“Bayou Maharajah” attempts to dissect the myths that surrounded the late musician. Empire builder. In Bayou Maharajah, the city is context and puppet for the music, at turns buoyant and claustrophobic. Helpful. First, Keber limits herself to a roster of interviewees whose connections to Booker are both deep and complicated. Highly recommended. These people (almost all men) still love him and laugh about him, marvel at his unbelievable creativity, but continue to shake their heads, speechless at his disaster. Illustrated with never-before-seen concert footage, rare personal photos and exclusive interviews, the film paints a portrait of this overlooked genius. (2013). This film sheds some much-needed light on one of the most flamboyant and talented musicians that New Orleans has ever produced. Directed by Lily Keber. The laborious waking, rushed vibrancy and sudden emptiness–that’s an effective parallel for the man’s art. This balance is essential to understanding Booker’s imbalance and its consequences. James Carroll Booker III was born in Charity Hospital in 1939 and he died there in 1983. Bayou Maharajah You feel you’re among neither fans nor collaborators, but assembled brothers who mourn a lost soul so raw and dazzling, it barely seems gone. Footage from his childhood in Bay St. Louis shares space with an animated segment on the nine year-old Booker’s ambulance accident and fateful exposure to morphine. … In the process, the musician’s piano-prodigy childhood and paranoid addict adulthood are unpacked through interviews with people who knew Booker, and the performer’s diaries. Bayou Maharajah explores the life and music of New Orleans piano legend James Booker, the man Dr. John described as "the best black, gay, one-eyed junkie piano genius New Orleans has ever produced." Ephemera reveal new jokes: a Detective Faulkner was the arresting officer when Booker got busted outside the Dew Drop. Keber raised funds on the Kickstarter website to complete the film, as she needed to cover licensing costs to include all of the "concert footage, home movie, funky photo and unreleased audio" that she uncovered across the U.S. … View production, box office, & company info. The People Say Project. Second, the use of stock footage to illuminate the nuances and spirituality of Booker’s music is superb. As the end approaches, we get a time-lapse portrayal of the Ninth Ward bar Vaughan’s opening and closing, a whole night atop one Booker song. One wishes he could hear the applause. Reviewed by Brian Boyles. The countless misadventures and moods of our hero present a challenge for a filmmaker, but Booker loyalists will have a hard time arguing with the relevant legends and artifacts contained herein. It … Yet none of this would hold together without two crucial accomplishments. He plaid classical, blues, gospel, jazz and other genres, but the connections he made on the keyboard remain original, idiosyncratic. Reviewed in the United States on April 26, 2016. With James Booker, Joe Boyd, Douglas Brinkley, Harry Connick Jr.. Bayou Maharajah explores the life and music of New Orleans piano legend James Booker, the man Dr. John described as "the best black, gay, one-eyed junkie piano genius New Orleans has ever produced." You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. Netflix Comings and Goings: September 2016, 7 Films New to Netflix to Watch In September 2016, Including ‘Zootopia’ and ‘The Imitation Game’, Bayou Maharajah review – like trying to bottle lightning. In addition to paying fitting tribute to Booker's music, what really shines here is Keber's portrayal of his tortured and complicated personality. Netflix has reportedly signed a deal with David Beckham and his family for a documentary series all about the careers and l ives of the famous family. What Keber does is neither overgeneralization nor rigid specificity–concert film after concert film whenever we want to hear some Booker. Documentary Music History Biography Type Movies IDMB rating 7.6 (169 votes) Netflix rating 3.1 Metacritics rating 73.0 Rotten Tomatoes rating 86.0% Directors Lily Keber Actors Charles Neville, Allen Toussaint, Irma Thomas, Dr. John, Joe Boyd, James Booker, Douglas Brinkley, Hugh … A brilliant pianist, his eccentricities and showmanship belied a life of struggle, prejudice, and isolation. Dr. John described James Booker as "the best black, gay, one-eyed junkie piano genius New Orleans has ever produced." Ribald and entertaining as he remains, Booker’s is not a happy story. This FAQ is empty. Bayou Maharajah explores the life and music of New Orleans piano legend James Booker. 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