Escalator Over the Hill (1999)

This complex and ambitious film took almost 30 years to produce and final made its world premiere at the Locarno Film Festival in August 1999. These seminal live performances were captured by filmmaker Steve Gebhardt in 1970-71, during Escalator's original recording sessions. Many of the performers at the time were living legends of their musical form and included Jack Bruce then in Tony Williams Lifetime (a year after Cream disbanded); trumpeter, Don Cherry; Don Preston (Mothers Of Invention) as well as Gato Barbieri, Charlie Haden, Sheila Jordan, John McLaughlin also then in Tony Williams Lifetime, Linda Ronstadt, Howard Johnson, Jeanne Lee, Viva (a Warhol superstar) and guitarist, Sam Brown. Steve Gebhardt had complete control over what and how he filmed these sessions and was able to place lights and camera in such a manner as to realize the best visuals. This 83 min film will give music lovers of all genres an illuminating glimpse into the creative process at work. This is an unprecedented opportunity to see how this complex recording was assembled.