During a manic burst of creativity in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, an obscure disco-funk group took Chicago’s South Side by storm with a unique blend of R&B, disco, funk, and soul. Yet, the Universal Togetherness Band (UTB), led by front man Andre Gibson, never released a single album and ultimately called it quits in 1984.



Gibson had all but given up on UTB until recently, when an executive from a Chicago-based archival record label gave him a call. The label’s backing allowed UTB’s tremendous output to reach a modern audience and Gibson was astonished by its reception. “If they want to dance off a beat I created 35 years ago, it makes me feel that I connected to my audience,” says Gibson. "That connection doesn’t dissipate because of time.”



This documentary was directed by Simon Brubaker. More of his work can be found here.

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