Thunder Soul

Executive produced by Jamie Foxx, Mark Landsman's heartfelt documentary pays tribute to Houston high school band teacher Conrad “Prof” Johnson through the music he made and the lives he touched. Ninety-two years old at the time of filming, Johnson led the Kashmere Stage Band during the 1970s, but instead of repertoire standards, he taught the all-black outfit to play funk music as competently as admired professionals including James Brown and Earth, Wind, and Fire (the band added dance moves to the mix, another crowd-pleasing innovation). Today, his students recall their reasons for joining the group: to master an instrument, to meet girls, and to have a good time. Along the way, they learned discipline and teamwork; and for some, Johnson was as much a father figure as a teacher. While there were fewer female players, they felt like equals, and everybody dressed to the hilt in bell-bottoms and platform shoes. The group racked up championships and trips to Europe and Japan, but it ultimately fell apart in the late 1970s when the high school began to excel in other areas, including athletics. Landsman builds Thunder Soul around a reunion to honor Johnson by putting on one last concert. Outside voices include DJ Shadow, who has sampled their work, and Now Again's Eothen Alapatt, who has recently released recordings by the band. Highly recommended. (K. Fennessy)