Port Colborne-based documentary maker Christopher Darton has already produced the excellent The Way We Was: The Story of The Kendall Wall Blues Band and a new video for the Mighty Duck Blues Band’s video for “Hammered and Nailed” featuring John Dickie. His choice of Danny Brooks’ epic journey is a most welcome one. Many are now aware of his horrible descent into addiction and the miraculous recovery he attributes to his newfound faith and his wife Deb. But more unusually, along with the retelling of this part of the story, we get a timely testimonial to the talented singer and entertainer we almost lost – for a born and raised Torontonian to sing Southern Soul music so well is truly remarkable. Darton has done a splendid job of compiling and editing interviews with a full range of colleagues from his past and present and including recent performance sequences. As always, Danny is most candid and genial in telling his story, with Brian Mortimer in London and early band member Virgil Scott getting extra time to add their memories. There are plenty of archival photos but no recordings of his early bands. The 100-minute video is shot mostly in black and white, with colour inserts of TV appearances around the book tour for Danny’s “Miracles For Breakfast”. For those of you who might think that his recent music is only about his conversion, you should check out some of his albums in any way you can – the three volumes of his Soulsville series for starters. He and Lil’ Miss Debi live in Llano, Texas now but still tour here often, check the web site, www.dannybrooksmusic.com for more info. There is a trailer for this documentary on YouTube. The film is available through via email at [email protected] or the Blues Harp Entertainment Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/BluesHarpEntertainmentFilmCompany/

Darton’s next project is This Is Paradise: The Cameron House Story.