American Epic- T-Bone Burnett, Robert Redford, Jack White

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Kali Durga
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American Epic- T-Bone Burnett, Robert Redford, Jack White

Post by Kali Durga »

Couldn't decide whether to put this in Jumble Jumble (since it's ultimately about musical history) or here, but it's got to be the really big project Jack mentioned he'd been working on for a year and a half as a producer-- http://www.americanepic.com/


Two British filmmakers, Bernard MacMahon and Allison McGourty, and American Producer Duke Erikson have pieced together this extraordinary story set in the late 1920s when record companies toured America with a recording machine and for the first time captured the raw expression of an emerging culture. It democratized music and gave a voice to the poorest in the nation.

The filmmakers follow the machine’s trail across the United States to rediscover the families whose music was recorded by it, music that would lead to the development of blues, country, gospel, Hawaiian, Cajun and folk music – without which there would be no rock, pop, R&B or hip hop today. Over three episodes the remarkable lives of these seminal musicians are revealed through previously unseen film footage, unpublished photographs, and exclusive interviews with some of the last living witnesses to that era, when the musical strands of a diverse nation first emerged, sparking a cultural revolution whose reverberations are felt to this day.

For AMERICAN EPIC SESSIONS the filmmakers have re-assembled the machine that allowed America to first hear itself. They have replicated the atmosphere of America’s seminal 1920s field recordings down to the smallest detail, with top American artists recording straight to wax, using all the original microphones, amplifiers, and other equipment from that era. This is the first time that any performer has been able to use this machinery for over 80 years. Aided and abetted by Jack White and T Bone Burnett, today's legends are given a once-in-a-lifetime chance to relive the experience of the founding mothers and fathers, their idols, and remake the music that changed America and changed the world.

The AMERICAN EPIC SESSIONS features performances by Alabama Shakes, The Americans, The Avett Brothers, Beck, Frank Fairfield, Ana Gabriel, Rhiannon Giddens, Merle Haggard, Bobby Ingano, Elton John, Auntie Geri Kuhia, Pokey LaFarge, Bettye LaVette, Los Lobos, Lost Bayou Ramblers, Taj Mahal, Steve Martin & Edie Brickell, Fred Martin & The Levite Camp, Ashley Monroe, Nas, Willie Nelson, Charlie Kaleo Oyama, Blind Boy Paxton, Raphael Saadiq, and Jack White
"And the message is clear: if we want Jack White as our hero, he will entertain, but not pander. We have to accept all his flaws, whims, caprices and manias as a critical, sometimes uncomfortable, part of the contract."
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rsimms3
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Re: American Epic- T-Bone Burnett, Robert Redford, Jack Whit

Post by rsimms3 »

Looks like this will be on PBS and BBC for broadcast based on the logos at the end. Interesting machine, look forward to hearing more about it and hearing the song choices the artists have made to record to acetate. This is my kind of project! Thanks for the heads-up.

As a refresher (from November 2013) -
http://www.guitarworld.com/elton-john-a ... rican-epic
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Re: American Epic- T-Bone Burnett, Robert Redford, Jack Whit

Post by dunedin »

Thanks for posting. Excited about this.

"In addition to the historical documentary and sessions broadcasts, American Epic will include companion music releases of archival recordings featuring groundbreaking audio restoration of original 1920s and 1930s recordings, The American Epic Sessions contemporary performance recordings, and a deluxe vinyl box set, produced, designed and released by yours truly".

http://thirdmanrecords.com/news/american-epic/

:D
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Re: American Epic- T-Bone Burnett, Robert Redford, Jack Whit

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Is this going to be on Tidal? :arrow:
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Re: American Epic- T-Bone Burnett, Robert Redford, Jack Whit

Post by rsimms3 »

dylnfan wrote:Is this going to be on Tidal? :arrow:
:banned:
"The chairs are too nice, the chandeliers are too beautiful, and the popcorn is too buttery." - Jack White
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Re: American Epic- T-Bone Burnett, Robert Redford, Jack Whit

Post by arewhyehen »

rsimms3 wrote:
dylnfan wrote:Is this going to be on Tidal? :arrow:
:banned:
LOL ^ ^ ^

Saw this earlier this morning and it looks pretty cool. Hope it's broadcast in Canada..
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Re: American Epic- T-Bone Burnett, Robert Redford, Jack Whit

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dunedin wrote:"In addition to the historical documentary and sessions broadcasts, American Epic will include companion music releases of archival recordings featuring groundbreaking audio restoration of original 1920s and 1930s recordings, The American Epic Sessions contemporary performance recordings, and a deluxe vinyl box set, produced, designed and released by yours truly".

http://thirdmanrecords.com/news/american-epic/

:D
Oh, that's fabulous, now I'm doubly excited!

Just followed a Twitter link to this NYT article about the show-- http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/ ... ings/?_r=1
The 1920s are an almost mythical time for the American recording industry, when record labels scoured the map and recorded a huge variety of folk, blues, country and ethnic songs by now-legendary acts like the Carter Family. But who were the people involved, and how did the technology work?

Those questions are at the heart of “American Epic,” a three-part documentary series coming to PBS and BBC Arena in October. It is the result of some eight years of research by two British filmmakers, Bernard MacMahon and Allison McGourty, into the methods of the record companies. Faced with plunging sales after the arrival of radio, the labels pursued new audiences by exploring rural America.

“These recordings were the first time America heard itself,” Mr. MacMahon said in an interview. “It is like the DNA of America, its raw expression.”

The series, whose executive producers are T Bone Burnett, Robert Redford and Jack White, traces the stories of the musicians involved, with rare photographs and films, like footage of 1920s folk festivals.

The filmmakers have also reconstructed an elaborate recording machine from the era — it involves weights and pulleys — and made new records on it, with contemporary performers like Willie Nelson, Elton John, Nas and Mr. White. These performances will be featured in a separate feature-length special, “American Epic Sessions,” also on PBS stations and BBC Arena; Sony will release the soundtrack.

Despite being made on a recreated machine from the 1920s, the new recordings were strikingly clear in a preview. Mr. MacMahon attributed that to the ingenuity of the machine’s design and the immediacy of recording methods of the time, which cut sounds directly to disc without editing.

“This period,” Mr. MacMahon said, “represents an apex of American technological innovation.”
"And the message is clear: if we want Jack White as our hero, he will entertain, but not pander. We have to accept all his flaws, whims, caprices and manias as a critical, sometimes uncomfortable, part of the contract."
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Re: American Epic- T-Bone Burnett, Robert Redford, Jack Whit

Post by Stl_ben »

Finally I will be able to own an Elton John record released by TMR!
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Re: American Epic- T-Bone Burnett, Robert Redford, Jack Whit

Post by grumblestiltskin »

Stl_ben wrote:Finally I will be able to own an Elton John record released by TMR!
Sony will release the soundtrack
too bad
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Re: American Epic- T-Bone Burnett, Robert Redford, Jack Whit

Post by anonymousbrunette »

This looks phenomenal.
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Re: American Epic- T-Bone Burnett, Robert Redford, Jack Whit

Post by Stl_ben »

grumblestiltskin wrote:
Stl_ben wrote:Finally I will be able to own an Elton John record released by TMR!
Sony will release the soundtrack
too bad
TMR posted on the vault they will be releasing the deluxe box set edition....
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Re: American Epic- T-Bone Burnett, Robert Redford, Jack Whit

Post by Kali Durga »

Stl_ben wrote:
grumblestiltskin wrote:
Stl_ben wrote:Finally I will be able to own an Elton John record released by TMR!
Sony will release the soundtrack
too bad
TMR posted on the vault they will be releasing the deluxe box set edition....
And it's even quoted above in this very thread. Whatta ya know.

anonymousbrunette wrote:This looks phenomenal.
Doesn't it, though? Alan Lomax must be grinning in his grave.
"And the message is clear: if we want Jack White as our hero, he will entertain, but not pander. We have to accept all his flaws, whims, caprices and manias as a critical, sometimes uncomfortable, part of the contract."
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Re: American Epic- T-Bone Burnett, Robert Redford, Jack Whit

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EDIT In addition to the broadcast, AMERICAN EPIC will include companion music releases. Columbia Records will release contemporary performances from The American Epic Series. Sony Music's Legacy Recordings will release a companion series of archival recordings, featuring groundbreaking audio restoration of 1920s and 1930s recordings by Lo-Max Films, Nick Bergh and Peter Henderson. Third Man Records will release a deluxe box of vinyl records.

http://www.legacyrecordings.com/a/#/new ... rds/247/1/

Very exciting news! I'm going to need a second and a third job to afford all the interesting stuff Jack is releasing on vinyl, of course ;)
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Kali Durga
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Re: American Epic- T-Bone Burnett, Robert Redford, Jack Whit

Post by Kali Durga »

Just found the press release from PBS-- http://www.pbs.org/about/news/archive/2 ... b69f4e8257

John Tefteller's even involved as a consultant, for anyone who follows his activities.

And, according to Entertainment Weekly, the documentary will be available on Blu-Ray and dvd-- http://www.ew.com/article/2015/04/08/ja ... rican-epic They're the only source I've seen mention that so far, hopefully it's accurate.
"And the message is clear: if we want Jack White as our hero, he will entertain, but not pander. We have to accept all his flaws, whims, caprices and manias as a critical, sometimes uncomfortable, part of the contract."
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Re: American Epic- T-Bone Burnett, Robert Redford, Jack Whit

Post by dunedin »

Kali Durga wrote:Just found the press release from PBS-- http://www.pbs.org/about/news/archive/2 ... b69f4e8257

John Tefteller's even involved as a consultant, for anyone who follows his activities.

And, according to Entertainment Weekly, the documentary will be available on Blu-Ray and dvd-- http://www.ew.com/article/2015/04/08/ja ... rican-epic They're the only source I've seen mention that so far, hopefully it's accurate.
It's also hidden near the bottom of the press release

"AMERICAN EPIC will be available on DVD and Blu-ray from PBS Distribution: ShopPBS.org; 800-PLAY-PBS, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The film will also be available for digital download.”
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