Stephane Grappelli: A Life in the Jazz Century Review

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Stephane Grappelli: A Life in the Jazz Century ReviewI can't say enough about this DVD. Not only do you get to see Grappelli in various photos and film/video clips over a 60 year period playing with the likes of Nigel Kennedy, Martin Taylor, Yehudi Menuhin, Diz Dizley, and Django Reinhardt (supposedly every Django clip known), you also get to see him in a number of settings including a taping of This Is Your Life back in the 70s when his daughter and grandsons joined him on stage.
The documentary begins with the story of his early years and a reinactment of a twelve year old Grappelli playing his student violin in a courtyard in Paris. From there we learn about his earlier career as a silent movie pianist and a pianist/violinist with Gregor and the Gregorians (great accompanying film here). From there we see him meeting up with Django and forming the Hot Club Quintet where they performed for seven years before some of the biggest celebrities of their day and changed jazz forever. Following the story of the breakup of the band prompted by the outbreak of WWII in England, we see the Stephane Grappelli Quintet and are introduced to the surviving octogenarian bassist from that band. Next is the reunion with Django and the story of his untimely death, followed by an account of the lean years for swing music (late 40s and 50s) where Stephane played mostly in restaurants in England and France. The part I truly enjoyed is the story of the rebirth of Grappelli's career after the Cambridge Folk Festival where a whole new generation of jazz and folk music fans discovered his genius and unique musical style. Finally, we see Grappelli's final years where he is still being productive and creative, although his health is obviously declining. (The interviews with Grappelli were recorded a year before his death when he was 88 and quite weak).
Also included on this 2 DVD set are a photo montage, a behind the scenes account of the making of the documentary, interviews with Nigel Kennedy, Diz Dizley, and Martin Taylor, a promo for the movie, 11 bonus chapters, 7 music archive clips, research notes, a bibliography, a discography, internet links, and a map of Montmartre where Grappelli grew up. In addition the viewer is given the option of watching the movie with the creator's commentaries, or with subtitles. (Trust me, you'll need subtitles for most of the interviews with Grappelli.)
My only disappointment is that there were no video clips or references to Grappelli playing with people like Jean-Luc Ponty, David Grisman, and Mark O'Connor. To me that would have made this DVD effort flawless. Still, this is too good to deserve anything less than 5 stars. Great job, guys.Stephane Grappelli: A Life in the Jazz Century Overview

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Chet Baker - Live at Ronnie Scott's (1986) Review

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Chet Baker - Live at Ronnie Scott's (1986) ReviewThe production quality of this obscure taping of a jazz legend's performance is remarkable. Even the interview of Chet is well-done. Several observations: The audience obviously came to hear these "marquee" performers and not Chet. Notice the applause levels. I imagine most of them had no idea who Chet Baker. But for a thirty-plus-year fan of Chet Baker this video was certainly a bargain. What a unique and wonderful musician. He is certainly on par with Armstrong, Gillespie and Davis.Chet Baker - Live at Ronnie Scott's (1986) OverviewChet Baker's performance here is both fragile and passionate. Baker is joined by Van Morrison and reunited with Elvis Costello, with whom herecorded Shipbuilding at Ronnie Scott's intimate English club.Ininterviews with Costello, the pain and happiness hidden between his wrinkled,tired face pour out like so many notes.Chet recalls winning a spot with CharlieParker's band at the tender age of 22, but humbles himself by confessing to alifelong addiction to drugs.But through it all, it seems one constant remained inhis life, which always brought him back from the abyss and made his triumphsever so much sweeter--the cool, sweaty, dark, and ethereal sounds of that WestCoast "cool school" of jazz.58 minutes.
1. Ellen David 2. Just Friends 3. Shifting Down 4. Send in the Clowns (with Van Morrison) 5. If I Should Lose You 6. My Ideal 7. Love for Sale 8. The Very Thought of You (with Elvis Costello) 9. You Don't Know What Love Is (with Elvis Costello) 10. I'm a Fool to Want You

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John Coltrane - The World According to John Coltrane (1991) Review

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John Coltrane - The World According to John Coltrane (1991) ReviewThis is it folks. This is as close as you'll get to a John Coltrane solo, and hence, according to some, as close as you will get to God in this lifetime. Not only can you hear the notes, but you can see the riveting intensity that consumed Coltrane when he was playing. All the great jazz players can play lots of notes, but Coltrane can tear you up with one note. In addition to ferocious runs up and down the horn Trane plays lots of long searing notes. Just one note, but the attack, the tone, the intensity, the release, are unparalleled in jazz. If you are new to jazz, listen to these notes, they embody the essence of Coltrane, they will tell you all you need to know, for now.
In the tape of "So What" the camera is right in Miles face as he finishes his solo. The picture is perfectly clear, you can see the minutest detail of the expressions on his face as he creates in the moment classic jazz. As he finishes he steps aside as Trane moves up to the mic, playing a few casual notes. Then, immediately, Coltrane reaches white hot intensity, playing long screaming notes alternating with arpeggios defining his harmonic concept. This is it. The Ultimate. It is interesting to see the other players nonchalantly standing about as Trane plays, Occasionally one will look over. The world had never heard music like this before, and Trane was scandalizing critics and fans by the thousands, but these guys were cool. What a moment!
The video is about the music, and are several extended cuts included, along with commentary by musicians that played with Trane, this commentary is not too compelling, but, it does give some idea of how Trane's contemporaries related to him. The only way I can think of to make it better would be to make it longer. Another astounding thing to me is that this footage of Trane in action exists. It appears from this video that there is lots of it. How about a sequel, now that we really need one!
I like the DVD edition, first, because it's digital, indestructible, etc., and second because you can have immediate access to the individual `chapters' making up the disc without scanning through the commentary, etc.John Coltrane - The World According to John Coltrane (1991) OverviewStudio: Bmg Special ProductsRelease Date: 03/19/2002

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Bill Evans Trio: The Oslo Concerts (2006) Review

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Bill Evans Trio: The Oslo Concerts (2006) ReviewSeparated in time but not space, these two recordings document the extraordinary musical distance between Bill's early and late trios. Before listening to either set in its entirety, go to "Nardis" on the early, then late concert date, and brace yourself for a visual (and, of course, musical) shock. Now play both concerts in their entirety and be prepared for sublime music on a level beyond anything since Evans' passing.
Sure, it's not the '61 trio with LaFaro and Motian, but it's exquisite Evans nonetheless, even on the '66 recording, made shortly after Gomez had joined the group and with Alex Riel, a European "guest" drummer. No matter. Bill's in control yet letting the music take him where it will. His lines are sharply etched and cut a swinging groove, especially on "Very Early" and "Stella." Riel stays with brushes throughout, inflicts little damage, and at least catches the Powell-like groove favored by Bill on the occasion. Gomez is the weak link, each of his solos another showy exhibition of flying fingers. But he lays down a smooth carpet for each of Bill's solos.
The 2nd date is another miraculous performance of the many that were recorded of Bill's trio during that final year. The music will take you to places that no other performer in the jazz idiom has ever visited--dark, disturbing, achingly beautiful. Marc Johnson and Joe LaBarbara are with Evans for each step of the journey. Though the bassist employs an exaggerated sustain and overdoes the left-hand portamentos, he's clearly building on the pianist's ideas, and he's always grounding his statements with recurrent lower-string reminders of a tonal center. Unlike Gomez, Johnson doesn't merely impress; he draws you into the music. LaBarbara goes to the sticks and plays with the emotional power that the music on this date calls for.
An interview with Bill following the 2nd date is telling on many levels--a valuable addition to the DVD.
The audio is pristine on both dates. LaBarbara's cymbals may be attenuated more than necessary, but that's a small quibble. The visual element is equally strong on both occasions, with stable, tripod camera set-ups and judicious shot selections that rarely detract from the music. (OK, a few gratuitous cutaways to audience faces.)
In short, the only thing that would make this session any better would be the inclusion of a set from the '61 Vanguard sessions. But nothing in this life is perfect.
At fifteen dollars the price is five bucks under what I paid, making it less expensive than many ordinary CDs. There's nothing ordinary about either of these concerts. Even "extraordinary" is inadequate to describe the music on the disk because the term connotes comparisons with other musical performances, whether ordinary or not. Evans was simply a category, a universe unto himself. If comparisons are required, start with Verdi's Requiem, Mahler's Third, Rachmaninoff's late Russian romanticism (as player and composer), the last two pages of Joyce's "The Dead," Mann's "Death in Venice," Keats' Odes, Blake's "The Tyger," Shostakovich's "Danse Macabre," Nietzsche's "The Birth of Tragedy," Ravel's expressionism in the manic second half of "La Valse." The man simply took a popular musical form to another level, generously leaving behind an example of what is "possible"--whether a blessing or a curse remains to be settled.Bill Evans Trio: The Oslo Concerts (2006) Overview

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Jazz - A Film by Ken Burns (2001) Review

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Jazz - A Film by Ken Burns (2001) ReviewI think I understand the viewpoints of BOTH the harsh critics and the fanatical supporters of this series. Both have valid points. Both "sides" sometimes fail to understand the points of the other "side" (or fail to even try). Here, I'll try to explain why I think both viewpoints are legitimate.
Briefly, what are the good vs. bad qualities of this series?
GOOD: Music is often blended extremely well with visual material. There is much great music and great film footage. Anyone new to jazz will be exposed to these. Even those not so new to jazz will find interesting sounds and sights. The commentary by Gary Giddons throughout the series is unusually helpful, insightful and moderate, in contrast to some other commentators (see BAD below). The film is good at telling stories (although many of these blur into legend and myth, see below). This film will be entertaining to the general public; it will expose jazz to many people who would never have gotten into it otherwise. It will widen jazz's audience, and in this sense, it will be good for jazz. I don't know how many people I've seen posting on the internet recently who've said that because of this series, they've decided to buy more jazz CDs, go to some jazz concerts, and buy books on the history of jazz and various musicians. So many people are at least being pointed in the direction of exploring jazz on their own, this in itself is a good thing, which will eventually be more significant than the serious flaws in the series (despite that critics of the series feel otherwise at the moment).
BAD: Very often historically inaccurate, blurring the line between history, legend, myth, and cliche. These sins are too numerous to list. See Francis Davis's recent excellent review in the Atlantic online. ("I Hear America Scatting", January 2001) The narration is full of simple, declarative _subjective_ statements which are presented as if they were concrete facts. The history of jazz is presented as closed, undisputed, and final, rather than open, alive, and fresh. The film is awash in hyperbole, overstatement, and blind sentimentality, which takes the place of solid analysis and explanation. Figures (esp. Armstrong and Ellington) are deified to such a degree that the deification they receive completely overshadows their musicianship, and hence trivializes any legitimate attempts to explain or describe their true impact. The music of both Armstrong and Ellington is enough to defend their contributions as some of the most important in jazz history; we don't need to be told that Armstrong "was sent from heaven to make people happy". The film has a definite bias in promoting the Marsalis-Crouch viewpoint. This is perhaps the most serious flaw -- Burns is trying to find abstract ideas (America, freedom, race, democracy, etc.) in jazz music, and ends up injecting race to an extent that is not accurate with social history. There's nothing wrong with having a viewpoint. The problem comes in presenting this viewpoint in such a way that the viewer is never aware that there IS a viewpoint IN THE FIRST PLACE. Evidence of this comes from the stream of newbies to jazz who, after watching the series, confidently reply to the critics: "But this series is well made after all, because NOW I have a good introduction to the history of jazz." Really. How could you KNOW, if this is your ONLY significant exposure to jazz? And that's the big problem, is that the series always gives the impression that it's "objective", giving viewers a false sense of security. The scat singing is annoying. And of course, the impression that jazz died and suddenly reawakened when Wynton Marsalis picked up a horn is patronizing.
So, the series is good as mainstream entertainment and as a vehicle for getting the general public very excited about a neglected art form. The series is bad as an accurate, even somewhat objective history of jazz, and it's conceived with a social agenda that severely compromises its presentation.
My own (admittedly biased) advice to jazz newbies interested in this series: I would rent the series from the videostore. Watch it, enjoy it, love it, and take it with a ton of salt. Then, take the money you would have spent on buying the series, and get several good CDs that interest you. Also, buy the three following excellent books, which together will give you a much richer, much more insightful, much more accurate, and much more representative history of this art form:
The History of Jazz, by Ted Giola
Visions of Jazz: The First Century, by Gary Giddons
Collected Works: A Journal of Jazz 1954-1999, by Whitney BalliettJazz - A Film by Ken Burns (2001) OverviewThe story, sound, and soul of a nation come together in the most American of art forms: Jazz.Ken Burns, who riveted the nation with The Civil War and Baseball, celebrates the music's soaring achievements, from its origins in blues and ragtime through swing, bebop, and fusion.Six years in the making, this "soundbreaking" series blends 75 interviews, more than 500 pieces of music, 2,400 still photographs, and over 2,000 rare and archival film clips.The 10-part musical journey spotlights many of America's most original, creative--and tragic--figures, including Louis Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton, Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, Billie Holiday, Charlie Parker, and Miles Davis.Special features of the PBS DVD Gold include bonus performances and The Making of Jazz documentary.

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Miles Davis - Cool Jazz Sound Review

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Miles Davis - Cool Jazz Sound ReviewGreat television performance from April, 1959, featuring Miles' legendary quintet (including Coltrane, Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers and Jimmy Cobb) and the Gil Evans Orchestra.
They play:
"So What"
"The Duke"
"Blues for Pablo"
"New Rhumba"
In terms of picture quality, this was the first time I've seen the broadcast (barring the few, bracing moments of "New Rhumba" used in Ken Burns' Jazz) so I have nothing to compare it against but it looked fine to me, considering the source.
It's under 25 minutes and there's not an extra feature to be found, which is a shame, but this is both historic TV and incredible music. Maybe one day there'll be an expanded edition but until then, this is where it's at.Miles Davis - Cool Jazz Sound Overview

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Belle et Fou Review

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Belle et Fou ReviewThis CD is one of the all-time greats in my collection. Belle et Fou literally has it all: R&B, chill-out/lounge, house, downtempo, 70s-style pop fusion, disco, and even some Barry White-esque soul. Despite the multitude of genres -- it is a compilation, after all -- there's a beautiful cohesion among the tracks. The underlying theme of orchestral soul-jazz is complex yet unifying.
Melodic horns, lush strings, muted synth, and the gamut of percussion instruments make this CD one of the most unique and satisfying albums I have ever heard. What's even more satisfying is that you get 19 tracks of this musical bliss.
Apparently, Belle et Fou ("beautiful and crazy" in French, but the adjectives are in feminine and masculine forms, respectively) is an all-senses-incorporated theater/dance dinner show at the Casino of Berlin. Jazzanova was commissioned to create this "musical mosaic" of a soundtrack. Many of the tracks are not their own; working with the show's director, they chose the music specifically to fit the mood of the show. However, Jazzanova did write and produce several of the tracks themselves; these blend beautifully with the other hand-picked selections and add to the relaxed mood of the album.
This artsy, soulful album will quench a musical thirst you didn't know you had. Highly recommended!Belle et Fou Overview

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Lily Was Here Soundtrack Review

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Lily Was Here Soundtrack Review"Lily was Here," an obscure German drama in the vein of "La Femme Nikita," has a jazzy soundtrack accompaniment. Dave Stewart, better known as the music half of the Eurythmics, displays his knack for moving the movie along with very moody tracks, featuring Candy Dulfer on saxophone (in one of her first musical appearances before recording on her own). He manages to create a sound all his own. Also on-hand is Annie Lennox, singing a somwhat acoustic version of "Here Comes the Rain Again," this song alone makes the soundtrack worth the cost, evoking a completely different level of emotion from Lennox's performance.Lily Was Here Soundtrack Overview

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Malcolm X: Music From The Motion Picture Soundtrack Review

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Malcolm X: Music From The Motion Picture Soundtrack ReviewIndeed, the soundtrack from the motion picture Malcolm X achieves its goal in capturing the music of the great Muslim leader's childhood and adult years. But lacking from the soundtrack is Sam Cooke's beautifully orchestrated song "A Change is Gonna Come," an inspirational civil rights anthem that is featured near the end of director Spike Lee's masterpiece but for some reason is not on the CD. This soundtrack would surely be worthy of a five-star rating if it weren't for this glaring omission.Malcolm X: Music From The Motion Picture Soundtrack Overview

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Storyville - The Naked Dance (2000) Review

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Storyville - The Naked Dance (2000) ReviewStoryville existed from 1898 to 1917 as a district where prostitution was not illegal-nor was it strictly legal, either. This film, narrated by a fictional prostitute of the era, attempts to depict Storyville and its denizens. It features an interview with Al Rose, whose book 'Storyville New Orleans' is the definitive work on the topic. The film is very strong on the life of the prostitutes and the social structure of Storyville. It makes some over-generalizations about jazz that can be pardoned in a glossy work. Male prostitution goes unmentioned. The worst flaw is that it provides none of the reasoning for the establishment of Storyville-the French Quarter was over-run with bordellos, among other things-and it has very little discussion of what happened after Storyville was closed down. Rent this DVD if you can, except for hard-core New Orleans history buffs (like me) it's not a keeper.Storyville - The Naked Dance (2000) OverviewSTORYVILLE:THE NAKED DANCE - DVD Movie

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Keith Jarrett - Art of Improvisation Review

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Keith Jarrett - Art of Improvisation Review"There's never been a time when improvisation was given the respect it deserves. By virtue of the holistic quality of it, it takes everything to do it. It takes real time, no editing possible. It takes your nervous system to be on alert for every possible thing in a way that cannot be said for any other kind of music." -- Keith Jarrett
This wonderful documentary is all about improvisation, and particularly the kind of improvisation the superb jazz pianist Keith Jarrett does. It was made with the full cooperation of Jarrett and there are many minutes of conversation with him as well as with such collaborators as Manfred Eicher, Jack de Johnette, Gary Peacock, his brother Scott, his wife Roseanne, Chick Corea, Gary Burton and many more. Interspersed are many performance clips going back to the very beginning of his career (and including some scenes from his childhood) right up to the present. His ordeal with chronic fatigue syndrome in the mid-1990s is touched upon (but, not surprisingly, given Jarrett's reticence about personal matters, not dwelt upon). There is a ten-minute uninterrupted clip from a concert by his Standards Trio (Jarrett, de Johnette, Peacock). There are also clips of the Köln Concert, concerts with Jan Garbarek (particularly gorgeous), with Miles Davis, and many others. Jarrett comes across as a hugely intelligent and deeply thoughtful man who is nonetheless humble in the face of his talent.
Sound PCM Stereo; Running time 84 minutes, plus 42 minutes of extras. Subtitles in English, German, French, Italian, Spanish.
Strongly recommended to all fans of this amazing artist.
Scott MorrisonKeith Jarrett - Art of Improvisation Overview

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Legends of Jazz: Showcase (2006) Review

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Legends of Jazz: Showcase (2006) ReviewI found out about this 2-disk set while watching the "Male Vocalists" episode of the new PBS television series "Legends of Jazz," and after buying it, I find I am really looking forward to seeing all the rest of the actual half-hour TV shows from which these 13 tracks and clips are taken. As for this set, let me say first that the audio and video quality are simply outstanding, among the best I have ever heard, in fact, (which is not surprising considering that the TV series is shot in HDTV and features really outstanding Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround sound.) Next, as for the performances themselves, they really shine and there is something here for everyone - the set covers everything from latin jazz to be-bop, Brazilian jazz, fusion-type jazz, vocal jazz, and even throws in a bit of the blues, with a great duet by Robert Cray and Keb' Mo'. A really nice mix of artists, older and younger, and a pretty good value for money, considering that you get both a CD and a DVD packaged together in the box. I highly recommend this!Legends of Jazz: Showcase (2006) Overview

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Chick Corea Elektric Band: Live at Montreux 2004 (2005) Review

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Chick Corea Elektric Band: Live at Montreux 2004 (2005) ReviewChick Corea has been the most important Jazz Musician since Miles Davis, and this DVD shows that he still is just that. Joining Chick are all 4 original members of the Elektric Band. Each memeber of the Elektric band is quite possibly the best performer at his instrument. Eric Marienthal is a great sax player and performs at a top level during this whole set. John Patitucci is an amazing bass player. His standard fingering bass technique is nothing short of greatness; His phrasing and playing on this show that. Dave Weckl is one of the best drummers on the planet and has been for decades. His playing on this DVD is a must hear for drummers. He has taken his virtuosity to a new level. Frank Gambale is one of the best Fusion guitarists alive. His sweep picking technique has been a major influence on guitarists since the mid 1980's and he is spellbinding to hear. Together, they are the most talented group of musicians touring together on the planet. I have never seen a better band.(Some on the same level, but none better) During the 80's/90s this group recorded 4 great Cds together and I saw all of those tours. The decade between those cds and "To The Stars" didn't do anything to their compositions, telepathic interplay, virtuosity or live performance. This DVD captures the band at their most incredible state yet.The DVD is quality with good camera work and sound. The performance totals over 2 1/2 hours!

The concert is in two parts. The first part is a live version of the "Two The Stars" CD. Like all other CCEB tours, the music is taken to greater heights. The band improvises greatly and on "Check Blast", "Mistress Luck", and "The Long Passage" the band takes turns amazing the audience and each other. All members of the band applaud for each other and Chick has a smile that shows he knows that something special happens when he is playing with these guys. They even do an extended acoustic version of "Alan Corday" which is amazing. I found "To The Stars" to be a good but not great Corea effort. This version is as amazing as anything that they have ever done. The band then takes a break.
As great as the first part of the concert is, the second part is unreal. The band performs music from their 80's/90's tours. "CTA" is a Jimmy Heath song that the CCEB have been covering for years and have played during these last reunion tours nightly. This song is unbelievable. Each member of the band takes a solo spot. It is during this set that Dave Weckl takes his drumming to a new level. "Eternal Child" is from the "Eye of the Beholder" Cd. Once again, the band takes a compostion that I found to be good on Cd and make it great live. The whole band improvises again, and Gambale, Patitucci, and Marienthal are all incredible. ("Not shabby" in the words of Corea) 'Got A Match?' has always been a concert favorite and this version is awe inspiring. Chick starts out by trading be-bop lines with the audience. Then a great be-bop/jazz incluenced melody is played and improvised over. The whole band's virtuosity is taken to new levels. Most notable is John Patitucci's bass work. He never stops his "walking" bass and his solo is incredible. I am glad that Chick was able to get him for this gig. Chick, Marienthal and Gambale all add their own solos and then Chick trades fours with Dave Weckl. There has always been a special level of interplay between these two. They team up, yet again, to inspire each other and the audience. There is a flurry of unison lines by all and then the song ends. This tune is JAZZ fusion and an acoustic version would be amazing. All of Chick's years studying be-bop and jazz come out on this masterpiece. The DVD price is paid in full by this song alone. The first encore is "Spain". "Spain" has been a Corea concert staple for decades. The intro, based on the adagio movement from the "concierto de aranjuez"(Rodrigo), is improvised by both Corea and Patitucci. There are definite classical overtones during this part of the song. During the actual song, Marienthal and Gambale provide solos that are short, well phrased and virtuostic. Weckl closes it out with his typical brilliance. "Blue Miles" is the closer and the band shows some bluesy influences in the main theme. All performers do their thing again and then the show is over.
To sum it up; This is the DVD that Fusion fans have been dreaming of and is now a reality. You will never buy a better Jazz/Rock/Fusion DVD based on Talent of the band. If you are a fan of any of these 5, then you'll want this immediately. As individuals, each member is an absolute revelation on his instrument and as a group this is a truly timeless perfomance. Buy it now.Chick Corea Elektric Band: Live at Montreux 2004 (2005) Overview

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Santana: Hymns For Peace - Live at Montreux 2004 (2007) Review

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Santana: Hymns For Peace - Live at Montreux 2004 (2007) ReviewI saw Shorter/Santana on this tour, still have the T-shirt to prove it. It was an awe-inspiring moment in music history. Santana had been doing his brand of jazz-rock fusion since the '70's, but had taken a detour into the pop world. Santana's "Lotus" and "Caravanserai" are masterpieces, not to mention Carlos' work with Alice Coltrane. The reviewer has quite obviously not done his homework, as Leon "Ndugu" Chancler worked with Santana in 1974-1976, *before* joining Weather Report (Chancler was in Weather Report in 1975). Santana has been friends with Wayne Shorter for many years, recorded "The Swing of Delight" with Shorter in 1980, which may have been a bit ambitious and fell fairly short of their potential.
However, any professional music reviewer that truly believes that drummer Chester Thompson switched to keyboards for this tour is a bumbling idiot. Chester Thompson, the keyboard player, has been playing with Santana since 1983, as well as being a *major* name in Hammond organ players, having been the main keyboard player for the Tower Of Power for 10 years.
Chester Thompson, the drummer, played with Weather Report for one year, in 1976, but was the long-time touring drummer with Genesis. He's a great drummer, but he'll never be a keyboard player at the level of his namesake in the Santana band.
This tour was an amazing feat, and while Shorter has a much richer history in the jazz-rock world than Santana, their playing seemed to be the perfect complement to each other. I eagerly await the next time Carlos decides to take such a risk and leave the comfortable pop world to explore jazz textures with Shorter.
Santana also performed a kickin' version of Miles Davis' "In A Silent Way/It's About That Time", of which the former was written by future Weather Report keyboardist/leader Joe Zawinul. The Weather Report/Shorter connection goes much further back and is much stronger than our friend Sam would have us believe.Santana: Hymns For Peace - Live at Montreux 2004 (2007) OverviewOn July 15, 2004, Santana took to the stage in Montreuxaccompanied by a stunning line-up of guests to perform a concert of songsabout peace and understanding that they dubbed "Hymns For Peace". Joiningthe regular Santana line-up in the band were Chick Corea, John McLaughlin,Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Ravi Coltrane and Idrissa Diop with furtherguest appearances through the night from Angelique Kidjo, Barbara Morrison,Patti Austin, Sylver Sharp, Steve Winwood and Nile Rodgers.Disc One 1) Afro Blue 2) Adouma 3) Redemption Song 4) Exodus / Get Up Stand Up 5)Blowin' In The Wind / A Place In The Sun 6) Just Like A Woman 7) What'sGoing OnDisc Two 1) Peace On Earth / Boogie Woman 2) Why Can't We Live Together 3) Light AtThe Edge Of The World 4) Let Us Go Into The House Of The Lord 5) Day-O (TheBanana Boat Song) 6) Day Of Celebration 7) Ah Sweet Dancer / In A SilentWay 8) Jingo 9) A Love Supreme 10) Ode To JoyBonus Features * Additional tracks: 1) One Love / People Get Ready 2) Imagine 3) GivePeace A Chance. * Behind The Scenes footage and interview with Carlos Santana.

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Bobby McFerrin - Live in Montreal (2005) Review

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Bobby McFerrin - Live in Montreal (2005) ReviewThis is dvd is a full unedited concert held at a Jazz Festival in Montreal.
It features mostly solo songs by Bobby McFerrin. In addition, there are
some very talented guests (Jorane, Richard Bona and others) who improvize
with McFerrin. The concert is both entertaining and astonishing.
I was once told that true art is art that connects you to your deeper Self.
This is what I experienced watching. My wife told me I had a permanent
grin on my face watching this dvd. The very inspired McFerrin, his
astonishing voice (sometimes producing more than one tone at once)
his communication and interaction with the audience, and the 'duets'
with the guest artists make this concert a very uplifting experience
and a joy to watch. From the classical Ave Maria by Bach-Gounod to
some jazzy improvizations with Richard Bona, and McFerrin's impression of
"The Wizard of Oz".... without any gimmicks or artificial means, this is
a very entertaining concert that I recommend everyone to watch.Bobby McFerrin - Live in Montreal (2005) Overview

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Les Paul - Chasing Sound (2007) Review

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Les Paul - Chasing Sound (2007) ReviewI saw this documentary last night on TV and would recommend it to anyone who appreciates music, history, inventors, musicians, electronics. It is one of the best things I have ever seen on television. Buy it - you will not be disappointed.Les Paul - Chasing Sound (2007) Overview

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Stormy Weather (1943) Review

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Stormy Weather (1943) ReviewVaguely based on the life of Bill "Bojangles" Robinson himself, STORMY WEATHER offers the story of a WWI vet who falls in love with a singer--and under her influence goes into show business, only to find that their careers draw them in different directions. As a story, it is pretty slim stuff... but as a collection of musical turns by some of the early 1940s best black talent, it simply can't be beat.
Robinson was, of course, one of the truly great dancers of his era. Made late in his career, this film doesn't really manage to capture the scope of his talents, but he remains a constant joy to watch. A very young and remarkably beautiful Lena Horne also offers several enjoyable songs, including one that she would go on to perform with increasing sophistocation and ultimately make entirely her own: the title tune "Stormy Weather." In addition to Calloway and Horne, STORMY WEATHER offers great performances by such under-filmed artists as Cab Calloway, Katherine Dunham, Fats Waller (performing his signature tune, "Ain't Misbehaving"), the brillant Nicholas Brothers, and Ada Brown, as well as the popular comic actor Dooley Wilson. Expect nothing from the story, but you won't be disappointed by this rare glimpse at some truly remarkable talents.Stormy Weather (1943) Overview

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Diana Krall: Live in Rio (2009) Review

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Diana Krall: Live in Rio (2009) ReviewDiana Krall and company do it again! Another fine live performance we can experience again and again on DVD. The musical selections are very well recorded and nicely arranged. The group's generally laid-back mood is definitely in sync with this Brazilian-inspired concert. The instrumental improvisations are polished and very musical and Diana's vocals will transport you to Rio.
To those pseudo-techie critics, I recommend you pull your heads out of your iPods and really listen to the fantastic performances here. As a life-long jazz musician myself, I have better ears and probably better electronics than most of you. I find no basis for your negative reviews. As the witty Mose Allison once wrote, "Critics... they can't swim and they can't even float. They just stand at the shore and wave at the boat."
Pay no attention to the "amateur opinion havers" and blog-trogs. This is an exceptional Diana Krall concert and DVD recording. If you like her work, you'll probably love this video.Diana Krall: Live in Rio (2009) Overview

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Super Session Review

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Super Session ReviewThis CD shows two things, one the brilliance of Bloomfield's playing and two, just how far he had fallen as a result of his Heroin addiction. After nine hours of recording, Bloomfield and Kooper completed Bloomfield's "Albert's Shuffle", "His Holy Modal Majesty" and "Really", Howard Tate's "Stop", and Curtis Mayfield's "Man's Temptation". At the completion of these first five tunes, Bloomfield packed up his things and abruptly left the studio. Kooper wanted to complete the recording so he picked up the phone and called Stephen Stills. Still's agreed to finish the sessions. As such you get two very different sounding recordings here. The first half--Kooper and Bloomfield which contains some very nice blues and classic Bloomfield guitar. The last half features Kooper and Stills complete with jangly guitar and Buffalo Springfield like vocals. The disc is rounded out with some added bonus material featuring remix versions of "Albert's Shuffle" and "Season of the Witch" without the horns and two others. An added bonus is "Fat Grey Clound" which is a masterpiece in itself. On the other hand, while this disc has some good tunes on it the addition of Stills and absence of Bloomfield leaves the recording with a hodgepodge quality. As an alternative or in addition to this disc, check out the "Lost Concert Tapes".Super Session Overview

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