Review of Soul to Soul – An exhilarating 1971 musical film depicting the emotional return of black American stars to Ghana | film

TThis lively and memorable documentary, now restored, comes from Oscar-winning but somewhat overlooked filmmaker Dennis Sanders, made just a year after his acclaimed 1970 film Elvis: That’s the Way It Is, about Elvis Presley in Las Vegas. Soul to Soul is a recording of an epic Independence Day concert in Accra, Ghana, in 1971, by American and Ghanaian musicians. Ghana was chosen because it was the first sub-Saharan African country to gain independence from Britain. The American band included Tina Turner, Wilson Pickett, Santana, the Staple Singers and the Sounds of East Harlem.

The concert and film can now be seen as part of the American black consciousness debate of the time, which specifically valued the concept of the African motherland and the spiritual importance of returning to the wellspring of black American inspiration. With its shots of musicians boarding the plane bound for Ghana, and the rich, busy ambient material showing Accra street life, you may find yourself reminded of Leon Gast’s When We Were Kings, about the Ali/Foreman fight in what was then Zaire, though without the modern perspective. There are some very enjoyable performances, and Tina Turner’s extreme close-ups are where her energy is at its greatest.

This is a film in which there is no tension or discussion. There is a wide ceremonial unity. Performances on the same stage are intercut with segments on city streets, including a funeral complete with a sobbing widow. There is a visit to a slave castle, and reflections on Ghana’s tragic relationship with the slave trade. But there are no behind-the-scenes scenes, nor interviews with anyone waiting to go on. It’s about music, community and history.