"Echo in the Canyon" on Netflix

It appears that during my formative years in the Los Angeles area, amazing music was taking place in Laurel Canyon, a small neighborhood in the Hollywood Hills. How I missed all of this is a mystery to me, especially since I was a teenager at that time and should have been in tune with every single counterculture event within 100 miles of my small and unremarkable life. It appears I missed it all.

I missed the likes of Frank Zappa (who never appealed to me) and Jim Morrison of the Doors (ditto.) However, Joni Mitchell wrote her "Ladies of the Canyon"  album about the music scene there and the Byrds, Beach Boys, Buffalo Springfield and Jackson Browne were regulars in the area, playing music, sleeping around, getting high. Sad that I was not privy to all of that. 

On Netflix is a cool documentary, "Echo in the Canyon" about all of the above and more. Seriously, if you ever liked the music of the late 1960's and into the 70's,  you will like this musical history of not just Hollywood but of everywhere at that time. Great interviews with everyone: Crosby, Stills, Browne, Eric Clapton, Ringo, the late Tom Petty, Michelle Phillips, and on and on. The music is good, their stories are poetic, touching and funny and revealing. Jakob Dylan could have been a little warmer and less self righteous but given the talent he was up against, how could he have felt anything but awed by these amazing musicians. It's a great tour back in time and I give it two thumbs up.

Check it out. Free on Netflix.



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