Review: ‘It Was the Music' (2020)

This clearly wasn’t a simple concept to execute — and without the unique, often playful, tone of the narration, It Was the Music might’ve been more a muddled compilation of clips than actual, cohesive reality

★★★★

NR - Documentary (Limited Series)

dir. Mark Moskowitz

“IT WAS THE MUSIC is both a musical odyssey and deeply personal love story about two musicians who, in search of what they call “music utopia,” step off the tour bus and into the limelight to make it on their own. ”

— Official Synopsis

As cliché as it sounds, music travels. Much like artists Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams, who hit the road for this 10-part documentary spanning the course of 15 months, music has a way of finding an audience. You may not instantly recognize those names, but I assure you that they do have an important place in music history. Campbell is a 3x Grammy Award-winning producer and Williams is best known for her work as a vocalist and, additionally, an actor in Keep on the Sunny Side and Always…Patsy Cline. Together, the pair create a [musical] culmination of classic rock ‘n’ roll, blues, gospel, all with some country roots entwined.

Director Mark Moskowitz’s (Stone Reader) approach to documenting their journey together is truly fascinating. Rather than focus entirely on live performances, we are treated to smaller, more intimate moments between our two leads and their colleagues/family. At one point early on in the series, Moskowitz even gives Williams a camera so she can document the moments leading up to the departure from their home. Fortunately, there are many more personal accounts such as this one. Those scenes, in particular, stood out to me — as you get a better understanding of how Teresa navigates a normal life outside of her artistry.

For people who are unaware of the process from studio to stage, this will be an eye-opening experience. The sheer amount of locations throughout the leg of the tour is overwhelming but reminds you just how much work goes into having a platform of any kind. Props to the entire cast and crew for spending their time entrenched in the documentary process. This clearly wasn’t a simple concept to execute — and without the unique, often playful, tone of the narration, It Was the Music might’ve been more a muddled compilation of clips than actual, cohesive reality.

On that note, the series does, at times, protrude beyond the point of interest. There’s a great amount of momentum at the beginning of the series: so many questions about who these musicians are and where they are going. Towards the middle, however, it begins to feel stagnant. If not for the live performances in each episode, which are typically the pinnacle of storytelling, there would be no glue holding the themes of It Was the Music together for the full duration of the series. Still, each stage the couple embrace is critical in exploring their love and interpersonal connections with their fans. Plus, it’s just plain entertaining.

Through his conversations with both Campbell and Williams, it’s clear that Moskowitz’s ultimate goal is to encourage the viewer to reflect on the influences early rock ‘n’ roll had on the American music industry. But, it’s not just rock ‘n’ roll, as the series examines different genres and how they collide with each other. Moskowitz’s admiration for music permeates through every frame. If you need any more proof, pay attention to the scene where he and Larry sift through a pile of the records that inspired them. At the very least, the viewer might learn a thing or two about the evolution of music over the past several decades. However, for fans of Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams or any of the main genre staples, this will provide more intrigue.

In the most sincere way, It Was the Music humanizes the musical duo. Campbell and Williams are not your typical “stars,” and it’s definitively more relatable. There is no glamorization of lifestyle here; what we see is what we get from these artists. For many casual viewers, this will be a different approach for learning about these individuals — but certainly more rewarding. While some portions of the journey have too much excess material, the heart of the series is undeniably pure. For that reason alone, It Was the Music exceeds all expectations.

The seriesis joined by a stellar soundtrack collecting previously unreleased music from Campbell and Williams, including very special new renditions of songs made famous by The Band, Grateful Dead, Little Feat, Buffalo Springfield, and more, performed alongside such friends as Patty Griffin, Buddy Miller, Bill Payne, and the late Levon Helm’s world-famous Midnight Ramble Band: https://open.spotify.com/album/0HjVxrWjhd7iNUQU93BW59?si=BhEQJ65dR4ybyqVhJkTYZA

The full series premiered on FANS (https://fans.live) - and it was the first film series to be streamed on the platform. Here’s a link to the series’ site: https://www.itwasthemusic.net

It’s also now available on Amazon Prime Video: https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B08PMRGPXT/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r