Mill Valley Film Festival 44

Encompassing a wealth of explosive archival performance footage and no shortage of players steeped in blues heritage, Born in Chicago pays loving tribute to a distinctly American art form. This joyous doc traces the origins of Chicago blues from the Deep South to the South Side, as white prodigies such as Paul Butterfield, Mike Bloomfield, and Barry Goldberg seek out and fall in with Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Buddy Guy, and other Black legends, learn from them, perform with them, and introduce their musical tradition to a new generation of fans. Proving the blues revival of the 1960s went beyond Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, and The Rolling Stones, directors John Anderson and San Francisco's Bob Sarles (Bang! The Bert Berns Story, MVFF 2016) meticulously showcase the era and conditions that made Chicago the epicenter of the American blues scene. Enthusiastically narrated by blues fan (and Blues Brother) Dan Aykroyd.