May we suggest a music documentary might be in order for this weekend’s viewing? There are plenty to be found across Prime Video, Disney+ and Netflix; here are nine of our favourites.
SUMMER OF SOUL DISNEY PLUS
Ahmir K. Thompson, known professionally as The Roots’ drummer/band leader Questlove, won an Oscar and a BAFTA for this eye-opening directorial debut. Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) follows the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival, which despite huge crowds and performances from Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, Gladys Knight and Sly and the Family Stone, has largely flown under the radar of music history. The archive footage and joyous performances are the stars, but the social and political context and commentary proves just as fascinating.
INVENTING DAVID GEFFEN NETFLIX
Music mogul Geffen himself recalls his rags-to-riches rise via the William Morris Agency mailroom to talent agent, after noticing that “they earn the most while knowing the least”. With a life and career that encompasses his eponymous label, home to the likes of Nirvana, Elton John, Guns N’ Roses and Peter Gabriel, founding Dreamworks and nearly marrying Cher, there’s no shortage of glittering talking heads helping him tell his story. An engaging treat for music lovers.
SEYMOUR: AN INTRODUCTION PRIME VIDEO
Ethan Hawke’s documentary about concert pianist, composer and New York native Seymour Bernstein takes a genial, laid-back approach, showing the man teaching, chatting and philosophising over 80 minutes and crafting a cosy impression of warm familiarity. There are musings on artistry and the value of practice and perseverance that will surely be relatable to anyone who ever tried to learn (or gave up) an instrument.
BIFFY CLYRO: CULTURAL SONS OF SCOTLAND PRIME VIDEO
When the pandemic began in 2020, the rock trio found themselves home in Scotland, and headed to a farm to make an album every bit as anthemic as the rest of their oeuvre. This thoughtful doc follows the band as they overcome the limitations of the time and location to record their ninth studio album. Through interviews, and self-recorded footage, the documentary charts this, plus the band’s 20-year history and dedicated fandom, culminating in a spectacular live show in Glasgow.
WHAT HAPPENED, MISS SIMONE? NETFLIX
The young Eunice Waymon yearned to be a ‘serious’ classical musician, but as a black girl in segregated North Carolina suffered instead from racism and discrimination at every turn. She would become, as Nina Simone, a major participant in the civil rights movement, which again set her all
