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Critic’s Pick
At the heart of this documentary from Marlon Johnson and Anne Flatté is a drum line in Louisville, Ky., that offers children a chance to engage with Black art and history.
By Teo Bugbee
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Early on in the beautiful documentary “River City Drumbeat,” two leaders from the River City Drum Corp teach elementary school students in Kentucky a drum lesson. Albert Shumake, a new father who has been involved with the corp since his childhood, inspires students by bringing them back to their elemental beginnings. He reminds the class that the first sound they heard was their mother’s heartbeat. As he speaks, his mentor Nardie White accompanies him on a drum, following Shumake’s lead with a solid and simple beat.
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