Maxwell Street Blues

From its opening scenes on the Happy Bus, where the bus driver is part preacher and part travel guide, Maxwell Street Blues delivers interesting characters and good music. Following a brief history of the open air market on Maxwell St., and how it developed into the legendary blues mecca it has become over the past six decades, the filmmakers focus their attention on two elder black musicians in particular: Blind Arvella Gray and Jim Brewer (also blind). These two men, along with countless others, make their living off donations in cups from people who enjoy their blues guitar playing and singing. In one wonderful scene, the two blind men set up an 8mm projector and show the interviewer films they've shot of life on the street-without even a hint of the incongruousness of the situation. Gray, generally plays the my-woman-done-me-wrong kind of blues, while Brewer leans more toward the gospel sound. Aiding him is Carrie Robinson, a spirited singer and dancer who confesses that she had a boyfriend once. But one day she saw him standing on the corner with another woman. She was going to kill him, but she turned to the Lord instead, and has been singing the gospel blues ever since. This is an outstanding documentary that tugs the heart and tickles the funnybone. Highly recommended. (See DAVID, MOFFETTE, & ORNETTE for availability.)