The Incredible Bongo Band - Sample This Movie - Can-Base Studios

A few years ago I was having a conversation with a local record store owner here in Vancouver; Rob (from Neptune Records)  mentioned that there was a local TV/Film producer who was doing some research for a documentary style film of a band.
When he mentioned "The Incredible Bongo Band" name, my eyes lit up like a freaking Christmas Tree.
Dan Forrer (the film Producer/Director) was at that record store a few weeks earlier asking Rob if he had any information about the band that could potentially be used for his research.

Months went by and I'd heard that the producer had taken his Canadian film crew to New York, where he'd made contact with several legendary Hip-Hop figures. Among these people was Grandmaster Caz from the Cold Crush Brothers, who appeared in the 1983 classic Wild Style movie.
Grandmaster Caz who continues to be a huge part of the Hip-Hop community, and runs a one of a kind guided Hip-Hop tour company called "Hush Hip Hop Tours" in the Big Apple.
I actually had the pleasure to meet him in person a few years ago, when my wife and I were visiting Manhattan; we did a four hour tour in a Limo bus, where he took us to visit multiple historical sites related to the birth of Hip-Hop culture. It was very entertaining, very educational, and we had a yummy Soul-Food meal in the Bronx at the end of the tour.  I highly recommend it to anyone visiting New York, and wishes to learn more about the history of Hip Hop, and told by one of the legendary pioneering figures of its own culture.

(Back to the movie) Not a lot of information was available on the net regarding this project; I only knew that the documentary would be based on the song "Apache".
Time went by, and finally in October 2010 a blog popped up with some insights about this "Apache" project.
In 2011 the movie was in final post production, but the movie had a different title: "Sample This".

Finally in October 2012 the movie premiere took place in Austin, Texas., during the Austin Film Festival.
Here's the official "Sample This" site, or take a look at their "Facebook" page. No other release dates are available at this time.

As some of you may know, the original "Incredible Bongo Band - Apache" album was recorded here in Vancouver at the legendary "Can-Base Studios" , also known as the "Mushroom Studios", but for the last 7 years under the name Hippowest. The studio has changed ownership and names over the years since it was built back in 1966.
Sad news of the permanent closure of this recording facility emerged a few months a go. So, I decided to pay the studio a visit after watching a news segment on TV. 

When I got there I saw a wall full of picture frames inside one of the studio lounges; among those picture frames there was one that I automatically recognized from far...this one:

Lounge:

The building is located at 1234 west 6th avenue, seen here:

The studio doors were permanently closed on March 20th, 2013. Although Hippowest will continue to operate at a different location; this building may have seen the last recording session inside this location.
Some images of this studio are featured in the film.

* (UPDATE: September 9th, 2013)  Here's my latest entry for Discogs regarding this Documentary!

* (UPDATE: October 31st, 2013)  At last!!!! Sample this will be playing ONE night only in our beautiful city, and home of the original Bongo Band recording session.
Check out the Vancity Theater on November 18th, 2013 @ 8:30pm as part of the Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF)
Here's the link; please note that you must become a member in order to attend this movie. $12 dollars buys you a membership + ticket for that evening. http://www.viff.org/theatre/films/fc7987-sample-this

* (UPDATE: December 26th, 2013) A fun night; thanks to Dan Forrer, Kat Hendrikse, and Nardwuar :)
At the Vancouver movie premiere (November 18th, 2013).
Kat Hendrikse is a drummer who was part of the original recording session back in 1973, and is also a highly credited artist who has a ton of credits under his belt as a recording session drummer with multiple bands, and lives here in Vancouver, BC.
Nardwaur (the human serviette) is a Canadian celebrity interviewer and musician from Vancouver, BC.

                                      From left to right: Nardwuar, Gina, Alex (me) & Kat Hendrikse

                    An original foil cover Bongo Band album; autographed by Dan Forrer and Kat Hendrikse

                                                       Dan Forrer (film producer & director)

Finally...the DVD release; it can be obtained from Amazon.com

I've uploaded the release on the Discogs database; see: SampleThis -The Birth Of Hip Hop