Thunder Soul At Discovery Green

Houston, Texas 1975 in the heart of the Trinity Garden neighborhood, a small high school made history without even trying. Thunder Soul is a tribute to the band director who made it possible and documents their story. Discovery Green Houston plays host to the Houston Cinema Arts Festival and will feature an introduction by film director Mark Landsman, an outdoor screening of Thunder Soul and a follow up performance by the nationally known Kashmere Reunion Band on Saturday, November 13th at 6:45 p.m.




The documentary celebrates the Kashmere Stage Band's rise to prominence in the mid 7's despite facing poverty and limited notoriety as a band. Inspired by an Otis Redding concert, Conrad Johnson, known as "Prof" to his students, translated a jazzy the performance style to the Kashmere Stage Band. Under Johnson's tutelage, the KSB earned awards and accolades on a local, regional and national level.

Complete with file footage, photos and interviews with contributing members of the band known as Thunder Soul, viewers are transported to a time of afros and bellbottoms and treated to soul funk sounds that are currently lauded by hip hop dj's such as Handsome Boy Modeling School and DJ Shadow, who contributed to the film's soundtrack.


In February of 2008, Thunder Soul staged a reunion to honor the inimitable Johnson, who was 92 at the time. Participants ranged from members of the band who were still actively pursuing their musical aspirations to those who hadn't picked up their instruments in more than 2 decades, but all shared the common desire to pay homage to their mentor and leader.

For more information...
http://www.discoverygreen.com/
http://thundersoulmovie.com/