MUSIC DVDS.PETER GABRIEL: ``Play: The Videos'' (WEA WEA Weather WEA World Evangelical Alliance WEA Washington Education Association WEA Wilderness Education Association WEA Workers' Education Association WEA WebSphere Everyplace Access (IBM) WEA Wisconsin Education Association ; $19.99)f=CB Helvetica Condensed con·dense v. con·densed, con·dens·ing, con·dens·es v.tr. 1. To reduce the volume or compass of. 2. To make more concise; abridge or shorten. 3. Physics a. BoldIt's indeed a tribute to Gabriel Gabriel (gā`brēəl), archangel, the divine herald. In the Bible he appears to Daniel (twice), to Zacharias, and to the Virgin Mary in the Annunciation (Dan. 8.16; 9.21; Luke 1.19,26,27). that, watching this set of clips covering 25 years of his career, it seems even his earliest solo material was written with one eye firmly on the video screen. There are several reasons - first, the visually oriented Gabriel collaborated with such good directors as Matt Mahurin, Stephen Johnson, Sean Penn and John Downer. Secondly, Gabriel's own songs create mood, subject and even plot, giving filmmakers genuine substance to work with (unlike most of the vapid pop clogging MTV MTV in full Music Television U.S. cable television network, established in 1980 to present videos of musicians and singers performing new rock music. MTV won a wide following among rock-music fans worldwide and greatly affected the popular-music business. ). This package offers a wide range of songs, from the wackily innovative ``Sledgehammer See Opteron. ,'' utilizing clay figures, to the elegant ``Don't Give Up,'' which simply sees Gabriel and Kate Bush embracing as the camera slowly revolves, allowing each of them to sing their parts as they come into view. Other eye-catching moments include ``Kiss the Frog,'' ``Stem,'' ``Shock the Monkey'' and ``Big Time'' - and there isn't a boring video among the more than 20 on display. A new surround sound mix by Daniel Lanois and Richard Chappell adds to the high quality of the project, while an interesting side note is watching Gabriel age from young handsome stud to devilish dev·il·ish adj. 1. Of, resembling, or characteristic of a devil, as: a. Malicious; evil. b. Mischievous, teasing, or annoying. 2. Excessive; extreme: devilish heat. graybeard. - Rob Lowman FUNKY METERS: ``Live From the New Orleans Jazz New Orleans Jazz can refer to:
Just two founders of the great New Orleans rhythm section called the Meters take part in this occasional quartet with the Funky appellation ap·pel·la·tion n. 1. A name, title, or designation. 2. A protected name under which a wine may be sold, indicating that the grapes used are of a specific kind from a specific district. 3. The act of naming. , but the spirit remains. Shot up close and personal at a rousing hometown gig at Jazz Fest in 2000, the ensemble shines on Meters classics ``People Say,'' ``Africa'' and, especially, ``Cissy cissy Noun pl -sies Adjective same as sissy Adj. 1. cissy - having unsuitable feminine qualities effeminate, emasculate, sissified, sissy, sissyish, epicene Strut,'' the ingenious, deceptively simple instrumental no less than Jeff Beck pulled out of the hat at shows last summer. Thanks to good camera work, it's revealing to watch keyboardist Art Neville respond to the music around him, while bassist George Porter Jr., rocking out in a pair of baggy Bermudas, looks like he's having a fine time in front of a well-oiled bumper-to-bumper crowd (both original Meters are interviewed). The film also has use for guitarists who can get hip to a few tricky N'awlins rhythm licks by playing along. - Fred Shuster JIMMY SCOTT: ``Jimmy Scott: If You Only Knew'' (Rhino; $19.99) At one point in this '02 documentary on the jazz crooner, an old friend describes how Scott's habit of singing ``out of time'' would annoy his accompanists - but by the end of the tune, Scott would be back where he was supposed to be. That in some ways describes the unique singer's life, a story filled with more heartbreak than success until his rediscovery a decade ago. Scott was 75 when this film was made, and despite much acclaim, he'd suffered setback after setback throughout his career, until he caught a break after singing at the '92 funeral of his friend and supporter, the great songwriter Doc Pomus. Presto - Scott suddenly scored a major label deal. Ironically, Pomus had been urging record companies for years to sign Scott but couldn't get anyone to actually go see him sing. This doc serves not only as a fine introduction to a great talent (if you weren't aware of Scott already) but as a fascinating portrait of a singular man and his struggles. - R.L. VARIOUS: ``The American Folk Blues Festival The American Folk Blues Festival (also American Folk-Blues Festival, and AFBF) was a music festival that toured Europe beginning in 1962. German jazz publicist Joachim-Ernst Berendt first had the idea of bringing original African-American blues performers to Vols. 1-3'' (Hip- O/Universal; $19.98 each) For musicians, every year is Year of the Blues. Partially unveiled at the time of PBS' seven-part documentary series last year, these volumes offer hours of previously unseen footage of blues greats shot in the '60s during influential American Folk Blues Festival tours of Europe. The superbly shot, pristine-sounding packages are highlighted by harp legend Sonny Boy Williamson Sonny Boy Williamson may refer to either of two 20th-century American blues harmonica players:
v. seared, sear·ing, sears v.tr. 1. To char, scorch, or burn the surface of with or as if with a hot instrument. See Synonyms at burn1. 2. ``Mojo Hand,'' and rare glimpses of guitar greats T-Bone Walker and the criminally overlooked Earl Hooker at work. Uniformly strong, the discs perfectly capture the sights, sounds and atmosphere of these events, with liner notes by author Rob Bowman, written commentary by ex-Stones bassist Bill Wyman and never-before-seen photos. - F.S. CAPTION(S): 6 photos Photo: (1 -- 6) no caption (dvd covers) |
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