UP FROM THE STREETS is a feature-length documentary that looks at the culture of New Orleans through the lens of music. New Orleans has a distinct history as a result of its political and social history. There is a thread that runs through the city that can be heard from the drumming at Congo Square in the 1700’s through to today’s vibrant music scene. The music of this city is a powerful form of expression. It was a vehicle to communicate a desire for freedom, express frustration of the injustices of segregation and Jim Crow laws, a healing force that helped bring the city back from the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, and is still a vital form of expression against ongoing cultural & racial biases. Executive Producer and host Terence Blanchard and Director Michael Murphy, show how the culture of the city is reflected in its music, how music impacts culture; and how even in the darkest of times, music lifts and unites.

The film features archival and newly filmed performances by iconic artists such as Louis Armstrong, Mahalia Jackson, Professor Longhair, Fats Domino, Allen Toussaint, Dr. John, The Preservation Hall Jazz Band, and The Neville Brothers; and interviews with NOLA musicians Branford Marsalis, Wynton Marsalis, Harry Connick Jr. and more as well commentary from Keith Richards, Robert Plant, Sting and Bonnie Raitt, among others.