Better Late Than Never: Summer of Soul (2021) Review

Everyone has heard of Woodstock – the 1969 music festival that is still, in some way or another, firmly implanted within the recesses of America’s cultural consciousness (I remember seeing a girl with a Woodstock t-shirt on in middle school; I barely understood what it referred to, but understood vaguely that it had something to do with music and excess). I had previously read about the (disastrous) Altamont Speedway Free Festival that took place in California, just four months after Woodstock, but I hadn’t – until seeing the description for Questlove’s new documentary – heard of the Harlem Cultural Festival, which took place during the same summer as Woodstock and predominantly featured Black musicians. As it turns out, no one (barring those who were in attendance) really remembers – or at least, talks about – the Harlem Cultural Festival: although the six days of performances were extensively filmed, no attempt to compile the footage was ever completed – until now.

Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) tells the story of a six-week long celebration of Black music and culture at the exhilarating beginnings of the Black Power movement. Partially a concert film, partially a historical sketch, the footage on display reverberates with meaning and emotion. This is Questlove’s first directorial effort, but you may still recognize his name: he is the cofounder and drummer for the hip hop band The Roots; he is no stranger to music. And it shows: Summer of Soul explodes with musicality and rhythm, even in moments where the focus is not placed on the artists’ performances. This comes through most strongly in the editing style, in which music played in the background is synced up with shot-cuts often depicting images and clips that create a cultural context for the festival and help viewers not-in-the-know understand its particular electricity.

Because, in 1969, Harlem was a very politically tumultuous place to be. The documentary details the timeline of events that led up to this, including the war in Vietnam and the assassinations of JFK (1963), Malcolm X (1965), Martin Luther King Jr. (April 1968) and Robert Kennedy (June 1968). Darryl Lewis, a festival attendee that is interviewed remarks on these times, saying that “it felt like the system was letting you down.” After Martin Luther King Jr. was killed, protests broke out in hundreds of cities across the nation – including Harlem. Lewis postulates that, “the goal of the festival may very well have been to keep Black folks from burning up the city in ‘69.” A montage of clips – mostly news broadcasts – showing war, rioting, political speeches and more are interspliced with The Chambers Brothers performing their song “Uptown”, highlighting the very present role of music in politics.

And while Summer of Soul frequently deviates from the societal landscape surrounding the festival – choosing instead to focus on the personal narratives of artists who performed, or a background of the MC, Tony Lawerence – the political aspect of the film never quite disappears. For, in 1969 (and onward), any expression of pride in being Black was a radical statement. So, by confidently performing at a festival which celebrated Blackness, each artist, whether implicitly or explicitly, espoused politics through their music, and Questlove puts this aspect of the festival at front and center. The excerpt of Nina Simone’s performance that is shown in the film showcases the two sides of this political coin: self-love in the face of oppression, and active violence against oppressors. She sings a song called “Young, Gifted and Black” which plays over the top of the story of Charlayne Hunter-Gault, one of the first black students to desegregate at the University of Georgia. “There is a world waiting for you. Yours is the quest that’s just begun.” – Hunter-Gault recites these lyrics from the song; the whole sequence emphasizing the political power of positivity and hope. After this song, Simone recites a poem by David Nelson called “Are You Ready?” whose militant lyrics create an exhilarating finale to the documentary: “Are you ready, Black people? … Ready to do what is necessary? … Are you ready to kill if necessary? Is your mind ready? Is your body ready? Are you ready to smash white things?” In response to each question, the crowd cheers; it is a goose-bump inducing performance, full of energy.

Taking a look at the lineup for the festival, it is amazing to think that the footage has not been released until now: performances by Stevie Wonder, Sly and the Family Stone, Gladys Knight and B.B. King (to name only a few) are treats for the eyes and ears (not to mention the opportunity to appreciate the enthusiastic audience members, which I thoroughly enjoyed). This is addressed at the end of the film as anything but an anomaly – as Denise Oliver-Velez says, “We hold these truths to be self-evident that Black history is going to be erased.” Because this truth has more and more frequently been in the public eye, Summer of Soul feels that much more relevant at this moment in time; and who knows? if the film had come out earlier, it may not have gotten the recognition that it is getting now. Although the festival took place over fifty years ago, this documentary informs political conversations that are still happening, emphasizes the important place that music holds within social movements, and is a pleasure to behold. I am overjoyed that this movie was finally made.

Annie Ward

I grew up watching all kinds of movies with my parents, and have been searching for the Next Big Scare ever since I could choose which DVD to rent from the movie store.

I love watching horror movies, independent films, foreign films and the occasional sleazy exploitation dive.