By special arrangement with Michael Murphy, New Orleans resident and Director of the recently released and critically acclaimed New Orleans music documentary “MAKE IT FUNKY!… the music that took over the world”… The St. Louis Social Aid & Pleasure Society presents The “MAKE IT FUNKY!” Premier Screenings Tour.

Current Tour Stops:

Saturday, December 10 BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups
700 South Broadway
314-436-5222

Featuring special in-concert guests:
Jumpin’ Johnny Sansone and
Scott Miller w/ Friends
Doors: 6:00pm Film Screening: 8:00pm
Live Music: 10:00pm


Friday, December 16 The Pageant in the Loop
6161 Delmar Blvd.
314-726-6161

Featuring special in-concert guests:
The Dogtown Allstars & Gumbohead
w/Friends
Doors: 7:00pm Film Screening: 8:00pm
Live Music: 10:00pm

General admission/suggested minimum donation: $10.00

In an effort to make each tour stops’ experience unique… formatwise… at each participating venue, the “premier” screening of “MAKE I FUNKY!” (approx. 110 minutes in length) will be followed by special arrangement, one-of-a-kind, concert performances by NOLA touchstone musicians with their musical guest “friends”, sitting-in.

“MAKE IT FUNKY!”, Michael’s 5+year labor-of-love, is nothing shy of a unique and fortuitously timed, dance-in-the-isles, celebratory documentation of New Orleans' diverse cultures and the joyous musics it spawned which did, truly, as the film’s subtitle states... “... took over the world”. The concert, that's at this movies core, is start-to-finish, most of the best NOLA has to offer musicians, blowin' like it's their only opportunity to stand it up and show the world “what they got”. It’s a New Orleans musical history lesson with archival footage and interviews with many of the bearers of the NOLA musical torch framed around footage from a concert produced in 2004 at The Saenger Theatre in New Orleans.

Amongst those featured performing and/or interviewed are; Allen Toussaint, The Neville Brothers, Funky Meters, Irma Thomas, George Porter Jr., Snooks Eaglin, Jon Cleary, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Earl Palmer, Lloyd Price & many others! Special musical guests include: Bonnie Raitt, Keith Richards and Steve Jordan. Additionally, “MAKE IT FUNKY!” features special commentaries by Ahmet Ertegun (legendary co-founder of Atlantic Records), Cosimo Matassa (owner of the renowned J&M Studios) and, Jim Russel (Alan Freed associate and radio promoter). Heck, don’t take my word for it, I’m admittedly biased in my love of the music and culture and sincerely hope that you’ll support this worthwhile event to the best of your ability! On the last page of this release you’ll find some of those pulled outta context quotes, from the critics, we’ve all come to appreciate sooo much!

All admission proceeds generated by The Tour will be donated, in the name of St. Louis, to The Louisiana Cultural Economy Foundation, a 501c3 foundation who’s stated goal is assisting the New Orleans Louisiana Rebirth Cultural Economy Initiative Fund in their efforts at “Restoring the Soul of America”, by supporting the development, enhancement and, now, post-Katrina, preservation and restoration of Louisiana’s’ unique cultural heritage and related industries.

Sponsors & Support Crewe: KDHX 88.1FM, Cinema St. Louis/St. Louis International Film Festival, EventsCulinaire.com, Mardi Gras Inc., TheSaintLouisSocialAidAndPleasureSociety.com, Saint Louis Blues Society, Benet Schaeffer Agency, STLBlues,net & Vintage Vinyl.

The St. Louis Social Aid & Pleasure Society is a promotional "handle" and theatrical billing in the long-standing tradition of pre-desegregation New Orleans where, within the black community, neighborhood organizations were created to help each other out in times of crisis (illness and/or death, they, typically, provided the Second Line Funeral Band) and as centers for community focused
entertainment and culture (The New Orleans Indian “Tribes”)… as historically detailed in “MAKE IT FUNKY!”.

The beginnings of “MAKE IT FUNKY!” started on a hot summer afternoon when New Orleans native, Director/Producer Michael Murphy, and Producer Cilista Eberle stopped by Donna's Bar on Rampart Street A child and his grandfather walked in and crossed over to the jukebox. The grandfather gave his grandson the mouthpiece to a horn, put money in the jukebox, and chose a Louis Armstrong song. The two stood side by side - the child listening and blowing, with the grandfather encouraging him on.

We watched the scene and began to talk about the heritage of music in New Orleans, and how this scene has been played out in one way or another for generations. We then went to Daniel Roth, who shares our passion for the culture and music of the South, and together we decided to tell this story. We wanted to show how people with diverse cultural backgrounds, and musical traditions, had passed knowledge down from generation to generation, create an immense treasure trove of music. We interviewed a wide selection of people whose personal views came together to tell different aspects of the story. We came away with a mixture of differing viewpoints, and singular theme - a shared belief in the need for discipline, to learn the traditional way of playing, to respect each other, to pass their knowledge on to the next generation, and to love the music.

As promised… What The Critics Say About “MAKE IT FUNKY!”… the music that took over the world”:

“From the opening trumpet duel to the closing jam, there’s not a moment of music that’s less than joyous.” Jordan Harper, New York Post

“There’s not second in this film that isn’t a reminder that New Orleans in its architecture, cuisine and multi-cultural diversity as well as in its music is a unique and major American center of culture. Murphy has made a film more valuable than he surely ever could have imagined.” Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times

“Make It Funky is a guaranteed blast, whether you are an expert in Crescent City sounds or a total newcomer wondering what makes New Orleans music so special.” Larry Katz, Boston Herald.

  -- back to top --