V. Scott Balcerek’s excellent new documentary, Satan & Adam, a Kennedy-Marshall Co. production, will premiere April 12, 2019, in theatres.
The film takes the viewer on an emotional journey of two very different men, socially, and the forging of their unlikely musical connection. One old, one young. One black, one white. Graduate student versus the streets. Set in the late 80s and early 90s in New York City, Sterling “Satan” Magee, and Adam Gussow were a prominent street performance duo in Harlem.
Initially, the film establishes the forming of the bond between the two men: how they met, and what their early interactions were like. Harlem, as the backdrop of the film, plays an important role in both their relationship and the film’s narrative. Delving heavily into the topic of race at that time in New York, Harlem becomes the third character of the film. Satan is already an established blues musician at his particular spot on the streets of Harlem. Enter the white guy. This documentary takes us through the political, emotional, social, and entertainment dynamics on the streets of Harlem and how that played out for the passersby. The film documents the tensions and thrills of raw performance art, the early sweetness of industry success, and the subsequent pitfalls, all while maintaining the focus on the poignant and dynamic relationship between the two friends over the many years.
The film will entertain and draw in the viewer on many interesting and provocative levels. It is as much a story of music making/industry, as it is about human connection, racial social/political spheres, passion, and “the blues.”