In the 1920s, record companies in search of new styles and markets sought out regional musicians, from the streets of Memphis to the Western prairies and the islands of Hawaii. By joining TV Guide, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. It’s an exquisite representation of the primitive power of American roots music and its enduring charm - music that stirs the soul.”[61] Greil Marcus in The Village Voice praised the film for “performances so good you can hardly listen without thinking of how close each recording is to not existing at all.”[62] Liz Jobey in the Financial Times hailed the film as “an extraordinary journey back through American song recording”[63] and Ludovic Hunter-Tilney in the same paper remarked that “New York Rapper Nas does a superb cover of the Memphis Jug Band’s “On the Road Again”, exposing the hip-hop blueprint within the 1928 stomper.”[64], Danny Eccleston in Mojo pointed out that “in one of the series’ most extraordinary moments, Elton John arrives toting a box-fresh lyric by Bernie Taupin and works it up in an instant, the song materializing in front of the viewers eyes before John and Jack White go for the take. [11] MacMahon insisted on having three previously unrecorded acts at the sessions; The Americans, Christine Pizutti and Jerron “Blind Boy” Paxton.[29]. The original motion picture soundtrack was a three-LP and two-CD album released on June 9, 2017. Customers who watched this item also watched. Frank Fairfield and The Americans were the first musicians to record on the system in over 80 years. All American season 3 is one of the most popular TV shows on Netflix at the moment. This epic original 2014 Netflix drama follows the famed explorer as he navigates risky interpersonal relationships while at the court of Kublai Khan in what is now Beijing. [2][28][14] “The results were satisfactory” MacMahon explained “but Nick wanted to operate the machine more effectively”. It’s brilliant theatre, beautifully filmed and makes for glorious television. The machine would go on to put sound on motion pictures. Live news, investigations, opinion, photos and video by the journalists of The New York Times from more than 150 countries around the world. The American Epic Sessions is a documentary film in which an engineer restores the fabled long-lost first electrical sound recording system from 1925, and twenty contemporary artists pay tribute to the momentous machine by attempting to record songs on it for the first time in 80 years. Historically fascinating and musically entertaining, The American Epic Sessions was the perfect film to watch during SXSW at Austin’s historic Paramount Theatre, surrounded as we were by the ghosts of entertainers who’d graced the stage over its 100-year history.”[6] James Jackson in The Times wrote “none of these machines survive, but for this high-class film the engineering has been lovingly reassembled for today’s stars to try. [3][4][5] It also explored the extent to which the recordings made on it in the 1920s influenced and inspired contemporary music. Willie Nelson and the late Merle Haggard - Old Fashioned Love — Arena, American Epic, The Sessions. This antiquated, cleaned up piece of studio equipment is so fetishistically photographed, it relegates the 19 musical acts that drop by for an old-school session to supporting players. [52], The Western Electric system was a live direct-to-disc recording method. [4][11][5][12] The recreation of a live 1920s-style recording session, explored the essence of what makes a great recorded performance. A rough cut of the film containing this sequence was screened at the BFI London Film Festival but it was subsequently cut from later versions to bring the film's duration to under two hours. American Epic. The validity of the film would lie in, once that needle drops, you’re actually hearing the sound of what they’re recording. [7], Their performances are filmed in single takes. There are no TV airings over the next 14 days. Wald, Elijah & McGourty, Allison & MacMahon, Bernard. [12] Exterior shots of the dilapidated and nondescript studio building were occasionally employed with pedestrians walking by oblivious to the activities going on inside. ", “The idea was from day one that it had to be real. [14] This was done, according to MacMahon, “as a proof of concept and to ensure the look and style of the film was indelibly stamped from the outset with our own artistic sensibilities and thereby limit the level of outside interference.” He also added “The American Epic Sessions film was the carrot to get the three historical films made. [14][29] A test session was filmed with Frank Fairfield and The Americans to perfect the cinematic style of the film. [29][51] Armed with this new information Bergh agreed to MacMahon's plan to attempt to film a full recording session with twenty artists. In case you missed the documentary film American Epic on PBS in early July find some way to see it, it is amazing. Making Sessions was like the Olympic 100 metres. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. An NTSC DVD and Blu-ray of the series was released in the US in June 2017. American Epic is an award-winning 3-part documentary series about the first recordings of rural music in the U.S.A. and their cultural, social and technological impact on the world. There were four main instances, a section revealing how the Western Electric Amplifier Rack and Microphone work, a section discussing the social impact the Western Electric Recording System had on the world and its eventual demise, the arrival of the final two musicians in the film, Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard, and finally, the closing credits. He explained; “I’d have an idea in advance of what the set-up might be musically so I painted out lighting design and storyboards in advance. When Star (Sasha Lane) is smitten by the exploits of … [29] Producer and co-writer Allison McGourty gained access to the AT&T archive which kept the research documents for Western Electric. Miss it at your peril.”[3] Stephen Dalton in The Hollywood Reporter wrote that the film was “a mammoth project with worthy intentions and a big heart - a feast of musical and educational riches.”[20] Steve Appleford in Rolling Stone observed that “in the final performance of Sessions, Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard perform the duet "The Only Man Wilder Than Me." [9][10] The machine would go on to put sound on motion pictures. The American Epic Sessions. Cast See All. [44] They organized field recording sessions across America and recorded blues, gospel, Cajun, country, Hawaiian, Native American and many other hitherto unrecorded types of music using the Western Electric system which technologically made these recordings possible. More purchase options. Premiered May 16 - 30, 2017 In every case, the results are astounding and the artists always deliver. On an exploratory trip to the Scully family, looking for photographs, MacMahon and McGourty discovered perhaps the only surviving 1924 Scully lathe in the family's basement and persuaded them to loan it to the production. The leading digital library for kids offering unlimited access to 40,000 of the best children’s books of all time. The American Epic Sessions features performances from White, Beck, Nas, Alabama Shakes, Merle Haggard, Elton John, Taj Mahal, Willie Nelson, … It was just music, people expressing themselves with the sound at that time, and it had nothing to do with the video, it had nothing to do with anything but the song. It shows me there’s so much more to do, there’s so much further I can go, but now I know the beginnings; this gives me the roots of all of it. [31] The studio was emptied of all current sound recording equipment and furniture, then dressed in period fixtures and fittings before bringing in the Western Electric Recording System. The enormous device, made of pulleys, flywheels, weights, and wood, was set up in a Los Angeles recording studio whose nondescript exterior gave no hint of the magic taking place inside. [40][41][9], The new system consisted of an electrical microphone whose signal was amplified by a 6’ amplifier rack. [3][17][19][12][38][60], Joe Boyd wrote in The Guardian “for two hours we revel in filmed performances in front of that single microphone, as the camera lovingly follows the sound through anaconda-like cables to the cutting head. [12][14], MacMahon filmed principally on an Arri Alexa on a camera dolly. [12][45] Although there are no records of how many of these machines were leased out to the record companies, estimates range from a dozen to two dozen. [27], The pulley allowed approximately three and a half minutes to record before the weight hit the floor. [21][46] Engineer Nicholas Bergh explained, “I had two mentors when I was getting into audio who started their careers in the late 1930s in America and both of them told me that even by the late ‘30s this system was basically mythical and they had never seen any components of it or even pictures. The recreation of a live 1920s-style recording session, explored the essence of what makes a great recorded performance. Netflix’s serialized reality dating show Love Is Blind is The Circle meets Married At First Sight—incredibly watchable in an I-want-to-tear-my-eyeballs-out sort of way. 'Mudbound' Is A Grand, Sweeping Epic Of The Jim Crow South Director Dee Rees adapts Hillary Jordan's 2008 novel about two families — black sharecroppers who've worked the … [3] The performers were cued into when they needed to start and stop playing by a light system operated by the sound engineer that hung in the live room. American Epic Season 1 ... Jack White and T Bone Burnett produce an epic recording session using the only working 1920s recording device in existence in this tribute to the artists celebrated in the documentary. [4] During the filming, MacMahon persuaded Jack White and his band to make an acoustic recording on the lathe, replacing the microphone with two horns – the first such recording made in 90 years. For The American Epic Sessions, a PBS program airing June 6 and a CD landing June 9, 20 artists—including Merle Haggard, Alabama Shakes, and Nas—recorded on a Western Electric system. [4][5][39] The recording system was leased out to the major record labels who had to pay a royalty on every record sold to Western Electric. [5] Elton John arrived at the studio with a lyric entitled “Two Fingers of Whiskey” that Bernie Taupin had written specifically for the film. [5] The success of music recordings led to the system being leased by the major Hollywood studios for talking pictures after initial resistance. Fortunately, it’s a stunt that pays off, in pristine contemporary recordings you can scarcely believe went directly through a cutting stylus direct to disc. As soon as the blank disc starts spinning, our soundtrack switches from the film-maker’s 21st-century handheld digital stereo to the glorious mono of the single microphone. [6] MacMahon said this was to “remind people that behind every door there are a thousand stories.”[29], In 1925, Western Electric launched a new electronic recording process that could capture the nuances of the human voice and subtle instrumental shadings that had eluded the old acoustic systems. Haggard has a look of complete joy on his face throughout the session in the old-timey recording set-up once used by his musical heroes.”[7] Mike Bradley in The Observer said The American Epic Sessions was “one of the most interesting music programmes ever broadcast. It’s all very muso, but completely enriching too – watching Elton John compose a song with Jack White is a thrill.”[68] Euan Ferguson, in The Observer summarized “I have to say all acquitted themselves phenomenally. Bernard MacMahon, who championed this project for the better part of this century, makes the best case for this beautiful monstrosity of a machine representing the pre-homogeneity democratization of American music.”[17] Robert Lloyd in the Los Angeles Times confided "I don’t mind telling you I got a little emotional watching this, and you might too. [7], The artists were principally chosen by MacMahon in consultation with the film's producers and co-writers Duke Erikson and Allison McGourty, and executive producers T Bone Burnett and Jack White. [1], The film employed a diverse line-up of performers both ethnically and musically to represent the breadth of cultures that were first given a national platform through the invention of this recording machine. [74] It contained many performances not featured in the film, including "One Mic" by Nas, " “Mama's Angel Child" by Jack White, "Come on In My Kitchen" by Stephen Stills, and "Josephine" by Pokey Lafarge. [1], The film was released to widespread critical acclaim, with many publications praising the direction, performances, the quality of the sound, the cinematography and lighting. Not available. This meant we shot Sessions way ahead of the production of the rest of the films to engender an incentive to tackle the vast undertaking that was the historical films. Wonderful.”[19] Michael Watts in The Economist wrote the film was “unmissable and uncovers the origins of popular music.”[60] Iain Shedden in The Australian noted “one of the highlights (and audience prizewinner) of last year’s Sydney Film Festival was the American Epic series of documentaries by British filmmaker Bernard MacMahon and producers Allison McGourty and Duke Erikson. Ertuğrul: how an epic TV series became the 'Muslim Game of Thrones' It has all the hallmarks of a blockbuster, but what has turned this Turkish saga … [1][28] These were with Frank Fairfield and The Americans. [29], The film was previewed as a work in progress at film festivals around the world throughout 2016, including a Special Event at Sundance hosted by Robert Redford,[54] SXSW,[55] International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam,[56] Denver International Film Festival,[57] Sydney Film Festival,[58] and the London Film Festival. [14] The Scully lathe itself predated the switch from acoustic to electric recording. [32] The film had one secondary location, Sophie's Seat Design in Hollywood, California, which was featured when former upholsterer, Jack White, took the broken belt of the recording lathe to be re-sewn. [14] Before each performance, as the cutting head needle was lowered onto the disc, the production audio was replaced with a needle drop of the unadorned mono master disc recording. Oh, and the sound...Wonderfully visceral, raw and untampered with, every original recording is layered with character and charisma, the beautifully complex machine always manages to draw the very best from its chosen subject. Netflix is a streaming service that offers a wide variety of award-winning TV shows, movies, anime, documentaries, and more on thousands of internet-connected devices. The American Epic Sessions, brought together a wealth of contemporary talent. Among its highlights: A killer performance in Spanish by Ana Gabriel on a song originally done by Lydia Mendoza; Taj Mahal’s powerhouse take on Charley Patton’s “High Water Everywhere”; and Bettye LaVette's heartfelt recollections of being pushed away from early blues as “Uncle Tomish” in the ‘60s before she nails “When I Woke Up This Morning.”[65] Stephen Thompson at NPR wrote that “watching Alabama Shakes' members tear into this brief but potent cover of "Killer Diller", you get insights into the magic of the equipment and studio, the timelessness of the song, and Alabama Shakes' own genre-and era-busting charisma.”[66] James Moore in Gigwise observed “This need for greatness within that three-minute take is captured perfectly in the film, moments of silence before a blue light indicates “go” seeping with nail-biting tension and atmosphere. 2017; 3 hr 0 mins Documentary, Music NR Watchlist. Add it to your Watchlist to receive updates and availability notifications. Arena. The American Epic Sessions Original Motion Picture Soundtrack features an all-star roster of contemporary artists paying tribute to the great artists of the past. John offered his support and ultimately performed a new song, “2 Fingers of Whiskey,” in the closing episode, American Epic Sessions, with White on electric guitar. [29], The film was shot in one main location: Vox Recording Studios in Hollywood, California. The audio you hear is taken directly from the discs it was recorded to, with no editing or enhancements.” Thereafter a series of contemporary musicians enter an exact replica of a 1920s recording studio[2] and record songs live onto a single microphone attached to the first electrical recording system and a pulley driven cutting lathe. [1] These recordings would go on to have vast cultural impact in North America and the rest of the world. Lovers of music and early Americana alike will be fascinated by Bernard MacMahon and Allison McGourty’s The American Epic Sessions. There was a huge amount of preparation, because it was not just the music that had to be captured in one three-minute take—we had to capture the whole experience on film, and make it look natural, and do it smoothly enough that we didn’t interfere with the performers.”[15] MacMahon said he took some of his inspiration from John J. Mescall's cinematography on James Whale productions like the Bride of Frankenstein. American Epic is a documentary media franchise based upon the first recordings of roots music in the United States during the 1920s and their cultural, social and technological impact on North America and the world. Currently not available to stream. © 2021 TV GUIDE, A RED VENTURES COMPANY. [13][5] MacMahon filmed the live performances like a Hollywood musical in single unedited takes to focus on the music, the sound the machine produced, and the impact it had on the artists performances. [15][16] The technical aspects of the recording were covered in sequences interspersed throughout the film where, with rigorously filmed tracking shots and extreme close-ups using a macro lens, the viewer could observe and understand the inner workings of the machine. [46][47] Midway through the research on the film, MacMahon and McGourty were introduced to sound engineer Nicholas Bergh as a possible collaborator. [34][35] All the performances in the film and many additional songs not featured in the film were released by Columbia Records/Lo-Max on Music from The American Epic Sessions: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack. With Taj Mahal, Robert Redford, Jack White, Nas. American Epic is an historic, multi-media endeavour that includes a three-part historical documentary broadcast series that uncovers the untold story of early American recorded music. Directed by Bernard MacMahon. [26], Numerous potentially fatal disasters befall the machine during the sessions including the pulley cable that holds the weight breaking, which Jack White repairs at an upholstery shop, the amplifier overheating and blowing up during an Avett Brothers recording and a fraught 13 take session where Beck's 12-piece choir battle with an overdriven and distorting microphone. [14] McGourty explained “he would rehearse with our house band before the performers arrived, and rehearse the camera crew with all the dolly moves so they would know when the lead vocalist would be singing; then it would go into a chorus, then the guitar or the banjo. At the height of the Roaring Twenties, music scouts set out across America to capture the breadth of American music and discovered the artists that would shape our world. Watch as much as you want, anytime you want. [5][17][6] Some of the artists’ performances are prefaced by ethereal scenes where the camera explores the dark corridors of the empty studio, accompanied by the recordings that were made on the machine 90 years ago distantly playing in the background, while the camera zooms in on framed portraits of those long-deceased musicians hanging on the walls of the studio. With Jack White, Nas, Elton John, Alabama Shakes. The earliest condenser microphone was wired into a six-foot amplifier rack comprising a preamplifier, a first level meter, a monitor amplifier, a line amplifier to drive the cutting head which etched the grooves onto a wax disc on the turntable of a Scully cutting lathe that was rotated by a pulley system and a 100lb weight. S all American season 3 is one of the american epic sessions netflix world use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy.. S the American Epic Sessions Original motion Picture Soundtrack was a live recording! 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