THE TORCH – Continuing a Blues Legacy | Film Review

If you are not already a fan of Chicago Blues Legend Buddy Guy you are very likely to become one after seeing THE TORCH a new documentary directed by Jim Ferrell and distributed by IFC Films, set to premiere as the closing night presentation at the 55^th Annual Chicago International Film Festival.

The nearly two-hour movie demonstrates Guy’s devotion to paying homage to those who preceded him such as blues greats like Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf as well as his passion for encouraging new talent, specifically young guitarist Quinn Sullivan who Buddy discovered in 2007 when the boy was just seven years old.

It might be said that Buddy Guy is something of a late bloomer winning eight Grammy Awards after the age of 55 but the truth is those rewards were late coming due in part to the short-sightedness of Chicago’s Chess Records who did not fully understand or appreciate who they had in their midst.

Born in Louisiana, he grew up picking cotton and playing music on a homemade instrument. At some point he got a real guitar and eventually was good enough to set off for Chicago.

Ill-prepared for the cold weather and with basically no money the nearly starving musician finally caught a break that led to appearances at various clubs around town.

Working as a tow truck mechanic while periodically sitting in as a session guitarist on few records, Guy first began to gain well deserved notoriety with the British invasion of the late 1960s after groups like The Rolling Stones made a pilgrimage to Chicago to see the great Blues musicians whose recordings they had listened to and whose sound they revered.

World-renowned rock and roll guitarists like Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck, and Carlos Santana have all been inspired and influenced by Buddy Guy.

Guitar prodigy Quinn Sullivan a native of New Bedford, Massachusetts is given nearly equal time in this documentary as Guy’s protégé and some say heir apparent.

In 2008 just one year after the two met, Sullivan then not even nine years old performed a featured solo on the cut “Who’s Gonna Fill Those Shoes” in Guy’s Grammy-nominated album “Skin Deep.”

Since then the young man has been traveling the world playing concerts with his mentor sharing licks and getting valuable life lessons.

One bandmate describes Quinn as an “old soul.”

It is evident that there is a genuine rapport between the two virtuosos. At 83, Guy does not talk down to the younger Sullivan nearly 70 years his junior but rather treats him like a fellow professional. He expects much from the young musician who never fails to deliver.

So therein lies the title of this film THE TORCH demonstrating Buddy’s love for those who mentored him including the promise he made to keep the blues alive and doing so by actively “passing it on” to the next generation.

BELOW ARE A FEW YOUTUBE VIDEOS OF BUDDY GUY AND QUINN SULLIVAN