Wed Dec 04 01:50:00 UTC 2024: ## “Music Box: Yacht Rock” Documentary Sets Sail, Reexamining a Misunderstood Genre
**NEW YORK (AP)** — A new documentary, “Music Box: Yacht Rock: A DOCKumentary,” premieres Friday, offering a fresh perspective on the much-maligned musical genre. Director Garret Price explores the origins and legacy of yacht rock, challenging its often-derisive portrayal in popular culture.
The film features interviews with key artists like Christopher Cross, Michael McDonald (Doobie Brothers), Toto’s David Paich and Steve Porcaro, and includes archival footage and commentary from musicians like Questlove and Fred Armisen. While Steely Dan’s Donald Fagen didn’t participate in a full interview, his band’s music is featured, a crucial element for Price.
The documentary defines yacht rock as elevated pop infused with jazz and R&B, highlighting artists such as Toto, McDonald, Kenny Loggins, the Doobie Brothers, Cross, and Steely Dan. It distinguishes this style from similar acts like the Eagles and Fleetwood Mac, arguing that those groups don’t quite fit the genre’s specific criteria.
Questlove expands the conversation, suggesting a broader definition that includes artists like Al Jarreau and the Pointer Sisters, challenging the genre’s historical racial limitations.
The film also explores the genre’s brief reign in the late 1970s and its subsequent decline, partly attributed to the rise of MTV and the artists’ inability to successfully translate their music into a visual medium. This led to yacht rock becoming the subject of ridicule in various media, from “30 Rock” to “The 40-Year-Old Virgin.”
The documentary credits the comedic short films and podcast of J.D. Ryznar and Steve Huey with popularizing the term “yacht rock,” a label initially intended as an affectionate, albeit slightly ironic, description of the music’s polished sound and production.
Price aims to present a celebratory perspective, aiming to reintroduce this often-overlooked genre to audiences and highlight the musicianship behind the smooth sounds. The film positions itself as the perfect post-Thanksgiving unwind, offering a chance to appreciate the sophisticated craftsmanship of yacht rock and perhaps rediscover its appeal.
First Piper 