DOCUMENTARY REVIEW: AMERICAN SYMPHONY

 

4/5

Great Orchestration. 

103 Mins. Starring: Jon Batiste & Suleika Jaouad. Director: Matthew Heineman. On: Netflix.

We are, as individuals and collectively as people, a collection of both our best and worst moments. American artist and spirited musician Jon Batiste, whose name evokes both John the Baptist and the art of New York's very own Basquiat, had one of the greatest moments of his career on stage at the Late Night Stephen Colbert show, all whilst going through truly tragic times back home. Garnering more Grammy nominations than any other American artist or otherwise that year, as he and his wife were fighting for her life with her ongoing battle with cancer. The wonderful writer Suleika Jaouad turned her leukaemia diagnosis into a New York Times bestselling book, but both successes for this power couple couldn't compare to just their absolute and resolute will and endurance in the face of it all to just get through this together. 

A new Netflix documentary 'American Symphony', which you can stream next to this year's best, takes us behind the scenes of what that really means, for the 'World Music', 'Soul' singer and the love of his life that is more than his muse, but an accomplished artist in her own right (notice the name and the billing of this film, it's not just Jon). You think you've seen your fair share of inspiring TED talks? Then wait until you witness her stirring speech in the fight of her life. Beginning with the aftermath of fireworks, car horns punctuate a New York New Year's night. But all that outside white noise doesn't mean much to the couple sitting on their sofa, together through life like Dylan in their apartment uptown. All they have and all they need is curled up in each other's hands. The perfect way to ring in the new calendar after a resolute twelve months of sweet success and bitter struggles. Right by each other's side.

Taylor Swift's concert film may be taking over cinemas this year like she has done all the world's stages, but this is also the Batiste era. Jon's version. And yes, of course anyone trying to promote, not provoke, or preach, positivity is going to be met with outlandish opposition on the too critical and negative front. But he and Suleika have faced far worse. Critics called for his classic nomination to be revoked because he was a pop artist. That sounds like something else, doesn't it? Like when golf tried to oust Tiger. Well, just like that, Jon replied in not so subtle, but beautiful kind without needing to clap back. Although you can see and feel his frustration, palpable, like for so many other Americans who and just trying to make their own way and money in the so-called opportune land of the free. Even though they don't see their faces on the same money that was made off of their backbreaking work.

Batiste doesn't brood, but instead brews up some of the best music you've ever heard in this mainstream of malaise, hitting the spot like a fresh cup of coffee, or the feeling of a new romance. Singing and dancing in the streets with kids instruments to the stages of Hollywood with the like of Gagas and Biebers looking on in admiration. Because after all it's like NBA legend Kevin Garnett said to begin KG's game-changing 'A to Z' autobiography encyclopedia, "he who angers you, owns you." If Jon Batiste fell into the same negativity critics try to drown him in, he'd sink. But instead he positively and powerfully rises above all the tides, to emerge as epic and great as you've never seen him before. The first person to congratulate him after his Grammy performance collecting the gold like Adele, or when Norah Jones told you to come away with her, Billie Eilish...who he just beat for record of the year. 

Intimate and inspired, this Netflix 'Symphony' on an unfinished career and life is major. Directed delicately and brilliantly by Matthew Heineman, there are some mesmerizing moments between all the hard work it has taken for Batiste to perfect his craft, and the even tougher struggle that is gone into Jaouad's health battles. One moment of them on a snow sled for Jon's first time is absolutely lovely and will remind that even though this time of the year is the coldest, you couldn't feel any warmer than with the one who beats closest to your heart. Remixing Beethoven and reaching for Higher Ground like Stevie, this is the second co-Netflix production from the Obama's on black power in as much as a month, after their revelatory 'Rustin', starring surely the Best Actor Oscar winner come next February, Colman Domingo. 

This marching band leader has a dream too. Culminating in a classic concert in the legendary, as he's about to be, Carnegie Hall. One of the most terrific and telling moments in this doc however, is when we see Jon getting his shoes shined at an airport with the kindly business owner. Intrigued by the camera, he doesn't know quite what he's seeing yet, the morning after the Grammys. Then, terminal to terminal, many a passer-by begins to recognize Batiste, even masked up during the pandemic, and rushing to make a connection. Following that, the man looks at the front page of the day's paper. The shy joy when he reveals to Jon who it is simply beautiful like an Al Green song. As is their brief but warmth filled communication. Right on. Batiste is best. This is America's greatest modern symphony. TIM DAVID HARVEY.

Further Filming: 'Beyoncé: Homecoming', 'Gaga: Five Foot Two', 'Soul'.