Robert Mugge – MRQE

Hellhounds on My Trail: The Afterlife of Robert Johnson (V)

Wed, 27 Aug 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Hellhounds On My Trail is a tribute to the influence of Delta Blues legend Robert Johnson and the effect that he has had on today’s music. The film was made in conjunction with the “American Masters Series” week-long tribute put on by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and chronicles the legacy of Robert Johnson through interviews and speeches by a number of musicologists and through the performances of Robert Johnson’s work by a number of fairly popular contemporary artists. The film features performances from Rob Wasserman and Bob Weir from the Grateful Dead; Keb’ Mo; Robert Lockwood Jr.; G Love and Special Sauce; Gov’t Mule and a lot of other performers.

Blues Divas

Tue, 02 Sep 2025 04:00:00 +0000

A documentary featuring live performance footage and interviews with eight contemporary female blues’ artists including Mavis Staples, Denise LaSalle, Irma Thomas, Odetta, Deborah Coleman, Bettye LaVette, Ann Peebles and Renee Austin.

Saxophone Colossus

Wed, 27 Aug 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Tenor saxophone master Sonny Rollins has long been hailed as one of the most important artists in jazz history, and still, today, he is viewed as the greatest living jazz improviser. In 1986, filmmaker Robert Mugge produced Saxophone Colossus, a feature-length portrait of Rollins, named after one of his most celebrated albums.

Deep Blues

Sun, 24 Aug 2025 04:00:00 +0000

This warm 90 minutes documentary shows us unknown blues musicians from Mississippi. They play everywhere : on the streets, in dirty little bars, in a barber shop, in big clubs. The film really captures the true faces of blues and shows us that this music had nothing to do with nostalgia or record company hypes. Documentary on the Delta blues.

Pride and Joy: The Story of Alligator Records

Fri, 22 Aug 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Renowned music documentarian Robert Mugge explores the origins of the legendary blues imprint Alligator Records, tracing its roots in idealistic label boss Bruce Iglauer. Pointing his cameras at a March 1992 concert in Philadelphia held to celebrate Alligator’s 20th anniversary, Mugge weaves live performance footage from the likes of Elvin Bishop, Lonnie Brooks and Koko Taylor with eye-opening revelations from Iglauer on the joys and pitfalls of running an independent music label.

The Return of Ruben Blades

Tue, 02 Sep 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Robert Mugge’s 1986 film provides a full-blooded portrait of the Latino singer, actor, bandleader, and composer. Blades’ Panama homeland, his Harvard Master’s degree, and a New York performance with his band Seis de Solar all serve as stops on this biographical journey.