Life Before Grunge: Wheedle’s Groove

Local Filmmaker Jennifer Maas Documents Seattle’s Early Soul and Funk Music Scene

by Ang D. Meadows

The nightclubs were packed every evening and the airwaves were dominated by body-shaking, heart-wrenching music. It was the late 1960s and Seattle’s thriving soul and funk scene was hot.

It didn’t take long before performances by groups such as The Soul Swingers, Black on White Affair, and Cold, Bold & Together began to spark invitations to perform on national TV shows and to collaborate on albums with mainstream acts.  But this era was short-lived. By the early ‘70s, right when many of these local bands were teetering on the edge of success, disco was born and the chances for fame of seattle’s wildly popular soul and funk musicians slipped below the horizon.

This rich musical heritage might have completely disappeared had a seemingly unlikely young director had not rediscovered it. Jennifer Maas had recently relocated to Seattle from Texas with dual degrees in math and computer science when she decided to pursue her passion for filmmaking and stumbled across this story that changed her life in some profound ways.  9-1-1 On Screen Magazine recently spoke with Maas about the experience of bringing Wheedle’s Groove, her documentary about that era, to life.

Your film is about Seattle’s early soul and funk music scene in the late 1960s and early ‘70s. You’re too young to have been around back then, so how’d you discover the story?

I was interviewing a bunch of behind-the-scenes music people in Seattle including record labels, radio DJs, and record-store owners. I interviewed Matt Sullivan, the owner of Light In The Attic Records, a record label that primarily reissues old music. He was just about to release this compilation of unknown soul and funk songs from the 1960s and 1970s called Wheedle’s Groove that a local collector had compiled over ten years. A week later, I showed up at the CD release party with cameras and I knew I had to make the film.

Discuss the title, Wheedle’s Groove, & what the film is about.

Wheedle’s Groove was one of the songs on the compilation. It was originally written as a tribute to Seattle’s basketball team, the Supersonics.

From early research to the final edit, how long did it take to make it?

Five years after I interviewed Matt, almost to the day, I finished Wheedle’s Groove and we got married. We had our honeymoon at the Indie Memphis Film Festival where the film premiered.

Talk about the process and emotions of making Wheedle’s Groove. What did it entail?

I had no idea how difficult it would be. I got a large grant from Humanities Washington really early on. The money itself was obviously very important in making the movie, but, even more than that, I was often driven by not wanting to disappoint these people who had put their faith in me.

After about two years of shooting interviews and shows, I realized that I wasn’t going to be able to edit the movie. I was having drinks with some lady filmmakers at The Cha Cha, and Michelle Witten asked if she could edit it. When I said yes, she quit her job the next week and took up residence at the editing station in my basement office. Michelle brought a new energy to the project, she helped me shape the story, and after about ten months of editing and shooting, we had a rough cut that was pretty good.

Meanwhile, Matt was busy trying to line up some of our more difficult interviews like those with Kenny G. and Quincy Jones. Although the film didn’t feel ready, we applied to a great festival called “Indie Memphis.” A few months later, we got an e-mail saying that they loved the film and wanted to play it in the festival.  We spent the next three months cleaning and polishing, and we finished the day before my wedding.

What was your relationship with music in the beginning and how has it changed since making the film?

I feel like I don’t seek out new music as much as I used to. Of course, that might have more to do with marrying someone who reissues old music. I think it’s a miracle that people devote their lives to music. It doesn’t really make any sense, but I’m so grateful that they do.

How was it working with Sir Mix-a-lot?

He was wonderful. He painted the most vivid picture of the Central District in the late ‘60s to early ‘70s of anyone we interviewed. It was really fun to see him come to life remembering that time. After the interview, we asked him to do the narration and were totally honored that he said yes. I just sent him a script and told him to just put it in his own words. A day or two later he sent me the audio files, and we loved them.

Tell me about interviewing Quincy Jones.

He is completely charming and was amazing to talk to. But after about two minutes, somehow I was answering his questions about what music I grew up listening to, and I had pretty much forgotten what I was there for! I rarely have to look at my notes, but I did that day. I definitely don’t think it was my best interview, but luckily it’s not me that ends up on screen and we did get the information we’d come for.

Talk about your film, Wheedle’s Groove, winning the Audience Award at the Indie Memphis Film Festival in Oct. 2009.

That was amazing. Especially for it to happen in a town like Memphis, the home of Stax Records, Sun Records, and Hi Records. For us, this was about the best place to premiere. Deanie Parker and Al Bell from Stax actually saw the movie! So to win the audience award there especially was a huge honor.

What has the response been like as you’ve been showing it around the country?

It’s been great. I think people are usually very surprised that Seattle had a soul scene. We definitely usually have a music-lover crowd, and we always end up selling all of the CDs and vinyl that we bring.

Will your film be featured at SIFF this year?

Yes we will be playing SIFF.

Why should people see your movie?

People who see the film will be treated to amazing music, a universal story of not quite making it big, and a new perspective on Kenny G.

In your own words, what’s a Wheedle?

The “Wheedle on the Needle” is a furry, cuddly guy who lives on top of the Space Needle and uses cloud earmuffs to protect his sensitive hearing.

Jennifer works in Seattle and Los Angeles, and Wheedle’s Groove is her feature directorial debut. She started Evil Bunny Films, and has since worked on features, music videos, and commercials as an editor, a producer (including co-producing Lynn Shelton’s film Humpday), and a director.

Editor/producer Michelle M. Witten is a Seattle-based editor, with experience in features, documentaries, music videos and corporate work.