In the summer of 1964, the murder of civil rights workers James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner transfixed the US. But alongside these historic events, another story was taking place. Two different groups, comprised of record collectors, college students and musicians set out for Mississippi, determined to track down a pair of legendary bluesmen – Son House and Skip James. DOXA Motion Pictures series and the Kay Meek Centre are very pleased to present Sam Pollard’s film Two Trains Runnin’.
Two Trains Runnin’ follows a remarkable series of coincidences, serendipity and, for lack of a better word, destiny. Both Son House and Skip James had recorded the bulk of their music some thirty years earlier and then, for all intents and purposes, vanished. One of the men describes the beginning of the expedition to find Son House as “Three Jews in a VW Bug with New York plates,” pointing their car south. Meanwhile, on the West Coast, musician John Fahey led another expedition to find Skip James. Unbeknownst to each other, both groups ended up discovering the object of their respective searches on exactly the same day — June 21, 1964.
Director Sam Pollard masterfully combines archival footage, animated sequences and contemporary performances from some of the most exciting blues performers including Valerie June, Chris Thomas King, Gary Clark Jr, Lucinda Williams, North Mississippi Allstars, and Buddy Guy. But it is the final stunning performance at the 1964 Newport Folk Festival that is truly the stuff of legend.
For more information please visit www.doxafestival.ca
Tickets are $10
