Sightings

Our community attended a special preview screening of Call+Response August 19, 2008.  Below is TR’s review of the movie.

Director Justin Dillon may not be the best musician or the greatest movie director, but that did not stop him from creating, in my humble opinion, the most passionate concert movie documentary ever. Even though this is a low-budget-independent-not-for-profit flick, Call+Response had all the earmarks of a well-crafted-big-budget production. I have to be honest, however, that this movie will not brighten your day. On the contrary, though, it will Call to your heart, and urges you to Response.

Call+Response doesn’t just lay out the facts on modern day slavery, the movie pounds it into your senses. From the acoustically edgy sound of the Cold War Kids to an impromptu rendition of Bob Marley’s “Redemption” by Matisyahu, I was led from wonder into awe. Moby soulfully merged the music track to the soul wrenching hip-hop lines formed by Talib Kweili. Imogen Heap, an artist I’ll admit I haven’t heard of, gave a performance deserving at least a Grammy nomination. There’s just so much talent to be had when one performs truly from the heart. I’ll save the factoids and horrors of human trafficking, sex trade, and child labor for the movie to tell, as it does a wonderful job at delivering this much ignored message into the world. If you just can’t wait to find out more, then visit http://www.callandresponse.com for more details.

From a musical point of view, Call+Response, exposed the heart of musicians that I may otherwise brushed off as being too “radical”, or “weird”, or even “irrelevant”. There was nothing radical, weird, or irrelevant about the “Call” of Dr. Cornel West, linking the Negroes Slave Experience to the formation of Blues, setting up the foundation of Rock, resulting in the “Response” that I experienced throughout the movie.

Huh?

I know I’m not making a whole lot of sense here, so please bear with me as I attempt to define musically the term “Call and Response”, as I am not a musician, and have not had any formal music education. Having said that, my trusty wikipedia source explained that “Call and Response is a succession of two distinct phrases usually played by different musicians, where the second phrase is heard as a direct commentary on or response to the first.”

Now, hopefully my fellow Vietnamese will have an “ah-hah” moment at this point. This is “Ho` Lo’”, Vietnamese folk music commonly sung by farmers when working in the field.

Dr. West further explained the Call of people who are enslaved, made the Call in the hope that there will be a Response. And of course, by Responding, we acknowledge their existence, their value. Justin Dillon have done just that, with Call+Response.

What will my response be?

1. Click on Act at http://www.CallAndResponse.com
Lots of ideas here, just register and participate in the community.
2. Invite at least 5 people to the movie’s opening weekend.
In Orange County, it’s October 10th, 2008.
3. Join the FaceBook cause.
I’ll be sending out invites, so be sure you Response!
4. Write this note
5. Pray not only for the victims, but also for the perpetrators.

How about you? What will your response be?