The Whole Gritty City

Three Louisiana marching bands prepare for Mardi Gras in this CBS-aired documentary from filmmakers Richard Barber and Andre Lambertson, who alternate between the Algiers-based Chargers and the New Orleans-based Crusaders and Falcons. Wilbert Rawlins Jr., band leader at O. Perry Walker High School, does his best to keep the Chargers focused on work. While students may adopt a tough façade on the streets in order to protect themselves, Rawlins wants them to let down their guard at school. “You have to show them compassion,” he explains. Once they focus, he believes, “You can build them up to be somebody special.” Rawlins can be tough, however, just like Falcons band leader Lonzie Jackson. Jaron “Bear” Williams, a middle-school horn player with the Crusaders, and Christopher “Skully” Lee, a high school drum major with the Falcons, shot video-diary segments in which they talk about their lives, with Bear pointing out the rough area he has to walk through to get to school and Skully giving the film its title when he refers to his neighborhood as “the whole gritty city.” Skully credits Dinerral Shavers, a teacher and mentor who lost his life in a drive-by shooting, for encouraging him to join the band (Bear also lost his older brother to a shooting). Unfortunately, one of the featured musicians here gets into a violent altercation at a march and loses his place in the band. Statistically speaking, not all of these kids will be able to avoid the violence surrounding them, but it's abundantly clear that marching bands have saved lives in Louisiana. An inspiring documentary, this is recommended. Aud: C, P. (K. Fennessy)