The BFI London Film Festival takes place from October 7 – 18, and features the UK premieres of several music documentaries.

Among the highlights is The American Epic Sessions, Jack White and T Bone Burnett‘s tribute to the Western Electric lathe, which “pioneered the recording of American music.” The film features live performances from Elton John, Nas, Willie Nelson, Alabama Shakes, Steve Martin, Ana Gabriel, Merle Haggard and Taj Mahal among others.

Amy Berg’s Janis Joplin documentary, Janis: Little Girl Blue, also receives its UK premiere, and offers a portrait of “a hugely witty and talented free spirit who rebelled against her own youth in a town populated by bigotry, where she was targeted for her boyish looks and for being pro-integration.”

Elsewhere, there’s Danny Says, Brendan Toller’s film about Ramones manager Danny Fields; Stretch And Bobito: Radio That Saved Lives features the likes of Jay Z, Eminem and Nas paying tribute to the legendary ’90s hip-hop DJs Stretch Armstrong and Bobbito Garcia; Fresh Dressed documents the evolution of hip-hop style, and They Will Have To Kill Us First: Malian Music In Exile captures the tensions between northern Mali musicians and the Islamic Jihadists that took control of the area in 2010, to a soundtrack featuring the Yeah Yeah Yeahs‘ Nick Zinner, Khaira Arby, Fadimata ‘Disco’ Walet Oumar, Amkoullel and Moussa Sidi.

Check out the rest of the BFI’s Sonic programme here, and watch more trailers below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Gm5OhJszpU