Joe Lauro's New 'Legends of Rock' Compilation on Screen
A shot of rhythm and blues — and rock ’n’ roll, and maybe some folk and jazz to boot — may be the cure for cabin fever as South Fork residents settle into winter. Tomorrow at 8 p.m., the first of three “Legends of Rock” films, assembled by Joe Lauro of Historic Films Archive, will be screened at Bay Street Theater in Sag Harbor.
Historic Films Archive, which is based in Greenport, owns some 50,000 clips and acquires more all the time, said Mr. Lauro, who will host each screening. Armed with such a collection and an equally expansive passion for music, he is preparing a film showcasing rare footage of familiar artists, such as a clip of Joni Mitchell in a solo performance that aired on television exactly once, in 1969.
“We always have familiar people that everyone really likes,” Mr. Lauro said. “The thing is, there’s so much, and usually people only get to see things that are presented in documentaries, and you get only part of the song. Then, there are films made through the years that don’t get seen often. When you pick and choose to put together a program, some of it might be familiar, and some might not.”
Tomorrow, music fans can also expect to see and hear artists including the Doors, the Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin, the Rolling Stones, the Ike and Tina Turner Revue, and the Staples Singers. The film, which as he spoke he hadn’t finished editing, may also feature Dick Dale, “who people love out here, being one of the first and most influential surf guitarists.”
Last year saw the death of an inordinate number of musicians and singers, and tomorrow’s film will include a tribute to some of them, such as Leon Russell, Paul Kantner in a Jefferson Airplane performance shot by D.A. Pennebaker, and Glenn Fry, shown in performance with the Eagles on “Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert” in the early 1970s.
“I have some great, rare Leonard Cohen material,” Mr. Lauro said. “If it isn’t in this show, I’m sure I’ll get it into the next one.”
The second and third editions of this winter’s “Legends of Rock” series will be screened on Feb. 10 and March 10. “There’s a surprise in every one,” Mr. Lauro said. “And we go a little beyond rock ‘n’ roll: There will be some folk, some jazz, some rhythm and blues. It’s just great music, man.”
And just the jolt of energy to awaken a sleepy January night.
Tickets to “Legends of Rock,” tomorrow at 8 p.m. at Bay Street Theater, are $15 and available at baystreet.org or by calling the box office at 631-725-9500.