Put some soul in your summer courtesy of this foot-stomping concert film
In October 1974, George Foreman and Muhammad Ali flew to Zaire for their legendary title bout The Rumble in the Jungle. That fight is one of the most celebrated events in the history of boxing, but what most folks don’t know is that a unique music festival took place only days before Ali and Foreman touched gloves in the ring. To generate more enthusiasm and publicity for the Rumble, promoter Don King organized a three-day concert entitled Zaire ’74, which featured a stellar line-up of such musical superstars as James Brown, B.B. King and Celia Cruz, as well as numerous African musicians like popular singer Miriam Makeba. The festival was captured on film, but due to legal issues, the footage remained in the vault for three decades…until now. Currently playing at the Tribeca Film Festival, Soul Power goes into wide release on July 10.
