Exclusive: Poster For SXSW Rock Doc 'Bayou Maharajah: The Tragic Genius of James Booker'

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by Kevin Jagernauth
March 6, 2013 9:59 AM
3 Comments

There are a lot of things to take in at SXSW -- BBQ, beer, movies and just the general vibe of Austin, Texas in the spring. But just as integral is the music. As usual, each year the SXSW Film Festival dedicates a section of their programming to movies and documentaries about music, and one that might be worth tracking down between platters of ribs is a film about who Dr. John described as "the best black, gay, one-eyed junkie piano genius New Orleans has ever produced."

Director Lily Keber's "Bayou Maharajah: The Tragic Genius of James Booker" will be unspooling at SXSW, and we've got the exclusive poster below, and it pretty clearly lays out why Booker fascinated many. Indeed, while Booker's unique characteristics may have marginalized him, his fusion of sacred, pop and classical music in the '60s and '70s still scored him a following, and the roster of interview subjects in the documentary is a testament to that. Harry Connick Jr., Hugh Laurie (who is also a blues musician when off set), Dr. John, Allen Toussaint, soul legend Irma Thomas and more feature in 'Bayou Maharajah.'

The documentary will make its world premiere on March 14th at the Topfer Theater at ZACH. Check out the full poster below.

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More: Bayou Maharajah: The Tragic Genius of James Booker, SXSW Film Festival, South By Southwest Film Conference and Festival (SXSW)

3 Comments

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ben f | March 7, 2013 10:13 AMReply

I had the privilege, with a small group of booker heads, of seeing Booker every Tuesday at the Maple Leaf for awhile before he died unexpectedly. Nothing can replace those performances. Booker would play off of the audience, even the smallest expression, going to wherever he wanted, and throwing in a change to see the effect. Wow ! This film is long due and many thanks to Lily Keber !
Mnizzle Fo | March 6, 2013 6:43 PMReply

Dr. John's autobiography has a ton of interesting and humorous Booker stories.
McKenzie | March 6, 2013 2:23 PMReply

YES! He's been a favorite of mine for a long time. Not a ton of information about him out there so I'm excited to see this.