Branford Marsalis Quartet: Coltrane's A Love Supreme Live in Amsterdam
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Movie Reviews of Branford Marsalis Quartet: Coltrane's A Love Supreme Live in Amsterdam
Movie Review: A DVD Supreme!
Summary: 5 Stars
I too just finished watching the entire dvd in one sitting. Remarkable. I kept thinking througout the performance, how blessed we are in this age to be able to see musicians of this caliber, performing a piece of this magnitude, in a venue of this quality, captured with such visual clarity and sonic envelopment--from the music to the musicians to the technology it is all top-notch----at last, there is no weak link! Really, this has never before been possible in the history of man, and it is nothing to take lightly. (I couldn't think of a way to improve upon the experience other than to have some people smoke cigarettes near you and spill some alcohol on your rug.)
I have seen old clips of John Coltrane's quartet from the 50's Ralph Gleason show "Jazz Casual" but it is black & white, with low sound and picture quality. It is a document, nothing more.
I have seen clips of Miles Davis's Quartet performing "So What" off of Kind Of Blue, but again, it is archival quality, found on documentaries, and usually some narrator talks over the piece----and it isn't complete in any case.
Tonight I popped in a shiny new disc of the [b]Branford Marsalis Quartet[/b] performing John Coltrane's [i]"A Love Supreme", [/i] and it looked and sounded like I was in the club!
At the beginning of track two, Pursuance, I turned it up for the bass-solo introduction.... it built and built in intensity, and when the rest of the band came roaring in, the room filled with crystal clear sound, and I knew I was experiencing a rare moment in jazz history----heck, in music history. That moment alone was worth the price of the dvd for me, especially when you consider tickets to a jazz club at $30 each and a drink minimum, you're looking at $75 easy.
The dvd also features interviews with the band, discussing their approach to the music, and an interview with Alice Coltrane.
My habit of late, is to burn a cd copy of my favorite live jazz dvd's to listen on my computer while working, or in the car. Branford thought of this, as a cd of the show is already in the package as disc two! Nice...
I would not hesitate to recommend this dvd to any jazz lover, music lover, musician, or artist. Get this, dim the lights, sit back with a drink, and enjoy!
Movie Review: Superb and extremely intense!
Summary: 5 Stars
Wow, buying this DVD I really had no idea what was in store. I actually bought it after the fact I saw Branford and his quartet perform in Ithaca, at the State Theatre. In the performance they played a lot of newer tunes, more avant-gardish. (More reminiscent of Archie Shepp & Pharoah Sanders than Trane.) I digress.
Anyways, this DVD is totally worth it. As some might argue that the pianist, Joey Calderazzo, mighty emulate McCoy too much, they're really missing the big picture. Of course he does, Tyner is perhaps his biggest influence. What Calderazzo does is take McCoy's playing to a whole new personal level. He makes everything his own. As his solo on "Resolution" is nice, his solo on "Pursuance" blew my mind on first listen. His technique, ideas, and sense of rhythm is unbelievable. One might buy this just for Calderazzo's performance. As Eric Revis is somewhat new to the group, I find his playing very good. A very tight player, he does a nice job of communicating well with Tain Watts, since he is one to suprise others on the bandstand! Tain Watts is equally impressive here, showing a deep appreciation for Elvin Jones' playing. His solos are filled with pure intensity, and never seems to play top-heavy, despite what some Branford fans might say. Lastly, Branford puts on a great performance, easily showing his Coltrane influence, but putting his own spin on groove and improvisation. His tone seems to be a combination of Trane and Sonny Rollins?? Tough to decide sometimes. In addition, the sound quality on the DVD is remarkable. Put it on a surround sound system. Trust me. There's also some bonus features which include Branford in chill mode: going to the gym, rehearsing, playing soprano, etc. Exciting stuff.....
Movie Review: Supreme
Summary: 5 Stars
"Trane" is unique. We all agrree in that point. To me, John Coltrane is one of my favorite jazz musicians. His music is full of energy, full of creation, full of magic. "A love supreme" is a masterpiece in his discography.
Love supreme Live DVD is a great performance of Brandford Marsalis. ut there's a difference between playing the album and interpretate the songs. In this case he intepretate Coltrane's playing, including some of his own phrases here and there. I think is a good attitude, he doesn't try to compare to Coltrane, he and the band is doing a tribute. I was stunned when I heard Marsalis playing Coltrane's trademark "sheets of sounds" in his saxo.
So, sticking to the DVD, the video quality is amazing. The camera moves along the musicians, shot details of the instruments, stopping when the solo starts, helping to keep you interested in the concert. I use a Sony Home theater and I can say the audio quiality rocks. I can hear every subtle note of the instruments. Extra interview with Alice Coltrane is great too.
The bonus CD is a perfect way to hear the concert in you car or in a discman. You won't miss anything, the music is exactly the same as in the live footage.
In conclusion, "Love supreme Live" is a perfect way to appreciate Brandford Marsalis ans his band playing Trane's masterpiece with intensity, soul and heart.
Movie Review: Tranes Spirit
Summary: 5 Stars
Had I not seen the Film and only the audio of the concert, I would've sworn it was Trane. This quite possibly the best Jazz DVD I have ever heard/seen. Performing A Love Supreme is no easy task. It's not like simply playing a standard, this is a very important piece of music and reqiures a different approach. Naturally I had my reservation about this DVD. Eventhough Branford and his quartet are exellent and very capable, A Love Supreme is just something else of its own. I decided to get this DVD despite my reservations, mainly b/c I wanted to see how they played it. I was not at all dissapointed. This disc is amazing. From the first note to the last, the energy is at a high, and just when you think they can't possibly raise the bar, they do. They don't exceed Coltranes famous quartet and they don't set out to do so.(and how could they) What these guys have done with John Coltranes' most famous recording is make it there own. Instead of trying to play it like Tranes quartet they played it like themselves. Ironically while trying to play it unlike Trane, they ended up channeling his energy and spirit. Overall a must buy for any fan of Jazz, or art in general.Movie Review: energy, enthusiasm, and respect gel in this superb performan
Summary: 5 Stars
I was really unsure about if the idea behind this DVD would work. How could you take a masterpiece like A Love Supreme and interpret it? Or should this even be done? An incredibly presumptious undertaking,was my thinking. There aren't even many versions of Naima I care to hear, outside of those performed by Coltrane himself or McCoy Tyner.
However, this is a beautiful performance and it does work. The cohesiveness and energy of the group is undeniable. The music simply oozes respect and homage for Coltrane and his timeless work.
If you appreciate modal jazz, you cannot dislike this performance.
If you think jazz is a spiritual art form, you will not be disappointed.
Branford playing is fairly well documented, but a special treat is the fantastic playing of Joey Calderazzo. And the incredible playing of Tain Watts who is always right there and pushing ahead.
This is one that will get several repeated listenings. Enjoy.