Doc TAKE ME TO THE RIVER Bridges Music Generations & Exposes Memphis Soul

Director Martin Shore discusses his new documentary Take Me to the River, which digs into Memphis’ deep musical roots and connects blues and R&B legends to some of today’s biggest artists.

“When you get right down to it I’ve been a musician since I was five,” Shore said about his inspiration for the film. “I’m a musician at heart and come from the music world. Really everything that I‘ve done sort of has a musical cadence to it.”

He realized it was time for the Memphis-based story to be told, but was in talks with producer/composer Cody Dickinson about the project for about three years.

“I was embodied with this feeling of why hasn’t our story of where popular music came from, been told properly. And why hasn’t the world known about this story and why did the international spotlight move from the Mississippi Delta and Memphis, never to return.”

Shore himself is a seasoned musician, having toured with stars including Bo Diddley, Albert Collins, Bluesman Willie and many others. He’s also produced soundtracks and served as music supervisor for a number of successful movies, including Saw, Saw II, Rize, and Rock School.

The film celebrates the inter-generational and inter-racial musical influence of Memphis in the face of pervasive discrimination and segregation, and brings multiple generations of award-winning musicians together.

Among the artists who took part in the project were Terrence Howard, William Bell, Snoop Dogg, Mavis Staples, Otis Clay, Lil P-Nut, Charlie Musselwhite, Bobby “Blue” Bland, Yo Gotti, Bobby Rush, Frayser Boy, The North Mississippi All-Stars.

“The idea was to take legacy musicians and pair them with stars of today to make something that was relevant, fresh, new and exciting,” Shore said. “But it was also a way of showing how our music was made – what influenced and inspired popular music.”

He revealed that everything was filmed live on the floor and some sessions included up to 16 musicians playing live, with live vocals.

“The idea of showing true art, true collaboration, and true master craftsmen – mentoring and passing things on. It’s important that we (share) our culture and that we show people hundreds of thousands of years from now, what we were about and who we are. “

Shore said that typically there were no rehearsals, as the musicians usually came together with not much advance notice. “About 99 percent of what you see is exactly what was happening day of. There was not a lot of communication between each other.”

The director said Take Me to the River was truly the creation of a record on film. “I’ve never seen a music movie that really created real music right in front of you. So we were creating a record in front of you. So by the time we’re done with the film, the record’s finished.”