The Power of Soul (2013)

The Power of Soul is more than a documentary, it is the documentation of a legacy. The film makers accompanied several stars and innovators of Funk and Soul for almost 10 years. What began as a single interview in Hannover in 2004, has grown into one of the most intimate stories about one of the most exicting eras in music history. Legends like Bobby Byrd, George McCrae and Joss Stone have their say, as well as Hip Hop innovators like Pharcyde from Los Angeles, who have used Funk to create an entirely new genre, that is the most popular music today. They all recognize the greatness of Mr James Brown, the Godfather of Soul, who was a legend in his own lifetime. In his hotel room in Antwerp, Belgium, sitting behind a baby grand piano, Mr Brown invites the audience to join him in his own world of Soul music, demonstrating how he has laid the foundation for Funk music in the mid-1960s. Brown also talks about the struggles of black Americans during the civil rights era, whose bitterness and anger at times unleashed in form of race riots. Brown, who has worked his way up from a shoe-shine boy to a millionaire, too, found himself a victim of racial discrimination. But eventually, his music overcame all prejudice and bigotry, making him an ambassador of racial unity. That is portrayed by "Power of Soul" is a mesmerizing collection of rare concert footage, contemporary documents and deeply personal interviews, all helping the film makers create a fascinating and gripping chronicle about this very special era of music history.