There would be no jazz or rock ‘n' roll without the blues, and it may also be true that there'd be no blues without the Mississippi “juke joints”--from the shabby hole-in-the-walls where the likes of Muddy Waters honed his style to the newer clubs and lounges extant today. This noteworthy (in both senses) documentary by Robert Mugge (who has also made films about blues legend Robert Johnson, jazzman Sun Ra, and others) is devoted mainly to contemporary blues, with interviews and performances at Jackson's historic Subway Lounge (as well as a segment on the community's efforts to save it from demolition) and Clarksdale's Ground Zero Blues Club (co-owned by actor Morgan Freeman), among other venues. Most of the featured musicians are virtual unknowns outside the area, but that hardly lessens their appeal or diminishes the fun of this entertaining film, presented in Dolby Digital 5.0, stereo, and DTS, which also features considerable bonus footage (including an interview with Freeman). The blues live! Recommended. Aud: C, P. (S. Graham)
Last of the Mississippi Jukes
(2003) 86 min. DVD: $24.98. BMG Entertainment (avail. from most distributors). Color cover. Volume 18, Issue 4
Last of the Mississippi Jukes
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