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PEOPLE & ARTS Thursday 15 February 2018

New IMAX movie 'America's Musical Journey' stars Aloe Blacc

By BETH J. HARPAZ musical traditions in the
AP Travel Editor South, beginning with mu-
NEW YORK (AP) — Can the sic brought here by en-
appeal of America's mu- slaved Africans. Over time,
sic help reverse the down- that music developed into
turn in international visitors genres like gospel, the
coming to the U.S.? blues and jazz. The stories
Brand USA, which markets of the legendary trumpeter
U.S. tourism around the Louis Armstrong in New Or-
world, hopes so. The agen- leans and rock 'n' roll phe-
cy is behind a new IMAX nomenon Elvis Presley in
movie called "America's Memphis are showcased
Musical Journey" that pre- along with scenes of break-
mieres this week. dancers in Times Square,
The 40-minute film aims to country music from Nash-
show off America's musi- ville and Motown in Detroit.
cal heritage to the world. The movie follows Blacc as
It's narrated by Morgan he travels from city to city,
Freeman and stars Gram- learning from local musi-
my-nominated singer- cians and incorporating
songwriter Aloe Blacc as their various styles into a
he explores American mu- new song of his own, "My
sic history in cities like New Story." In one memorable
Orleans, Memphis, Detroit scene during a stop in Mi- Filmmaker Greg MacGillivray, left, poses with singer-songwriter Aloe Blacc at a Manhattan pre-
and Miami. ami, he gets a lesson in view of the new IMAX movie "America's Musical Journey," Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2018, in New York.
Speaking at a media pre- Latin beats from superstar Associated Press
view in New York on Tues- Gloria Estefan and her hus-
day, Blacc said he hopes band, Emilio.
the movie sparks in view- Blacc said he'd been to all
ers a "love for music. I want the cities in the film before
them to learn about the making the movie but he
growth of different genres particularly enjoyed his visit
that were born here in the to Memphis, visiting Grace-
U.S. like jazz, blues, rock, land and digging deeper
even hip-hop. ... If you get into Presley's legacy.
to see 'America's Musical The film soundtrack fea-
Journey,' you'll see all the tures several of Blacc's oth-
best there is to see here in er songs including "Wake
the U.S. Politics aside, it's a Me Up" and "I Need a Dol-
beautiful country." lar," along with classics like
Tom Garzilli, chief market- Presley's "Jailhouse Rock"
ing officer for Brand USA, and Armstrong's "What a
said the film is designed to Wonderful World."
"remind the world how di- This is the second movie
verse, all-inclusive and wel- from Brand USA in collab-
coming the country is." oration with MacGillivray
International visitors to the Freeman Films. The first,
U.S. dipped nearly 4 per- "National Parks Adventure,"
cent during the first eight celebrated the beauty and
months of 2017 compared thrills of America's parks. It
to the same period in 2016. was released in 2016 and
Some in the travel industry shown in dozens of venues
have blamed the down- around the world, earning
turn on anti-immigrant and nearly $23 million. The films
anti-foreigner rhetoric from cost $12.5 million each to
the administration of Presi- produce and distribute.
dent Donald Trump. Garzilli said surveys of audi-
The movie looks at the ences who saw the movie
roots of African-American about national parks found
that 81 percent said they
were more likely to visit
the U.S. as a result and 62
percent had decided to
choose the U.S. over an-
other destination.
The film, sponsored by Ex-
pedia and AirCanada,
premieres at the Smithso-
nian Institution's National
Air and Space Museum on
Thursday in Washington,
D.C.q