“This Ain’t No Mouse Music!” — Brilliant Roots Music Documentary
Run — DON’T WALK — to your nearest library or Netflix or wherever you view movies and get This Ain’t No Mouse Music!, one of the most important music documentaries ever produced. This 2014 film is about roots music icon Chris Strachwitz who, like Alan Lomax before him, brought to light amazing music from across the American landscape, recording it and giving it a permanent home on the record label he and his partner created, Arhoolie Records.
Arhoolie is absolutely central to American roots music of all sorts. Strachwitz’s first record was of Mance Lipscomb, and from that beginning he recorded blues, folk, Cajun, conjunto, African, and Appalachian music and much, much more, truly a world music label. Here is a link to the Arhoolie catalog. In 2016, Smithsonian Folkways acquired all 350 titles in the Arhoolie catalog with the stipulation that they remain permanently in print.
Featured in the movie are performances from musicians from many of these genres: Mance Lipscomb, Treme Brass Band, Fred McDowell, Big Joe Williams, Lightnin’ Hopkins, Michael Doucet, Pine Leaf Boys, Clifton Chenier, Cleveland Chenier, Ry Cooder, Flaco Jiménez, Big Mama Thornton, Santiago Jiménez, Jr., Lydia Mendoza, Savoy Family Band, George Lewis, Country Joe McDonald, Country Joe and the Fish, Camray Fontenot, Sammy Rimington, David Doucet, Los Alegres de Terán, Flaco Jimenez, White Top Mountain Band, No Speed Limit, and more!
The music here is at the heart of almost everything we listen to in some fashion or other. Add this one to your viewing list. Soon.