Cliffhanger on the LES: Documenting "The Miguel Algarin Story"

June 1st, 2011 by Trenton

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EAST VILLAGE, NEW YORK: In New York City’s deep downtown music, there has never been any shortage of stories to tell: CBGB, the Fillmore East, the Ramones, Iggy Pop, the New York Dolls, Blondie, Talking Heads and so much more are woven into this vital neighborhood’s lore.

A documentary on the unusual life of Miguel Algarin is a picture show with a purpose.

Documentaries on all of the above abound, and as fascinating as these topics are, they don’t necessary qualify as current events. For an LES film with a sense of urgency, eyes are turning to a real-life shoot currently in production, the story unfolding as you read this: The Miguel Algarin Story.

If Miguel Algarin’s name doesn’t immediately register with you, his brainchild almost certainly does. The Nuyorican Poets Café that he founded in 1973 has long stood as a beacon for emerging poets, hip hop mavens, musicians, visual adventurists, and sonic/visual artists of virtually every other stripe. For aficionados of any of the above, the NYC live experience is incomplete without at least one visit to the hallowed space, which continues to present an almost nonstop schedule of performances in its home on East 3rd Street between Avenues B and C.

But according to Will Roberson, President of NYC’s Diggin 4 Brown Films and Executive Producer and Director of The Miguel Algarin Story, the golden years of Algarin’s life are no Shakesperian sonnet. A better comparison would be a full-on slam (body, not poetry), as Algarin labors to get on the same page again with the landmark club he founded, keep his home, and manage his HIV+ status. The result is a documentary in progress that’s also a race against time.

How did you get involved with Miguel Algarin? Why did his situation become important to you personally?
Umar Bin Hassan of the Last Poets suggested to a mutual friend named Robin Benton that I get involved and work with him as well as Miguel Algarin. It became important to me personally, because it’s the type of project that’s not only about entertainment but its also about culture and history.

I gravitate towards real people who have made an impact on society, like Miguel. Miguel is like myself:  He is a pioneer of thoughts, and he created something out of nothing. He forged a path on his own and that is something I have always done in my life and with my career. I automatically respect those who are fearless, and have a vision and who are not afraid to execute their vision.

Tell us what’s at stake with this documentary? In other words, what are the predicaments that Miguel faces, how did they come about and why?
Miguel faces many challenges as we shoot this documentary. He was recently evicted from his apartment and has to move out by August 31st.  As the founder of the Nuyorican Poets Cafe, Miguel has not profited from this venture. In the last ten years, he has been less active in the administration of the cafe, and the board and he do not always see eye-to-eye in possible future development.

Presently, a group of Miguel’s close friends has come to his aid to challenge the direction of the Cafe and secure Miguel’s legacy. Miguel also suffers from HIV and has lived with it for the past 17 years, which exacerbates the situation.

What role has Miguel and the Nuyorican had in the development of NYC music, specifically?

(l-r) Miguel Algarin and Ray Barry in "The Miguel Algarin Story"

Miguel was involved at the inception of the Salsa music scene in NYC. Those who played at the cafe and were close with Miguel included Willie Colon, Ray Baretto, Hector Lavoe, and Eddie Palmieri. He was also involved in the Avant Garde jazz movement, which included connections with Cecil Taylor, Ornette Colemen, and others.

He was also involved with major actors: Luis Guzman got his first break from Miguel. Others that came through were Rosario Dawson, Rosie Perez, John Leguziamo, Ray Barry, Miguel Pinero, and Jennifer Lopez. Jennifer Lopez’s production company is called Nuyorican Productions, which was inspired by Nuyorican Poets Cafe and Miguel.

The Nuyorican Poets Cafe also is tied into the hip-hop scene in NYC because of the spoken word that came out of there.

You’re a music producer in NYC, but also spending more and more of your time with directing music videos, and now documentaries. Why is your career evolving in this way? What’s satisfying about filmwork for you?
As an artist, I feel that I must evolve — as the world evolves so must I. I feel being a director is a more complete vision. Initially I started out as a painter, and I painted with one of the greatest modern painters, Willem DeKooning, who was fond of my work. Right now, I’m manifesting my vision in a different medium. I am still a painter painting with lights, cameras and action.

What’s satisfying for me as a director is I get to combine the visual with musical composition. I would like to work with all of the artists that began with me at Diggin 4 Brown, like Jenifee, Jemini, and Nush. It would be my dream to work with them. Success means nothing to me if the people who started with me are left behind, it would feel empty.

Lately, I’ve been spending my time directing and producing music videos. If you look at my videos, you’ll see all of my friends — I like to give my friends their first break. The New York Daily News recently featured my latest video “Sound of the Bagpipe” for the artist Rally Bop featuring Brian McGuire on bagpipes, which was shot in Dublin, Paris, Belfast, and New York. All of my videos have been featured on MTV, Music Choice, BET, Fuse, etc… Now, I’m working on directing my first documentary and feature film, The Miguel Algarin Story.

What has the experience of shooting this doc been like?

Will Roberson of Diggin 4 Brown

It’s been very exhilarating in the unexpected nature of how Miguel’s life unfolds daily. There is never a dull moment in shooting, and it’s spontaneous. We have had many encounters that you will see in the documentary that seem like reality TV, but nothing is staged. It’s real.

Miguel has made mistakes like we all have. He laid his crown down and someone else picked it up, but it’s still not right that he is now deprived of his position of leadership when he most wants to secure his legacy.

We are shooting interviews with people associated with Miguel in the glory years of the cafe, people who are able to testify to his vision and leadership; these include actor Ray Barry and poet-activist Amiri Baraka.

What would be your ideal outcome for Miguel and the Nuyorican? How can this doc help towards that?
The ideal outcome for me is to see him back in a leadership position, working with people who recognize what he has done, and who want to continue to add to that vision in as radical a way as he did.

This documentary is only a portion of the effort, and only captures what happens in real time. This is the lead-up to the actual film that I will direct and produce in association with Nuyorican Press. Dennis Hamilton is writing the screenplay on his life story, and Andre Betts will be producing the film score. One of his close friends Roy Skodnick is also featured in the film.

The biography is the foundation we are going to lay for the film, which will include many major actors and actresses. This is about true friends who are going to stand with you in your darkest hours. Some people stand next to you with secret motives: They get you to love them and trust them, and then one day they say they want the glory too without doing the work. They want you to risk it all for them, even though they know themselves they can’t deliver. That is what I find most painful about Miguel’s situation, and this is what motivates me to see him win.

If people are interested in being a part of this doc in some way, what can they do?
They can reach out to me via the movie’s Website.

— David Weiss