Blog

John Coltrane in concert; credit: Don Schlitten
Interviews
October, 31, 2017

Filmmaker John Scheinfeld Chases Coltrane’s Legacy

Craig Phillips in Interviews

Filmmaker John Scheinfeld is no stranger to taking on challenging subjects for documentaries. The Emmy®, Grammy® and Writers Guild Award nominee and writer/director/producer's other films include The U.S. vs. John Lennon, Who Is Harry Nilsson (And Why Is Everybody Talkin' About…
an abstract shot of John Coltrane playing sax, as if through water
Beyond the Films
October, 31, 2017

Chasing Trane Playlist: Coltrane and His Disciples

Independent Lens in Beyond the Films

By Nick Dedina, Guest Contributor Drop a needle on a John Coltrane record, hit play on one of his digital playlists, or watch Chasing Trane and it’s easy to understand why the saxophonist is universally revered as a musical giant. The…
John Coltrane in concert at Newport Jazz Festival 1966
June, 28, 2017

Chasing Trane: The John Coltrane Documentary

Independent Lens

Season premiere! Set against the social, political and cultural landscape of the times, Chasing Trane brings saxophone great John Coltrane to life, as a man and an artist. The film is the definitive look at the boundary-shattering musician whose influence continues…
Joe Stevens and his band Coyote Grace, on stage (courtesy the film Real Boy)
Beyond the Films
June, 9, 2017

Trans Musicians Carving Their Own Identities [Updated June 2022]

Independent Lens in Beyond the Films

By Craig Phillips and Independent Lens Staff ​​Real Boy is the portrait of Bennett, who is undergoing gender reassignment surgery, and his mom's struggle to process the change. But it's also the portrait of Bennett as a young musician mentored…
The Ovas bike brigade pose with bikes in front of a warehouse in East Los Angeles
Beyond the Films
March, 27, 2017

Girl Power: The Original #SquadGoals (and Just #Goals in General)

826chi in Beyond the Films

In the Independent Lens documentary Ovarian Psycos, we're introduced to The Ovas — a chicanx (xicanx) feminist group who bike through the streets of East L.A. in honor of sisterhood. While bike riding in solidarity is definitely an underground movement, womxn…
1966 Dodge Monaco Dashboard and Radio
Beyond the Films
February, 13, 2017

TOWER Playlist: 1966 Music Soundscape

Independent Lens in Beyond the Films

Pure and simple, 1966 was considered by many critics as one of the greatest years for popular music ever [see the Guardian’s “Was 1966 pop music greatest’s year?” and the LA Times' "1966 Could be Rock's Most Revolutionary Year"]. The…
Crowd of protestors cheer.
Lists
February, 9, 2016

The Black Panthers Mixtape

Independent Lens in Lists

For The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution, which aired on Independent Lens, you can plug in, turn on, and get down with our curated Spotify playlist. The set joins the politically charged soul music of the '60s and 70's with…
African American sound recorder on the streets
Lists
August, 11, 2015

Black Power Playlist: Music is the Message

Independent Lens in Lists

The soundtrack to America’s civil rights movement before the mid-1960s was predominantly made up of gospel standards and spirituals, with a smattering of popular folk. But by the late 1960s, music was changing right along with the political landscape. Just…
Filmmaker Penelope Spheeris surrounded by Poison (the band), in Decline of Western Civilization III the Metal Years
June, 30, 2015

Penelope Spheeris’ Decline of Western Civilization Rises Again

Craig Phillips

Editor's note: While these aren't Independent Lens films of course, the Decline films are some of our very favorite music docs, make for perfect summertime viewing, and are finally all out together on DVD. Read on for critic Noel Murray's exclusive take on…
Drawing representing Hawaiian mahu, or third gender.
Lists
April, 30, 2015

Hawaiian Music: More Than Just Hula (But Also Hula)

Craig Phillips in Lists

[caption id="attachment_6841" align="alignnone" width="600"] Hina performing with some of her students, from Kumu Hina[/caption] In tandem with the PBS film Kumu Hina, we created this Spotify playlist compiling some of the greatest Hawaiian music, from Hula to slack guitar, ukulele, and beyond.…
Clarence Carter sings into mic at Muscle Shoals studios.
Uncategorized
April, 18, 2014

A Musical Journey Through Muscle Shoals

Craig Phillips in Uncategorized

The word “magic” is mentioned a lot in Muscle Shoals, a mesmerizing documentary that tries to explain, or at least place in context, the extraordinary success of FAME (founded by producer Rick Hall in the late 1950s) and Muscle Shoals…
April, 7, 2014

Brothers Hypnotic

Independent Lens

The eight young men who make up the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble are all sons of Phil Cohran, a legendary Chicago trumpeter who turned his back on commercial music to pursue astral jazz (with the “cosmic philosopher” of jazz, Sun Ra),…