A ‘Canyon’ of musical heroes

‘Trackers’ locates thrills on Cinemax

If you agree with the notion that popular music was at its zenith in in the 1960s and early 1970s, you’ll nod with delight at the new Epix cable channel documentary “Laurel Canyon,” which blends great photos and performance footage, cool stories and interviews in an irresistible history of a Los Angeles music scene/ cultural revolution lived to an outstanding soundtrack.

The two-part series, directed by Alison Ellwood (“History of the Eagle”) will be shown at 9 and 10:30 p.m. Sunday with part two airing at the same times June 7.

The recent documentary “David Crosby: Remember My Name” covered similar turf of drugs and sex, but this one goes far beyond that narrower Crosby focus to cover the Byrds, the Mamas and the Papas, Micky Dolenz and the Monkees (Connecticut product Peter Tork was apparently quite the nudist), the Doors, Buffalo Springfield, Joni Mitchell and others who took up residence in the hills above Hollywood Boulevard partly because “it was cheap to live.”

Part two will explore the lives and work of the Eages, Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt and others who gravitated to the rustic canyon in Los Angeles that was like musical petri dish. “Laurel Canyon” paints a vibrant portrait of flawed artists who, flawed or not, changed the world by breaking rules and conventions.

⏩ The 10 p.m. Friday Cinemax premiere of the limited series “Trackers” smartly juggles three story lines in a violent thriller set in South Africa.

You’ll meet a reluctant courier of possibly illegal cargo, an anti-terror squad tipped off to a plot and a woman who exits an abusive marriage to take a new job — all converging in a fast-moving story.

The location shots are a huge point of interest here, since there aren’t many authentic scenes of modern South Africa in films that we can recall (aside from “Invictus” and “The Forgiven”). The six-episode story stars James Gracie (aka James Alexander), Ed Stoppard, Sandi Schultz and Thapelo Mokoena (not exactly household names) in a sophisticated drama that involves a conspiracy, organized crime, smuggled diamonds, the CIA, terrorism and black rhinos.

All six episodes of this compelling story are directed by Jyri Kähönen (“Bordertown”) and shot by cinematographer Ivan Strasburg (“13 Reasons Why,” “Treme”).

Epix / Contributed photo Neil Young moved from Canada to be part of the Laurel Canyon music scene.