90+ minutes, color. Essential. Full Moon Lightnin' isn't Hollywood glitz with a story-line so far removed from truth that you wonder what you're seeing. It's not all too often that items reviewed here garner a full-on 'essential' rating; in the past, that lofty position has been reserved for outstanding reissues of vintage blues. This documentary is neither a reissue nor is it vintage blues in the truest sense. In actuality, it's difficult to call it a documentary as it seems more like a travelogue. The story focuses on Joel Poluck, a young guitar player of note, and Floyd Lee, an aging bluesman, and the trials and tribulations these wonderful friends share. Without giving away the farm, "THIS IS NOTHING SHORT OF AN ABSOLUTELY REMARKABLE PIECE OF CINEMATIC BRILLIANCE!" While Lee searches for remnants of his past and those whom he knew decades ago in Mississippi, Poluck is desperately trying to hold onto what's near and very dear to him. The music throughout is startling, regardless of whether your preferences are for more traditional or modern blues. Poluck's guitar work is deeply rooted, but at the same time he shows he's able to take the music into the 21st century without losing the essence of blues' lengthy past. Lee, on the other hand, is seemingly stuck in a time-warp; his six-string work is wonderfully primitive, archaic and raw. Whether playing on the streets of New York, the juke joints of Mississippi or within the confines of a recording studio, Poluck and Lee make truly memorable music and share a story quite unlike anything you've seen before. "THIS IS TRUTH. THIS IS REAL. THIS IS LIFE. THIS IS BLUES." Full Moon Lightnin' is, without question, a completely soul-stirring film that gives us hope by clearly and painfully showing that we've all had to deal with our own blues in one form or another. There's a limited edition 2-disc set currently available that features a full-length audio CD in addition to the 90-minute DVD. Please, do not miss this unforgettable journey! © 2009 by Craig Ruskey

Full Moon Lightnin' Amogla Records (2009) DVD 90+ minutes, color. Essential. It's not all too often that items reviewed here garner a full-on 'essential' rating. In the past, that lofty position has been reserved for outstanding reissues of vintage blues. The documentary Full Moon Lightnin' is neither a reissue nor is it vintage blues in the truest sense. In actuality, it's difficult to call it a documentary as it seems more like a travelogue. The story focuses on Joel Poluck, a young guitar player of note, and Floyd Lee, an aging bluesman and the travels these wonderful friends share. Without giving away the farm, this is "NOTHING SHORT OF AN ABSOLUTELY REMARKABLE PIECE OF CINEMATIC BRILLIANCE." While Lee searches for remnants of his past and those whom he knew decades ago in Mississippi, Poluck is desperately trying to hold on to what's near and very dear to him. The music throughout is startling, regardless of whether your preferences are for more traditional or modern blues. Poluck's guitar work is deeply rooted, but at the same time he shows he's able to take the music into the 21st century without losing the essence of the lengthy past the blues has. Lee, on the other hand, is seemingly stuck in a time-warp as his six-string work is wonderfully primitive, archaic and raw. Whether playing on the streets of New York, the juke joints of Mississippi or within the confines of a recording studio, Poluck and Lee make some truly memorable music and share a story quite unlike anything you've seen before. This isn't Hollywood glitz with a story-line so far removed from truth that you wonder what you're seeing. "THIS IS LIFE. THIS IS REAL. THIS IS TRUTH. THIS IS BLUES." Full Moon Lightnin' is, without question, a completely soul-stirring film that gives us hope by clearly and painfully showing that we've all had to deal with our own blues in one form or another. There's a limited edition 2-disc set currently available that features a full-length audio CD in addition to the 90-minute DVD. Please, do not miss this unforgettable journey! Full Moon Lightnin' © 2009 by Craig Ruskey