Prison blues documentary launches jazz festival

What happens when legendary Canadian blues artist and Sudbury Jazz Festival headliner Rita Chiarelli visits inmates who are blues musicians in one of America’s largest and most notorious prisons?

You can find out by attending a special screening of the documentary “Music From the Big House” on Sept. 8 at 7 p.m. at Rainbow Cinemas.

The screening of the film marks the official launch of this year’s Jazz Sudbury Festival, being held Sept. 8-11 on the grounds of Science North.

The documentary, by Canadian director Bruce McDonald (Roadkill, Highway 61, Dance Me Outside, Hard Core Logo, The Tracey Fragment), follows Chiarelli as she visits the Louisiana State Prison, known as Angola, a 5,000-inmate maximum security prison where the vast majority of inmates are serving life sentences.

In the 1930s, Angola Prison was also home to one of the pioneers of the blues, Lead Belly.

Chiarelli meets some of the inmates whose lives are being changed by the blues. As Chiarelli herself says in the documentary, “Now, the rest of the country might not think they deserve a second chance. But I think music can set us all free for an hour or so.”

It’s not the first time Chiarelli and McDonald have collaborated on a film. Chiarelli’s songs are featured on the soundtracks of McDonald’s films “Highway 61” and “Roadkill.” She will also be present for a question and answer period following the film screening.

“Music From the Big House” is being presented by Jazz Sudbury and the John Howard Society of Sudbury. Tickets for the screening are $20.

For tickets and information for “Music From the Big House” and other Jazz Sudbury initiatives, visit www.jazzsudbury.ca, phone 705-673-7770 or visit the John Howard Society at 204 Pine St.