90 minSeason 1 • Episode 7
LatestThe film features interviews and live performances of piano players Ray Charles, Dave Brubeck, Dr. John and Marcia Ball. Eastwood interviews artists as Ray Charles, Dr. John, Marcia Ball, Pinetop Perkins, Dave Brubeck, Jay McShann, Henry Gray and shows archival performances of Fats Domino, Otis Spann, Art Tatum, Albert Simmons, Pete Johnson, Jay McShann, Big Joe Turner, Nat King Cole, Martha Davis, Professor Longhair, Charles Brown and Duke Ellington. Remarkable are two early performances of the Chess Records houseband with Otis Spann, Willie Dixon and, probably, Fred Below.
The Blues (2003) is a seven-part documentary series produced by Martin Scorsese that explores the history and influence of blues music. Each episode, directed by a different filmmaker, traces a unique aspect of the genre’s evolution—from its African roots to its global impact. Originally airing on PBS, the series includes Scorsese’s Feel Like Going Home, Wim Wenders’ The Soul of a Man, Richard Pearce’s The Road to Memphis, Charles Burnett’s Warming by the Devil’s Fire, Marc Levin’s Godfathers and Sons, Mike Figgis’ Red, White and Blues, and Clint Eastwood’s Piano Blues.
Direction
Seven wildly different visions—Scorsese's reverence vs. Wenders' obsession.
Writing
Narratives that respect the music's pain without exploitation.
Practical Effects
Archival footage so raw you can smell the Mississippi humidity.
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The series sparked controversy for centering mostly white directors to tell Black stories—Scorsese specifically asked Charles Burnett to join as the sole Black filmmaker in the lineup.
Eric Clapton broke down crying on camera during his interview, which Scorsese originally wanted to cut until musicians insisted it stay—the moment captures the genuine spiritual debt rock owes to blues.
US
