Heeb

By Sabrina Jaszi

Years ago, we singled out Matt Wolf as a fledgling talent at NYU’s film school and elevated him as the first ever member of the Heeb 100. Now, at the tender age of 26, Wolf’s feature directorial debut—a documentary about the intriguing cellist and composer Arthur Russell— is making sparks as it hits the streets.

The film traces Russell’s development from Iowa farmboy, to free-spirit San Francisco commune member, to East Village music maverick. It also explores the resurgence (or perhaps first coming) of Russell’s popularity in recent years. Russell died 15 years ago of AIDS. Now much of his music is now being re-released, or released for the first time (from Russell’s immense stockpile of tapes) on Audika Records. The film includes loads of this music, much of which has never been heard before by the public.

The film succeeds because without ever pinning Russell down, it manages to create what it promises: a "portrait." The filmmaker’s painterly technique is enhanced by the artist’s diverse music, to create a complete sensual rendering. Wolf and his cohorts pay audio and visual homage to the many different artistic patches that Russell cultivated throughout his life: there was dance music, there was composition, there was folk. There were pseudonyms like "Loose Joints," "Dinosaur L" "Indian Ocean" and "Killer Whale" and groups like the Flying Hearts. Russell did reverse PR by nurturing multiple split personae in music, while his own low-key personality dissipated into the atmosphere. It’s rare that we hear Russell speak in the film, though musical performances abound.

The musician’s every-expanding community, however, is not shy about speaking up. There’s the artistic crew that he befriended and collaborated with, big names like Allen Ginsberg, Phillip Glass and Ernie Brooks of the Modern Lovers. Then there are his nearest and dearest: ever-supportive lover Tom Lee and anomalous Midwestern parents (to whom, in part, the film’s title refers). Lastly there’s a group of young listeners including Swedish musician Jens Lekman, who is interviewed about Russell’s recent impact on his music; the filmmakers themselves, all kids in their 20’s; and — by extension — the audience itself, waiting in the theater to be put under Russell’s melodic spell.

Wild Combination is a beautiful, compact film, a must-see for fans of Rusell, and for those who appreciate an effective piece of music or a brilliant life cut short.

The film is playing this week only at IFC Cinema in New York.