"It's wonderful to get together with all these old friends and not be at a funeral," declares 75-year-old singer Ruth Brown, summing up the backstage atmosphere at the February 7, 2003 "Salute to the Blues" concert at New York's Radio City Music Hall. Action director Antoine Fuqua's reverent but uninspired documentary preserves this once-in-a-lifetime combination of performances, many delivered by musicians whose age and infirmity are sadly evident. Brown's own vigorous performance of the rousing lament "Mama (He Treats Your Daughter Mean)" is all the more amazing in light of the fact that in 2000 Brown suffered a stroke that temporarily robbed her of the ability to ...
Released:
2004
Rated:
PG-13
Length:
106 mins