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C O U R S E L E C T U R E Blaxploitation Soundtracks Notes taken on May 4, 2015 by Edward Tanguay |
an important step in film making for African American actors, writers and producers
if you look at the history of film leading up to the early 1970s
you will see that while there were in fact black actors who were featured in films
they didn't have the exposure or important and central roles that the white actors had
as directors and producers, not active at all
sitting at the very center of this movement
1971 Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song
an African American perspective on urban life
Martin Van Peebles produced it
charged with a crime against a police officer
eventually emerges victorious in fleeing to Mexico
frequently had soundtracks by important groups in the 1970s
two people got their widespread crossover exposure
the voice of Chef on South Park
1968 Presenting Isaac Hayes
Stax had lost the Atlantic catalog
Stax was interested as releasing albums
pressed Isaac Hayes to produce for them
has four tracks on it: two on one side, two on the other
1968 By the Time I Get to Phoenix
had been a hit by Glenn Campbell on the country charts
the Glenn Campbell Good Time Hour
first 9 minutes a narration
like Vanilla Fudge in the psychedelic era
stretched it to 12 minutes
John Shaft in New York City
like a black James Bond
Isaac Hayes did the theme song Shaft
lush string arrangements
like Philadelphia Sound
was the soundtrack for the movie Super Fly
like Brian Wilson and Frankie Valli and Eddie Kendrick from the Temptations
cocaine dealer in New York and all his adventures
if you were a white rock listener watching variety shows, of the black artists of this era, Stevie Wonder is who you would see on TV often
Curtis Mayfield was on television very often
he was a bit of the embodiment of what was happening in black pop music at the time