We live in a golden age of documentaries. There seems to be more ways to watch more nonfiction films every day. That doesn’t mean that all of them are good. Many are too long, too lacking in good footage, too derivative too obvious, etc.
I can, however, write that the “Independent Lens” documentary “Rumble: The Indians Who Rocked the World” (10 p.m., PBS, TV-PG, check local listings) is rewarding in every conceivable way. It’s rich in great period and performance footage, filled with insightful commentary by artists and experts, and delightfully crammed with concepts that I had never before encountered. Best of all, its 90-minute running time seemed entirely too brief and had me clamoring for more.
It’s hard to say if “Rumble” is a history of popular music seen through the prism of the Native American experience or the story of America’s indigenous people seen as the chronicle of the country’s musical traditions. It makes a powerful argument that our culture reflects colors and experiences that transcend black and white.
The film opens with the song that provides its title, “Rumble,” by Link Wray. Its powerful, angry, explosive guitar riff is described here as the big bang of rock music, the creation of the power chord, without which there would be no Who, Led Zeppelin, heavy metal or punk. The song remains the only popular instrumental to be banned for inciting riots and is described here as a primal wail arising from Wray’s Shawnee roots.
During the course of “Rumble” we’re introduced to other artists who channeled Native American history and traditional music into their performance style, from blues pioneer Charley Patton (Choctaw and African-American) to big band singer Mildred Bailey (the Pacific Northwest’s Coeur d’Alene people) and Jimi Hendrix, whose part-Cherokee vaudevillian grandmother influenced his sound and style.
We also hear about The Band’s Robbie Robertson (Mohawk) who was central in Bob Dylan’s move from folk to an electric sound. Guitarist Jesse Ed Davis (Kiowa/Comanche) was so in demand that when George Harrison couldn’t get Eric Clapton for his Concert for Bangladesh, he enlisted Davis.
The list of talking head talent featured in “Rumble” is impressive. Quincy Jones, Tony Bennett, Iggy Pop, Jackson Browne, Steven Tyler, George Clinton, Slash and Buddy Guy to name a few. As always, Stevie Van Zandt is amusing as much for what he wears as what he says.
I loved this thoughtful film and I think you will too. If you can’t catch this broadcast, it can be streamed at pbs.org.
— I have nothing to write about a new “Big Brother: Celebrity Edition” (8 p.m., CBS, TV-PG) that wasn’t already said by Ricky Gervais in the final 2007 episode of “Extras” when his delusional character Andy Millman has a breakdown and realization about the soul-crushing, cancerous emptiness of tabloid culture on “Celebrity Big Brother.”
In that show within the show, he turns to the camera and tells his producers, “F— you, the makers of this show,” then looks straight at the cameras and tells the audience, “And f— you for watching.”
TONIGHT’S OTHER HIGHLIGHTS
— A teen sleuth searches for his father and upsets his school’s social order in the 2019 comedy “Bixler High Private Eye” (7 p.m., Nickelodeon, TV-G).
— Fan favorites perform on “America’s Got Talent” (8 p.m., NBC, TV-PG).
— A killer on the loose on “Magnum P.I.” (9 p.m., CBS, TV-14).
— “Robert Durst: An ID Murder Mystery” (9 p.m., ID, TV-14) explores the subject of HBO’s “The Jinx.”
— Brad seeks refuge with an old colleague on “The Passage” (9 p.m., Fox, TV-14).
— Ben and Grace search for Cal on “Manifest” (10 p.m., NBC, TV-PG).
— Safe from contagion, the staff adjusts on “The Good Doctor” (10 p.m., ABC, TV-14).
CULT CHOICE
TCM celebrates the career of Denzel Washington with a night of movies that feature some of his best performances, including “Glory” (8 p.m.), for which he was awarded an Oscar.
SERIES NOTES
Trendy tech fails on “The Resident” (8 p.m., Fox, TV-14) … Dining like pirates on “The Bachelor” (8 p.m., ABC, TV-PG) … Oliver returns on “Arrow” (8 p.m., CW, TV-14).
Khalil and Jennifer make plans on “Black Lightning” (9 p.m., CW, TV-14) … The jury is out on “Bull” (10 p.m., CBS, TV-14).
LATE NIGHT
“Conan Without Borders” (11 p.m., TBS, r, TV-14) visits Japan … Jimmy Fallon welcomes Kerry Washington, JoJO Siwa and Joe Jackson on “The Tonight Show” (11:35 p.m., NBC) … Colin Jost, Michael Che, Andrea Savage, Death Cab for Cutie and Venzella Joy visit “Late Night With Seth Meyers” (12:35 a.m., NBC) … Julia Roberts, Jason Momoa, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and She & Him appear on “The Late Late Show With James Corden” (12:35 a.m., CBS).
(Kevin McDonough can be reached at [email protected].)
