Wattstax is a 1973 documentary film by Mel Stuart that focused on the  1972 Wattstax music festival and the African American community of Watts  in Los Angeles, California. The film was nominated for a Golden Globe  award for Best Documentary Film in 1974. It was also screened at the  1973 Cannes Film Festival, but wasn't entered into the main  competition.The concert was held at the Los Angeles Coliseum on August  20, 1972, and organized by Memphis's Stax Records to commemorate the  seventh anniversary of the Watts riots. Wattstax was seen by some as  "the Afro-American answer to Woodstock". To enable as many members of  the black community in L.A. to attend as possible, tickets were sold for  only $1.00 each. The Reverend Jesse Jackson gave the invocation, which  included his "I Am - Somebody" poem, which was recited in a call and  response with the assembled stadium crowd. In the film, interspersed  between songs are interviews with Richard Pryor, Ted Lange and others  who discuss the black experience in America.
1 comment:
One of my all-time favourite tunes EVER!!!
Peace and SOUL,
Dave...
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