John Sayles' new movie "Honeydripper" is set in an odd time in American history -- the trough that separates the big band era of the 1930s and 1940s from the rock 'n' roll era of the 1950s. Listening to Sayles talk about his film on NPR's "On Point" show last week, I was wondering if Virginia musicians would somehow connect with his story. Sure enough, the soundtrack to his movie -- which is out on Rounder Records -- ends with the Ruth Brown song "Things About Coming My Way." Given the subject and setting of the movie, this is a smart choice. A Portsmouth native, Brown was a pivotal figure -- someone who sang in the swing era, but also recorded important pre-rock R&B hits for Atlantic. The fact that the soundtrack recognizes this fact makes me want to see the movie all the more.
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