HOME   News   Reviews   Adv Search   Features   My DVD   About   Apps   Stats     Search:
  Directed by
  Starring
  Specs
  • Full Frame
  Languages
  • English: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround
  Subtitles
  • None
  Extras
  • Audio commentary
  • Animated menus
  • Interviews - Charles Shaar Murray
Taj Mahal - Live at Ronnie Scott's 1988
Warner Vision/Warner Vision . R4 . COLOR . 55 mins . E . PAL

  Feature
Contract

If Taj Mahal never really achieved popular acclaim it was probably down to the fact that he was just too talented for his own damn good. Born Henry St.Clair Fredericks in 1940, it wasn’t until 1968 that he recorded his debut album. Instead of trying to raid the charts, an unabashed love of music and mastery of its instruments drove him into underground favour until his music was to reach a wider audience. Towering almost as high as his adopted namesake, Taj Mahal cuts an intimidating figure onstage right up to the point that he sings his first note. That’s when you realise he’s on your side.

What Taj Mahal is to music, Charles Shaar Murray is to music journalism. The legendary NME scribe provides an audio review (or preview depending on when you choose to watch it) of the man and his music that is as insightful as it is reverent. It so happens that Murray was present at Ronnie Scott’s on the night of the featured performance and has been held in sway ever since. The difficult thing for me, of course, is to try and sing those same praises without lifting any of his ideas. After all, what the hell can I tell you about Taj Mahal that Charles Shaar Murray can’t?

Bugger all, really, which is probably why it is more important for me to tell you what my thoughts on the gig rather than how talented the guy is. Unfortunately, the concert itself only lasts for a modest 55 minutes, but by its end little doubt is left as to Taj Mahal’s supremacy. With the exception of a cool gin and tonic, the chilled intimacy of the famous jazz venue makes the transition beautifully onto disc and the viewer is treated to the best seat in the house.

Although fluent in many styles including jazz, soul and even calypso, Taj Mahal is at his finest when playing a heartfelt, minimalist blues. It is then that his voice (and what a voice!) stands alone and not only commands attention, but awe as well. Whether it’s his easy fingerpickin’ on Fishin’ Blues or guttural vocals over a solitary keyboard on Statesboro Blues, every breath and growl he expels is a keynote unto itself. So spellbound was I by the quality of performance on the 1930s Robert Johnson classic, Come On in My Kitchen, that by its end I had to remind myself to take a breath. An encore performance of the celebratory Every Body is Somebody is an upbeat end to a diamond gig and was enough to convince me (along with the diminutive running time) to backtrack and watch certain songs a second time.

If you are already a fan of Taj Mahal you won't need me to convince you of the type of quality on offer here, but if you don’t know his work, and like your blues with a touch of molasses, you could do much, much worse than to get a hold of this disc.

Track listing:

The Big Blues
Mailbox Blues
Staggerlee
Come On in My Kitchen
Local Local Girl
Soothin'
Fishin' Blues
Statesboro' Blues
Every Body is Somebody

  Video
  Audio
  Extras
Contract

A film shot for video on 1988 is never going to blow away the competition in the new century, but as far as style and substance goes, Live at Ronnie Scott’s manages to survive on its own merits. The most obvious visual fault appears to be edge enhancement, although it is often hard to distinguish from concert footage of this vintage whether or not the problem can be attributed to backlighting. At any rate, the overall effect is identical. The same can be said for colour bleeding. Although the footage seems a little saturated in spots, the viewer should always keep in mind that these artefacts are more indicative of the era rather than of the transfer itself, so we should always stay in a forgiving frame of mind.

The sound actually measures up quite well on this one. The disc is presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 surround which does the job quite nicely, although the magic of surround seems quite happy to remain in the front two speakers. There are no apparent synching problems which is a blessing given the strong emphasis on vocal articulation and subtlety from the big guy. Sound is crisp throughout, which, for a small venue, is to be reasonably expected. Viewers would be advised to take this release at face value and not be too disappointed if the audio doesn’t give your system a full workout.

There’s not much in the extras department in terms of running time, but what is presented is of a high standard. Aside from the aforementioned review from Charles Shaar Murray, the scene selection takes the form of a jukebox, complete with background bar conversation and the clinking of glasses. Sure it’s only a menu gimmick, but as an added bonus each of the tracks selected from the jukebox contain a brief Charles Shaar Murray audio introduction over the top of the opening bars. Unlike your standard feature-length commentaries, these snippets provide a brief insight to the track before fading away and letting the songs speak for themselves.

A writer can try to wax lyrical about the talent, atmosphere and finesse of live music, but in the end the performance itself transcends the need for words. That’s the beauty of music – it conveys a feeling where words just aren’t appropriate and that’s why people shut up when a performer moves in slow. Ultimately, it’s better to experience it for yourself than to rely on the testimony of some poor schmuck trying to make sense of it with the written word. Music is like that, and personally, I wouldn’t have it any other way.


  • LINK: http://www.dvd.net.au/review.cgi?review_id=1941
  • Send to a friend.
  • Do YOU want to be a DVDnet reviewer? If so, click here

    Cast your vote here: You must enable cookies to vote.
  •   And I quote...
    "It’s hard to call it blues when it feels this good…"
    - Peter O'Connor
      Review Equipment
    • DVD Player:
          Sony DVP-725
    • TV:
          Sony WEGA 80cm
    • Receiver:
          Sony STR-DA50ES
    • Speakers:
          Accusound ASC160
    • Centre Speaker:
          Accusound ASC160
    • Surrounds:
          Accusound ASC160
    • Subwoofer:
          Accusound SW150
      Recent Reviews:
    by Peter O'Connor

    The X-Files Season 6 Box Set
    "The truth is out there and it comes in a beautifully packaged box set…"

    The Nine Lives of Fritz the Cat
    "In this case, nine lives may not be enough..."

    X-Men: The Legend of Wolverine
    "Four more tales of mutant mayhem starring the little angry one with the claws..."

    Gypsy
    "A fine musical for mums and strippers alike…"

    Guilty By Suspicion
    "A cautionary tale from the land of the free…"

      Related Links
      None listed

     

    Search for Title/Actor/Director:
    Google Web dvd.net.au
       Copyright © DVDnet. All rights reserved. Site Design by RED 5   
    rss