New Documentary Shines Light on Maxwell Street

By Chuck Sudo in Arts & Entertainment on Aug 1, 2008 4:30PM

There was an interesting article in yesterday's Wall Street Journal about a new multimedia documentary about the Old Maxwell Street Market released by blues, world, jazz and folk music label Shanachie Entertainment. The Life And Times Of Chicago's Legendary Maxwell Street combines a photo slideshow and classic films shot on Maxwell Street, a cd of blues tied to the market and a booklet of exhaustively researched information about Maxwell Street's history.

Executive producer Sherwin Dunner marveled at Maxwell Street's "city within a city that blossomed every weekend" and the loss of most of the direct ties between the old market and its current incarnation as University Village as reasons why the documentary was important to make. We're going to be on the lookout for this in stores; we've long been fans of Shanachie's Yazoo imprint, which is a treasure trove of turn-of-the-century and early 20th Century Delta blues and country.