Rumble: The Indians Who Rocked The World

Rumble is an important documentary, foundational to any survey of Native American musics, but it runs out of time before getting to the contributions and influence of Jim Pepper (Kaw/Muskogee Creek) and Don Cherry (Choctaw/African American), both pioneers in the development of experimental jazz and "world" music. Both created important and original bodies of work.

I was MOVED. This is a great historical piece that takes you back thru a lot of rock and roll, concert footage, interviews and testimony. You'll be behind the scenes, up close and personal.

RUMBLE: THE INDIANS WHO ROCKED THE WORLD (2018) - Catherine Bainbridge and Alfonso Maiorana's interesting Documentary got a brief theatrical release last year, and is now streaming via iTunes, Youtube etc.. Taking it's title from Native American guitarist Link Wray's pounding tune, RUMBLE attempts to show the link from Native American music (particularly its ryhymic aspects) to much of contemporary music. It succeeds to a large degree as it traces how Native Americans and African Americans were often discriminated against and thrust together by larger society (and inter-married). Native American musicians combined with black performers to create the mix of blues and folk to create rock 'n roll. Some of the connections seem more tenuous than others, but, the history is well told. Interview subjects ranging from Taj Mahal to Buffy St. Marie to Robbie Robertson to Tommy Ramone give insight (Marie and Robertson are of Native American descent). The Doc loses a bit of its focus as it enters the more modern era, but RUMBLE is a solid introduction to this aspect of rock's tangled roots.

Artists discuss the role that Native Americans have played in the development of American popular music. Very well done documentary. Deeper than expected. Undoubtedly there are those who already knew/know all this but I'll call it revisionist history because it certainly revised my history of American music. I only knew of Jim Pepper ('Witchitai-to') and Jesse Ed Davis (with Taj Mahal) before watching this. I knew of Buffy Sainte-Marie but I always felt badly because I couldn't stand her vibrato. If you have near-musicology level interest in the history of blues, jazz and rock, served with another healthy dose of delightful American cultural history, here you go.

The heavy distortion that carries from Link Wray's iconic "Rumble" was the current that ran through every rock 'n' roll song that ever came after. His, and many other influential and musical talents, are of Native American descent, which is a traditionally overlooked culture when it comes to popular music.

Native American musicians undoubtedly played a major role in the creation and influence of blues, rock 'n' roll, and pop music. Beginning with Link Wray's historic riff, to Redbone's 70s pop smash, "Come and Get Your Love," to Black Eyed Pea's rapper Taboo, director's, Catherine Bainbridge and Alfonso Maiorana, have created a wonderfully unique documentary making a sound argument that Native American's have made the most influential contributions to music.

This a definite watch for any music fanatic.