Spike & Co.: Do It a Cappella is a 1990 PBS special directed by Spike Lee that aired as part of the Great Performances strand. It featured performances by The Mint Juleps, Take 6, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Rockapella and The Persuasions. The special also starred Lee and Debbie Allen, and featured cameo appearances by Samuel L. Jackson and several of Lee's musician friends.
A soundtrack was released on Elektra Records, but it excluded eight of the songs.
Plot Lee films cameos of several of his musician friends expressing irritation that they cannot participate in his Great Performances episode, as he has decided to devote it entirely to a cappella music. Lee and Allen watch the show's opening in a cinema. Then, Lee takes Allen to a seemingly shady building in Brooklyn (actually the Brooklyn Masonic Temple), where they listen to Rockapella, True Image, The Mint Juleps, and The Persuasions.
Afterward, the two attend a concert with all the featured a cappella groups at the BAM Majestic Theater. In between songs, there are interviews with the groups as well as songs heard in backstage rehearsals. Finally, Allen, inspired by all the music that she has heard, suggests that she do her next album a cappella, to Lee's chagrin.
Cast Spike Lee as himself Debbie Allen as herself
Cameos Samuel L. Jackson as the janitor Roberta Flack as herself Hugh Masekela as himself Branford Marsalis as himself Jay Hoggard as himself Bobbi Humphrey as herself Hon. David N. Dinkins as himself
Performers Rockapella True Image The Mint Juleps The Persuasions Take 6 Ladysmith Black Mambazo
Featured songs "Zombie Jamboree" – Rockapella "I Need You" – True Image "Don't Let Your Heart" – The Mint Juleps "Looking for an Echo" – The Persuasions "Get Away Jordan" – Take 6 "Something Within Me" – Take 6 † "Flat Tire" – Rockapella † "Under the Boardwalk" – Rockapella and True Image "Higher and Higher" – The Mint Juleps "Phansi em Godini (Down in the Mines)" – Ladysmith Black Mambazo "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" – Ladysmith Black Mambazo and The Mint Juleps "I'm Going Home on the Morning Train" – The Persuasions † "Gold Mine" – Take 6 † "Trickle, Trickle" – True Image † "Yes We Can Can" – True Image † "I Want to Live Easy" – The Mint Juleps "Set Me Free" – The Mint Juleps † "N'kosi Sikeleli Afrika (God Bless Africa)" – Ladysmith Black Mambazo "Pretty Woman" – Rockapella † "Up on the Roof" – The Persuasions "Pass On the Love" – The Persuasions
† indicates songs omitted from the soundtrack.
Soundtrack
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External links