clearly an all-star bash. Some of the performances from the show are dynamite. I wasn't familiar with many artists including Snooks Eaglin but that dude is stone cold (yeah he's dead now but that's not what I'm referring to you heartless bastard). Other players that appear either via archival footage, interviews or performance are the Neville Brothers, Doctor John, Fats Domino, Kermit Ruffins and Henry 'Professor Longhair' Byrd to name but a few. 

Blow man! Blow! Kermit Ruffins everybody!

More than anything you get the sense of a fantastically rich heritage of music and sense of community that these people and many around the world treasure. Traditions within the city such as the Mardi Gras Indians and the Second Line are also explained which again as a Treme fan, was very cool to learn more about.
It seemed a little long too me and the appearances of Keith Richards and Bonnie Raitt seemed to be reaching a little for publicity and unnecessary credibility however you can't blame them for wanting in on the New Orleans Party. Seriously, I gotta get to that crazy town!
3/5