Cast
Betty Black
Wax Poetic
Brazilian Girls
Forro in the Dark
The Real Live Show
Program notes
The Nublu Club – One of the most distinctive live music venues in New York City
Located in the heart of East Village, Nublu is the contemporary reflection of the cultural variety of an area which was once home of many great artists like Alain Ginsberg, Jackson Pollock, Joey Ramone, Iggy Pop, Joe Strammer, Madonna and more. When we asked owner Ilhan Ersahin about the magic happening at Nublu, he answered, "We just play music [...] we want to spread the music."
Indeed this place is like a clubhouse with no sign at the door, no stage and very low lighting where friends get together and just play music with each other. However, as is often the case, what seems most simple is most special. As we see within the documentary, the improvisations of musicians playing in Nublu give rise to songs, and those momentary communions of musicians become bands like Betty Black, Wax Poetic, Brazilian Girls, Forro in The Dark, The Real Live Show, all representing different sounds, but a similar ideal. The Nublu sound is a mix of influences from around the globe, including jazz, hip-hop, afro-beat, Brazilian bossanova, dance and dub music. This sound has attracted the admiration of great artists like David Byrne, Moby, Bebel Gilberto and Thievery Corporation.
The purpose of this documentary is to introduce the Nublu community of musicians and the distinct way they relate with each other and their music, to a wider audience. It is interesting to note that in New York, a city famous for its musical productions, a non-commercial place like Nublu is not only viable, but continues to inspire a big following of music fans with high quality music.