by Megan Robinson, Staff Writer

This year, the Tribeca Film Festival featured a myriad of music documentaries. From superstars that topped the charts, pioneers in their fields, and the man behind one of the premiere music festivals in the world, each subject is as enthralling as the last. In my final piece of Tribeca coverage, here are three music documentaries I urge you to look out for to really expand your horizons and taste.

Luther: Never Too Much
Directed by Dawn Porter
Runtime 101 minutes

The first thing Luther: Never Too Much wants to make clear about Luther Vandross is that to know him was to love him. A documentary’s reverence for its subject, especially when said subject was a chart-topping, wildly successful celebrity, can often spell disaster. More often than not, the artist isn’t challenged, neither in the documentary nor in their daily life. Vandross, however, faced an excruciating uphill battle as a larger Black man who was raised by a single mother in New York City. What director Dawn Porter does is challenge our notions of who is allowed to be a star, and how so many people, even in success, have the odds stacked against them with ever-moving goalposts. Vandross had financial success, sure, but what Porter gives him is the respect he deserved for so long.

From Sesame Street to Grammy-winning artist, Vandross lived a colorful and rich life even before his name was up in lights. Session musicians and backup singers are often the unsung heroes of our favorite musicians’ tracks; as an example, without Vandross, you don’t get the defined vocal textures of David Bowie’s Young Americans album. What Porter lays out, particularly through testimonials by Vandross’ friends and fellow session musicians, is just how vital Vandross was to popular music for the latter half of the 20th century, even before selling his first solo album in 1981. The film takes a deeply personal look at his career and life’s story even without the man himself able to reflect on his life today. The use of archival footage of the doc is especially strong, giving brief but honest looks at Vandross in front of the camera and behind the scenes, highlighting a simultaneous hilarity and strong work ethic that rivals the biggest stars today.

They All Came Out to Montreux
Directed by Oliver Murray
Runtime 92 minutes

Claude Nobs was more than just a festival organizer. Founding the Montreux Jazz Festival could make anyone an important figure in history, but what makes Nobs a legend, according to Oliver Murray’s documentary They All Came Out To Montreux, is the respect Nobs had for each artist he hosted there, creating a safe space in particular for Black artists beginning in the late 1960s. When each musician interviewed for Murray’s doc speaks about Nobs with such high regard, it’s out of more than admiration or obligation — it’s pure respect. In just a short ninety-two minutes, They All Came Out To Montreux paints a vivid portrait of Nobs, life in Montreux, and the festival’s storied history as a place that has hosted jazz musicians, rockers, DJs, and many more for nearly sixty years.

One of the most awe-inspiring aspects of the film is its use of archival footage. Nobs was committed to recording every performance he could, filming each show and selling dozens and dozens of live albums. This leaves us with particularly breathtaking performances, from Nina Simone and Ella Fitzgerald all the way to Prince and Sting. This footage stops you in your tracks as a completely mesmerizing account of some of the best musicians that ever lived. I even felt tears form in my eyes watching Miles Davis, in his later days, performing live with a full orchestra. This does, however, take up more space than anticipated; while each live presentation is captivating, the film will often struggle to get back into the biographical groove it set out to achieve. But what could be more representative of Claude Nobs’ legacy than letting the musicians shine in the spotlight on their own terms, playing not the hits for a great tour but the songs their hearts are singing?

Desire: The Carl Craig Story
Directed by Jean-Cosme Delaloye
Runtime 90 minutes

It’s wonderful to watch a pioneer get their flowers in their time. Desire: The Carl Craig Story aims to celebrate Carl Craig, a pioneering DJ of the Detroit techno scene. Craig has touched the lives of many musicians and DJs, working his way from the ground up as a young musician to an internationally recognized artist. Through a non-linear structure, we see snippets of Craig’s life and career from his start as a budding artist to performing at the previously mentioned Montreux Jazz Festival to opening an art exhibition in Los Angeles. Craig is a disciplined artist who prides himself on his professionalism and dedication to the craft — Jean-Cosme Delaloye’s documentary isn’t quite on that same level.

It’s a miracle to see a pioneer like Craig celebrated by his family, friends, and peers while he still has the time to appreciate it. Delaloye frames him as a larger than life figure that’s still a bit introverted, a person that has been able to act as a wise mentor and influence for so many others in the techno scene. While his impact and importance is obvious, Delaloye’s doc often looks amateurish in comparison to the years of dedicated work Craig has put into his own craft. The film’s connective tissue is reverence for Craig, a figure that’s worthy of such discussion but who never feels as fully explored as he could be. Despite this, Desire: The Carl Craig Story deserves to be seen by anyone who’s unfamiliar with the rich history of Detroit techno and its far-reaching influence.

Each of these documentaries show that music is made of many building blocks that artists have been adding to for decades; Craig was even influenced by Throbbing Gristle, the pioneering industrial band fronted by Genesis P-Orridge, themself the subject of S/He Is Still Her/e - The Official Genesis P-Orridge Documentary at Tribeca this year. Overall, each of these documentaries paint a fuller portrait of music history in the last 60 years, honing in on niches not always explored by the mainstream.