Independent Lens, We Want the Funk!
PBS Western Reserve (WNEO 45.1 / WEAO 49.1):
Tuesday, April 8, at 9 PM
Wednesday, April 9, at 2 AM
Fusion (WNEO 45.2 / WEAO 49.2):
Friday, April 11, at 9 PM
Experience a syncopated voyage through the history of funk music, spanning from African, soul and early jazz roots, to its rise into the public consciousness. Distinctly rooted in joy, funk music reflected a post-Civil Rights Movement sensibility.
WE WANT THE FUNK! examines the symbiotic relationship between the explosion of funk music out of the Midwest and the political and racial dynamics in 1970s inner-city America. At the heart of the film are the first-hand stories, recollections and experiences of the people who created and defined funk. Featuring James Brown’s dynamism, the extraterrestrial funk of George Clinton’s Parliament-Funkadelic, transformed girl group Labelle, and Fela Kuti’s Afrobeat, the story also traces funk’s influences on both new wave and hip-hop.
“Music, especially funk, fosters social connection, provides a mental break from worries, and helps build resilience which allows us to cope with challenging situations,” said Lois Vossen, executive producer of INDEPENDENT LENS. “We need the funk.”