Documentary following the crew of Mississippi Bluesmen signed to indie lable Fat Possum records. These men have managed to keep the gritty sounds of the Delta Blues alive mostly through local juke joints. Occasionally a member of their ranks reaches the national consciousness, but for every R.L. Burnside or T. Model Ford you have a Asie Payton or a Cedell Davis (who has an amazing sound).
These men tell their own stories, the (white) lable owners tell em too, just bigger. Some authenticity seeking celebrites show up to pat themselves on the back for knowing about these guys (Bono, Iggy, Jon Spencer). Overall this is a really satisfying watch, whether you are familiar with the musicians profiled here or not, their life stories of extreme poverty and adversity and their passion to make this amazing art is truly inspiring. Alternately heartbreaking and hilarious.
As a Blues fan, I was excited to hear some guys I’d not heard of before. The live footage alone is worth the rental.
