Editorial Review

Though he's widely considered one of pop music's most influential artists (working with the likes of Sam Cooke, Jimi Hendrix, Wilson Pickett, and Sly and the Family Stone, and being covered by the Rolling Stones, James Taylor, and J. Geils Band), Bobby Womack was relatively unknown to younger audiences until the late '90s. When pop-culture champion Quentin Tarantino used Womack's blaxploitation hit "Across 110th Street" for Read more

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Reviews (13)

Disappointed
There are two issues here. (1)The editorial review claims on the songlist "Harry Hippie" as one of the offerings on this DVD.
Did I watch something these other folks didn't here?
I review concerts and erotic films....sometimes I review normal films too...
Bobby Womack
This is a great way to enjoy Bobby. I am a fan and have been for many years. If you are not a fan, you will become one after viewing this DVD ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Music Video    2. Music Video - Jazz    3. Performance    4. Pop    5. R&B    6. Soul    7. Soul/R & B   

Editorial Review

If you want an hour with the master, you need look no farther than thisproduction of the Jazz Channel and BET. A live concert performance by the75-year-old blues legend, this video shows the robust King at the height of hisguitar and singing powers. Though it's a little sad to see him forced to sit ina chair to perform, that impression is quickly wiped away by his music. Whetherwringing stinging solos from Lucille, his beloved guitar, or singing songs asvaried as "The Thrill Is Gone" and "Making Love Is Good for You," King is likesome blues-soaked Buddha, so lively that you forget he's sitting down. He actsout a whole lifetime of drama in the facial expressions of a single guitar solo;multiply that times an hour and you've got a King so animated that you expecthim to hop up and start dancing. Read more

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Reviews (12)

80 years young and still doing it
B.B. King still has it.Saw him in concert recently and the man had the audience on its feet.

Outstanding concert and DVD
This DVD does an excellent job of capturing the essence of the performances B.B. King puts on today. It's amazing the energy he continues to put into his music despite his age and infirmities. Ditto to the other reviews praising the production values. The DTS recording is superb. Great for fans, great to introduce newbies to the master.

Incredible clarity of sound and picture.
This is yet another great DVD I purchased at Amazon. This is BB King in concert taken from the BET network show BET on Jazz. This is a fairly recnt concert. BB sits while he performs now due to his age and weight I suppose. He still puts on a great show though. He has the whole band with him and a horn section. This DVD is encoded in the DTS format. If you haven't heard DVDs in DTS you don't know what your missing. It opens the sound up that much more and you hear greater separation and clarity. The sound quality on this DVD is just incredible. My hat's off to whomever recorded and mixed this concert. There's a few other BB DVDs out there and they are all good, but the sound on this one beats them. If you have a good sourround sound system (with DTS) and you play this DVD and close your eyes you would swear you were listening to BB live. It's that good. A great choice to add to your DVD collection. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Blues    2. Music Video    3. Music Videos - Blues    4. Performance    5. Pop   

Editorial Review

With his church-derived tenor voice, his suave, onstage demeanor, andhis excellent taste in clothes, Harlem-born vocalist Freddie Jackson was themost dominant black male singer in the '80s after Luther Vandross. His eclecticmix of sass and class is evident in his live shows and on his many singles,which were staples on the urban contemporary/quiet storm radio stations. Onthis Black Entertainment Television concert, Jackson struts his stuff forthe ladies and delivers his best-loved hits, from the torchy and tempting"Rock Me Tonight (For Old Times Sake)" and "You Are My Lady," to thesophisticated funk of "Jam Tonight." Freddie Jackson is an animatedperformer, in complete control of himself and his appreciative audience.This concert, which also contains an intimate "Meet the Artist" interviewsegment, showcases the full range of Freddie Jackson's urbane artistry, and itproves that there's nothing more enduring than a well-written andwell-performed love song. Read more

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Reviews (4)

Freddie's dvd is well worth the money
This DVD is great. Freddie is a first class international performer that has never gotten his full due. I have danced and clapped- while watching this DVD- about 3 times now and I just got it over the weekend. This artist work is not dated and his voice is as strong as ever, and he gives you a show! The hard work that went into this DVD is above board. A lot of folks did their homework on this project.
A memorable Freddie performance
Whether you are alone or in the company of people, this DVD does it. Many artists can perform live but only a few can sing live. Freddie Jackson`s voice lives on. He sings songs of the 80's as if they were recorded yesterday.
I WAS THERE FOR THE LIVE TAPING!!!!!!!
I had the priviledge of being in the BET Studios in Washington, DC the afternoon of the taping and can say without a doubt that he's voice is just as beautiful and clear as the first time we heard it several years ago not to mention that fact that he has lost a consideral amount of weight. The weight loss, however, did nothing to the smile we have all come to know and love, in fact I think its even bigger considering the fact that we were singing every word of every song right back to him. ( me especially as you can see on the taping with the long black hair with a chinese cut bang) ROCK ON FREDDIE!!!!!!! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Music Video    2. Music Video - Jazz    3. Performance    4. Pop    5. R&B    6. Soul/R & B    7. Urban   

Editorial Review

Singer-guitarist Kenny Rankin's high, pure tenor voice and unerringchoice of material make this a performance that will delight his fans as well asthose who know little or nothing about this underrated musician. Backed by aquartet (with pianist Bill O'Connell and the excellent guitarist Joe Beck) andfour string players, Rankin works his way through 16 numbers in this intimate, 75-minute concert, recorded in 2001 in Washington, D.C. He moves effortlesslybetween standards by Gershwin, Cole Porter, Thelonious Monk, and others, severalLatin-tinged numbers, and a variety of more contemporary material by the Beatles("Blackbird," "While My Guitar Gently Weeps") and by Rankin himself. WhileRankin may not be strictly a jazz or pop singer, neither should he be gliblycharacterized as an "AOR artist"; there's too much real musicianship happeninghere to relegate him to background music status. A "Meet the Artist" interviewand several audio choices comprise the DVD bonus features. Read more

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Reviews (10)

Kenny Rankin - BET Live Performance
I love Kenny Rankin's voice and the performance was excellent.My only negative was a personal one.... I prefer him with only the guitar and not with a full band and strings behind him.Also, it just wasn't long enough!!

Great voice, great performance!
I've been following Kenny Rankin for 30 years waiting for him to hit the big time, commercially. Well, it probably will never happen. Not through any fault of this concert.This is really good. The best I've ever heard (or seen) him.Really shows off his vocal abilities. Filmed before a small audience, in a way it makes a more intimate setting. Like many of the jazz channel productions, sound guality is excellent (dts), ditto on video quality.Camera work is not terribly exciting.And I would have made just a few changes in song selection.But minor quibbling here - this is an excellent concert.

He has The Voice, period.
Kenny Rankin brings to mind James Taylor, with guitar chops.Frankly, his voice is so effortless and beautiful, not much else matters.Read more

Subjects:  1. Jazz    2. Jazz Vocals    3. Music Video    4. Music Video - Jazz    5. Performance    6. Pop   

Editorial Review

Most mainstream fans associate vocalist Chaka Khan either as the lead singer for the seminal '70s funk band Rufus or as the R&B singer who became a short-lived '80s sensation with the infectious cover of Prince's pop hit "I Feel for You." However throughout the years Khan has shown an interest in jazz as well, and this 60-minute live performance gives the artist a chance to show off her nuanced versatility by covering a handful of old jazz standards. Khan sets the evening's mood by allowing her superb band (which is not credited, unfortunately) to warm up and take individual solos on theinstrumental "Dark Secret" before finally making an appearance on stage. Onceshe does, it's a bit shaky at first. During "Them There Eyes," she soundstentative and nervous, but by the time she hits "My Funny Valentine," the singerhits her stride. Throughout this brief but thoroughly enjoyable set, Khanconsistently picks the right spots to demonstrate that her unmistakable voicehasn't lost a thing over the years. She can still belt them out with the best of'em. Even if they're not Chaka Khan fans, jazz loyalists will want to see thisshow, simply because her band powers the evening; the bass and horn playingoften outshine the singer. Make no mistake: Khan is good here, but her band is better. Read more

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Reviews (18)

Passive
Was very disappointed with this DVD.From the very beginning I asked myself, "Why did I order it"?It didn't have the depth of character that is Chaka Khan. It will not remain in my collection.
Dont bring Chaka out with this band again.
The reason Chaka doesnt really "shine" on this DVD is because of the band.Though they are good musicians, I think they are BET studio musicians or something.I've seen this on other BET DVDs that I own.I am pretty sure that Chaka didnt pick the band on this production.As such, I think she seems uninspired because the band doesnt give her a goal to hit.I know if you brought out members of her previous live encounters you would really have something here.She knows how to sing jazz and anybody who thinks otherwise has got rocks in their head.

Chaka Does It All!
I first saw this video on a big screen at BB King's club in Times Sq, NYC and as a CK fan, I had to own a few copies. I found it most inspiring because she sings the standards, the funk and pop tunes in her own inimitable style. Anyone who is a CK fan will love this DVD.Read more

Subjects:  1. Jazz    2. Music Video - Jazz    3. Pop    4. Soul/R & B   

Editorial Review

Regardless of how many new tunes pop vocalist Jeffrey Osborne tries tocram into this performance--and there are too many--this is the work of an artist who's trying desperately to rest firmly on his past. And depending onwhom you talk to, it's either an underrated past or one that has always been shaky. Osborne fans will undoubtedly love this collection. He ventures back to his days with '70s funk outfit LTD for such jams as "Concentrate on You" and "Love Ballad," all the way through the solo material of the '80s that netted him five gold and platinum records. Osborne's reputation has always rested with his velvety voice and heart-on-his-sleeve ballads, such as "On the Wings of Love" (performed "unplugged" here with nothing but an acoustic guitar, and Osborne's passionate reading makes it sound as if he's doing it for the first time, rather than the millionth). However, this performance comes across more like a party. The tunes, like "Stay with MeTonight," which foolishly segues into Cameo's "Da Butt," are mostly upbeat. Heopens appropriately with "Party Hearty," and if you are an Osborne fan, you'll definitely enjoy the shindig. Read more

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Reviews (13)

Jeffrey Osborne
This is a great DVD to add to your collection if you're a fan of Jeffrey Osburne.

A Spectacular Performance From My Favorite Artist!
I got this for getting good grades in the first semester of my 9th Grade Year (Shows My Age!)This was something I just had to have, my mom said get good grades and I'll get for you, and I did, and she was so proud we came on Amazon and preordered it straight away.I don't frequent this release as much as I previously did, of course, concert DVDs lose their value quite quickly.I do fondly remember it alot and come back to it and watch it front to back of course.Great performance, great artist, and don't forget a rather long and interesting interview.Good stuff...Get it before it's gone...

Period!! You won't regret....
I have all the BET on Jazz series....Jeffrey Osborne is the best and gtreatest of all. Read more

Subjects:  1. Jazz    2. Music Video - Jazz    3. Pop    4. Soul/R & B   

Editorial Review

The ageless keyboardist-composer Herbie Hancock, who's played witheverybody from Miles Davis to Quincy Jones, lets loose in a jazzy performancerecorded live at Black Entertainment Television's Studio II in Washington, D.C. Backed by a quicksilver combo featuring drummer Teri Lynne Carrington, Hancock and his intricate pianisms dust off well-worn standards like George Gershwin's "Fascinatin' Rhythm," W.C. Handy's "St. Louis Blues," and James P. Johnson's "Blueberry Pie" with new post-bop, world music seasonings. Hancock was a mainstay on the legendary Blue Note record label in the '60s, where he released two of his biggest jazz hits, "Cantaloupe Island" and "Maiden Voyage." Those two tunes are redone in this scintillating set with a welcome melodic freshness that shows that Hancock still has what it takes. Read more

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Reviews (8)

HANCOCK TAKES ULTRA-HIP TO A NEW LEVEL!
Man... I had to pause the show from excitement to rush in an write a review!
great musicians; boring music- 1.5 stars - do not buy
This DVD may be good to listen to as a movie soundtrack or to go to sleep by, but watching it is kind of boring. The musicians are great - the music gets a little boring. You can tell the people are trying to get off - nursing their glasses of water - and trying to act enthusiastic. The camera keeps trying to catch some audience interplay and enthusiasm but there is almost none. Music like this is sophisticated and beautiful - but let's be honest - it does not get people off. The most enthusiastic applause came when the set was over.
BET JAZZ CHANNEL - HERBIE HANCOCK
Credits should be as follows:Read more

Subjects:  1. Jazz    2. Music Video    3. Music Video - Jazz    4. Performance    5. Pop   

Editorial Review

Doo wop is dead, and nothing, not even the silky voice of ex-Drifter BenE. King, can bring back the dominant black pop music of the mid- to late 1950s.All King can do is revive the songs for nostalgic purposes, as evident by themiddle-aged audience that sits politely for this 18-song set consisting mostlyof golden oldies from King's days with the Drifters. The happy news is that Kinghasn't lost any of the vocal flair that made him a star. He's mellowedconsiderably, having lost the dynamic range that gave his best-loved songs("There Goes My Baby," "This Magic Moment," etc.) that extra touch of depth andsoul. Here, King is a smoother vocalist who respects the simple, melodic beautyof his music, and what he lacks in pizzazz he makes up for in professionalpolish, with a young band of musicians who back him with slick efficiency. Read more

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Reviews (4)

Ben E. KIng
Even though I read all the previous reviews, and had considered NOT buying this DVD, in a weak moment I bought it. And I am SORRY I did. Ben E. KIng just doesnt have it anymore as a singer. That once tremendous, wonderful voice is NOT there anymore!! Save your money!! Dont buy it!!!

Technical quality: 10, Soul: 0
Very nicely recorded in 5.1 surround sound.Excellent musicianship.Very poor arragements.Absolutely soul-less.Those looking for hot versions of earlier hits, please look elsewhere. There is nothing here that justifies purchasing this disk.Nothing.

Past his Prime
A great collection of songs, to bad he can't sing anymore.His voice cracks anytime he is expected to carry a note.Check out the B.B. King instead, it's GREAT! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Music Video    2. Music Video - Jazz    3. Oldies    4. Performance    5. Pop    6. R&B   

Editorial Review

Ever since George Benson discovered him in the '70s, acoustic guitarist Earl Klugh has been a major force in contemporary jazz, thanks to his Blue Note, Liberty, and Warner Bros. recordings. On this segment filmed at the BET on Jazz studios in Washington, D.C., Klugh is backed by a superb combo consisting of drums, electric bass, keyboards, percussion, and saxophones, and he delivers a scintillating hour-plus set of quiet storm jazz. Klugh's ChetAtkins-inspired solos provide the melodic seasoning on his hits like thelight funk numbers "Wiggle Wiggle" and "Mount Airy Road"; hisLatin/Caribbean tunes "Livin' Inside Your Love" and "Dr. Macumba," and hisbebop-like swing composition "Take It from the Top." Klugh's romantic sidecomes through on the beautiful ballad "Rayna," and his radio-friendlygrooves illuminate the catchy "Private Affair." Shot in crystal-clear color, Klugh and company look good and sound good with their cutting-edge music for the heart and the hips. Read more

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Reviews (26)

Great Stuff!!!
I usually don't write reviews. I read them all the time but I never write them. But this DVD is so great that I felt obligated to put my two cents in. This is great music and the "backup musicians" are top notch. Especially the sax player. I think he's one of the best I've heard and jazz is basically the only thing I listen to so I know what I'm talking about. This is a must for any jazz DVD collection!!

Smooth As Silk !
I fell in love with Earl's music after listening to his cds. Undoubtedly he's one of the best acoustic smooth jazz guitarists.Watching him play on stage gives absolute pleasure and tranquility.His music is enchanting and beautifully played.Though this studio performance only accommodates a handful of audience,its lighting and layout design actually enhance the ambience of the whole show which delivers an overall high-class feel to it.Earl and friendsreally soothe your mind!

Outstanding Performance by Earl & Band!
Great songs.Excellent musicianship.Smooth jazz performed to perfection.This has now become one of my favorite concert DVDs.I mean up there with "An Evening with Fourplay", "Sade Lovers Live", & Lee Ritenour's "Overtime".Great sound too.I've got a few of the BET on Jazz concert DVDs and they are very well done.The only thing I did not like was that Earl does not say a word the entire concert, not even to introduce his extroadinary band members.I was so impressed that I had to find out who these guys were but was surprised to find no listing of the band in the credits or anywhere in the extras.Terrible oversight.After you check out this DVD you will want to know who these awesome players are, especially Lenny Price, the outstanding sax player.This dude is bad! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Jazz    2. Music Video - Jazz    3. Performing Arts    4. Pop   

Editorial Review

Brooklyn-born, Toronto-raised, singer-songwriter Brenda Russell startedher career writing songs with her ex-husband Leon Russell. She emerged asolo artist in her own right in the mid-'80s and burst on the pop/urbancontemporary scene with intimate and uplifting tunes like "If Only for OneNight" and "Way Back When." This live concert from Black EntertainmentTelevision, which also includes a revealing "Meet the Artist" interview,spotlights Russell's satisfying cache of songs. Backed by a quicksilvercombo, Russell's laid-back vocals deliver the goods on her best-knowncompositions, including her heart-rending "Gulf War" ballad "Get Here,"her catchy early blockbuster "So Good, So Right," and her greatest hit,"Piano in the Dark." What makes Brenda Russell so appealing is that hermusic easily fits into quiet storm, soul, and adult contemporary formats,while remaining true to its own artistic voice. That balance is hard to getthese days. Read more

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Reviews (2)

One of the Most Underrated Artists
Brenda Russell is a very versatile Artist.be it at the Paino where She has Written quite a few classic songs or Her rich Voice she has always been a Top Tier Artist.She is truly an Artist that I always pull for because I know How Talented she is.this Performance shows She is still a Force to Be reckon with&if given a fair chance to shine she could easily hang.

This is simple magical
What a perfomance from Brenda, after disappearing from the music scene for so many years you would be fooled to think her voice has gone rusty, instead she delivers some of the songs with amazing accuracy. The whole DVD is full of mouthwatering songs that should keep one's eyes glued to this DVD. My favourite tune is "please felipe" where she teases the crowd and shows that she can still move in a very nice seduction style. Nice work Brenda, thanks for the magic. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Music Video    2. Music Video - Jazz    3. Performance    4. Pop    5. R&B    6. Soul/R & B   

Editorial Review

Keiko Matsui may have won a few Smooth Jazz Awards, but the Japanese- born, classically influenced keyboardist's music is not jazz--at least not if your definition of jazz includes swinging, the blues, and improvisation, all of which are in relatively short supply in this nearly 90-minute performance (plus DVD bonus features, including an interview with the artist). Not that it matters, really. Whatever you call the style--"contemporary instrumental" seems as good a term as any--Matsui is one of its more appealing, and certainly most popular, exponents. A capable if not virtuosic player, she and her four-piece band (including a Japanese guitarist who seems to have listened to a lot more Jimi Hendrix than Jim Hall) offer up a generous set of 14 songs, all of them Matsui compositions. As titles like "Beyond the Light," "Night Waltz" and "Bridge over the Stars" would indicate, the sound is melodic, accessible, and, well, smooth; this is the kind of music that smooth-jazz radio was created for. And while that makes for few challenging moments, Matsui does provide enough variety--say, the minor-key, rhythmic drive of "Doll," or the shifting dynamics of "Foot Steps" (the two "jazziest" numbers here)--to keep things interesting. Best of all, she brings out Kazu Matsui, her husband and record producer, to play the shakuhachi (the Japanese wooden flute) on the final three numbers. Kazu's distinctively breathy sound and casual, humorous mien provide a welcome change of pace in a show that is otherwise a bit too safe for its own good. Read more

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Reviews (12)

The Jazz Channel Presents Keiko Matsui
Keiko Matsui is one of my favorites Jazz/New Age musicians. Saw her live in Boston Summer Concerts a few years ago. Have most of her CDs. This is my first DVD of hers. Don't expect too much of stage performance but music!

Excellent jazz show by a talented, gracious performer
Keiko Matsui brings to the stage of BET Jazz a solid performance of some of her more well-known songs (as of 2000), complemented by a good supporting band and the virtuoso bamboo flute playing of her husband, Kazu.Typical of most of Keiko's music, many of the numbers introduce a musical motif, move on to an improvisational middle section, then end with a more glorious layering of instrumentation.Any follower of smooth jazz will recognize her formula, and it plays well for this show. Almost Great
Well, like other BET productions, this one has very nice video and DTS audio.Video still suffers from occasional shots of a completely dark crowd.Audio gripes include lame sounding saxaphone (D. Matthews Band - Live from Central Park is reference standard)Read more

Subjects:  1. Contemporary Instrumental    2. Contemporary Jazz    3. Crossover Jazz    4. Fusion    5. Jazz    6. Jazz-Pop    7. Music Video - Jazz    8. Musical Features    9. Pop    10. Smooth Jazz   

Editorial Review

Lou Rawls' isn't the first name to come to mind if you're cataloging the great jazz singers. Or the great pop singers. Or, for that matter, the great R&B, blues, or gospel singers. There may be a couple of reasons for that. First, Rawls is versatile enough to handle all of those genres and still avoid being pigeonholed in any of them. And second, despite his impressive background (he sang on "Bring It on Home to Me" with the immortal Sam Cooke) and consistent musicality, somewhere inside Rawls is a lounge lizard trying to escape--and escape it sometimes does, including during the course of this nightclub concert recorded in 2000. Thus you have a guy who covers his own hits ("You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine"), as well as big-band versions of tunes associated with the likes of Muddy Waters ("Hoochie Coochie Man"), Bobby "Blue" Bland (T-Bone Walker's "Stormy Monday"), Louis Armstrong ("What a Wonderful World"), and Cooke; yet he also takes on schlocky fare like "Wind Beneath My Wings" (Rawls recorded it before Bette Midler's hit version), the disco-tinged "Lady Love," and the hopelessly dated "Groovy People." Time and again, though, what saves Rawls, aside from his strong, soulful voice, is the simple fact that he never forgets how to swing. Dapper, elegant, laid-back, yet completely confident, he has the audience in the palm of his hand throughout this hourlong show. Bonus DVD features include a bio and a lengthy interview. Read more

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Reviews (8)

lou rawls jazz channel live
i love lou rawls since the day i have heard him first.what a flowing singer and the way he sings is unbeleiveble.

SMOOOOOTH LOU
I ENJOYED THE CONCERT VERY VERY MUCH. HE STILL HAS A GREAT VOICE IN THIS PREFORMANCE; MAYBE NOT QUITE AS POWERFUL AS IT ONCE WAS, BUT I HAVE NO REGRETS IN PURCHASING THIS DVD. WONDERFUL ENTERTAINMENT I AM VERY HAPPY TO ADD THIS ONE TO MY PERFORMANCES COLLECTION.

Lou Rawls, Superb DVD
I am a long time fan of Lou Rawls.I have seen him perform live twice (once in the 70's & once in the 80's).His performance in this DVD is just as great!He truly was a wonderful artist.His voice maintained its outstanding sound through out the decades.All true Lou Rawls fans should purchase this DVD!Mary ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Music Video    2. Music Video - Jazz    3. Performance    4. Pop    5. Pop Vocals    6. Vocal   

Editorial Review

The title of this concert between jazz guitarists Mark Whitfield andJ.K. is Read more

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Subjects:  1. Hard Bop    2. Jazz    3. Music Video    4. Music Video - Jazz    5. Performance    6. Pop