Soul Power's Bi-Coastal Theatrical Release - July 10

It's pure coincidence that Soul Power, Jeffrey Levy-Hinte's verite replay of one of the world's most famous music festivals, opens theatrically as the public's awareness of popular music's importance has been brought to fevered pitch by the untimely death of Michael Jackson, his star-studded memorial and the posthumous release of Trials and Triumphs of the King of Pop.

Jackson isn't a featured player in Soul Power, nor does the film focus on his contributions to popular culture, but it does provide another compelling point of view about why we are so in love with popular music.

Soul Power presents the extraordinary galaxy of music superstars who gathered in Zaire in 1974 to perform in concert with the "Rumble in the Jungle," promoter Don King's crowning pugilistic event that pitted Muhammad Ali against George Foreman.

That three-day international celebration of music certainly set the record straight about the power of soul, while the boxing match made sports history. Soul Power's thrilling footage of James Brown, B.B. King, Celia Cruz and other music titans (many of whom inspired and influenced Michael Jackson, by the way) on stage and off would be enough to make this film a must see for music lovers, but Levy-Hinte also taps cultural commentators such as George Plimpton, Stokely Carmichael and festival promoter Hugh Masakela to place the celebrated gathering of talent into its cultural and political context.

Soul Power releases bi-coastally on July 10 in select theaters in New York and LA. Unfortunately fans in the heartland and around the world will have to wait until distributors find funding for a Soul Power roll out, or the film finds its way to a television air date, online streaming and/or DVD. Meanwhile, you can watch the trailer and read my review.

(PHOTO: James Brown in 'Soul Power.' Courtesy Antidote Films).