For immediate release(5/27/99)
Contact: Professor Steve Balkin, VP Maxwell Street Historic Preservation Coalition, 312-341-3696
An email received just before Christmas 1997 has led two Brits to come to Chicago this month to make a TV documentary about Maxwell Street.
The email was from the Maxwell Street Historic Preservation Coalition asking producer Paul Baldwin of Nowmedia to write a letter of support for the Coalition. This he did and became further interested in the Maxwell Street saga.
"It's a fascinating story, " said Paul, " and is a great opportunity to make a documentary showing recent American history told by the people who lived it. I believe the Maxwell Street saga is a story well worth telling. There's a legacy here, not just for the people of Chicago or the US, but for blues enthusiasts and modern day historians around the world. There are some terrific stories to be told concerning Maxwell Street, stories of real life told by real people. It would be a great loss if these were to pass into history unrecorded."
The film will be produced by Paul Baldwin and directed by cameraman Yussef Nimer.
Yussef said, "We want this documentary to be a success, and judging from the amount of interest and support from the people in and around Chicago, it will be. I've never quite seen the amount of enthusiasm for a project as there has been for this one. It's very encouraging."
The film is to be the story of Maxwell Street that demonstrates its importance to developing blues music in the 20th century. It will focus on the history of the area and the present urban renewal developments by looking through the eyes of the people who used to work and live there. The intent is to provide a documentary, in an entertaining and musical way, that shows the challenges of urban renewal that face the Maxwell Street area of Chicago. It will aim to give a greater understanding and awareness of the Maxwell Street saga to the world public as well as demonstrate the blues music that developed there.
In addition to the video, they will be making an accompanying radio documentary which will be freely available to radio stations worldwide later this year.
This is the first international documentary made by Now Films. Previous work has included award winning radio documentaries, regional and network radio shows in the UK, corporate videos, and an award winning independent film.
For more details, e-mail: <nowfilms@nowmedia.co.uk> or contact Steve Balkin of the Maxwell Street Historic Preservation Coalition <mar@interaccess.com>, PH: 312-341-3696; Fax: 312-341-3680
Paul & Yussef will be in Chicago from Saturday, May 29 to Monday, June 7 and will be available for interviews.
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