Doo Wop at 50
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Movie Reviews of Doo Wop at 50
Movie Review: A Class Reunion with Class
Summary: 5 Stars
Though I'm too young to have gone to school and dated during the doo-wop period, these songs were still definitely on the radio when I grew up in the sixties. The vocal harmonies and musical 'innocence' appealed to me then, as now.I first saw some excerpts of this concert on PBS during a fund drive, and was delighted to find it available on DVD now. I was unprepared for the fantastic sound and visual quality of the DVD compared to what I'd seen on PBS. It truly leaps out of your stereo speakers! Whatever these well-seasoned performers may have lost in vocal youth over the years is well-compensated by the improved sound quality over those old scratchy 45's!
Unlike your typical rock concerts of today, this is a concert where the performers are accessible and immediate. And, of course, most of the audience was around for these songs when they were issued, so they are well-mannered and allow us to hear the performers.
There is an overwhelming feeling of love and good vibrations coming from the audience and performers alike. This is not the wild orgasmic devotion of kids at a modern rock concert, but a mellow and enthusiastic appreciation. The audience often joins the performers when prompted in clapping, singing, etc.
Jerry Butler is an excellent MC for the performers, all of who gave their best for these performances. Naturally, with the passage of so many years, some of the original singers aren't here. I found it most noticeable with the Platters, where Herb Reed did an excellent job, but he ain't Tony Williams. Gene Chandler's 'Duke of Earl' performance is awesome. So many moments were touching here, but my favorite Harvey Fuqua's performance with the Moonglows of the 'Ten Commandments of Love'. Mr. Fuqua's voice belies the fact that he's in his seventies, and his weather-worn face and strong voice combined with the beautiful backup of the Moonglows takes this performance into the sublime. It was obvious the audience felt the same.
So many young people have no idea of this fairly brief period in the fifties and early sixties. I showed this DVD to my thirteen year old niece and she was wiped out by the music. It's good-time music in a way that doesn't exist any more, maybe never will again.
So, ignore the expanded waistlines and gray hair, and be transported back to a time that seems so recent, yet so far, far away from today's music. This DVD is a keeper, and a great demo for the medium.
Movie Review: A must-have for music lovers
Summary: 5 Stars
Watching Doo Wop 50 is like sitting down and eating an old fashioned banana split or hot fudge sundae... You remember what it was like, but you'd forgotten how good it really is!!Not only is the music still pure and simple, but the class and sophistication used to tell the tales of love lost and found makes hearing it just that much better.
Many of the groups featured on this DVD actually sound more mature and better than when they originally recorded. On the other hand, it brings a tear to your heart to hear Jimmy Beaumont struggle to pour his soul into "Since I Don't Have You."
I'm not a DVD fanatic--far from it, but I bought this one simply to hear and see many of my favorite groups perform one last time. Many of these groups will never be seen again, and it's too bad that they weren't given the forum to perform extended sets. Still, where else will you see (and hear) the Spaniels sing "Stormy Weather", the Jive Five with Earl Pitts sing "What Time Is It?", or the Marcels sing "Blue Moon"?
You don't need the DVD to hear the music--God knows you can drop into any discount store and find a compliation of most of this music; but it's worth the few extra bucks to see the creased pants, the shining shoes, the hand gestures, and the appreciation these groups have for people that love their music.
It's not grunge---it's not hip hop or country rock. It was a period of time that many can only appreciate because they've been there. Sit back and take bite out of that sundae and savor how good it is...one more time.
Movie Review: Definitive Visual DooWop Performance
Summary: 5 Stars
If you love DooWop or if you're merely curious about it, this DVD provides an outstanding musical experience. Yes many of the groups are no longer intact. Unfortunately great singers like Tony Williams and Bobby Lester are no longer here. Nevertheless, this concert presents DooWop in the same form as it was presented at the legendary Alan Freed stage shows of the fifties. The costumes are there, the choreography is there and the great band backup sounds are there. I would argue that some of the bass tracks could have been bumped up, but overall the harmonies are pretty much intact and some of the lead performances, by people like Gene Chandler, Johhny Maestro, Jerry Butler, Pookie Hudson, and Earl Lewis are truly outstanding and worth watching. The sound quality is terrific, complete with the surround audience track. The camerawork is also first class, often getting up close and personal with the performers. DooWop has been a uniquely American musical artform that has been pretty much ignored visually. Most people had to rely on the lip-synched black and white appearances in the early Alan Freed Rock & Roll movies to see the groups. Finally, there is a way for all of us to experience this music in a live setting. Rhino says that this DooWop concert was the most successful fund-raising vehicle in the history of PBS. This DVD shows why.Movie Review: Defining a Musical Era
Summary: 5 Stars
I can't imagine anyone growing up in the mid-fifties not feeling a special attachment to the music contained in this heartfelt tribute to the songs and singers of a generation. I watched the performances for the first time with a lump in my throat. For all of us who used to fall asleep at night listening to the voices of Alan Freed, Murray the K, and B. Mitchell Reed, this is an incredible collection of sounds and memories.Hearing again (and seeing!)legends like Pookie Hudson(Spaniels), Willie Winfield (Harptones), and Harvey Fuqua (Moonglows), sounding even better than they did in those long ago years, reminds me of how fortunate we were to be a part of that musical period.From the Skyliners to the Flamingos to the Cleftones, this is an incredible treat. Witnessing the sheer joy and love of the music shared by every performer on stage is something special. This DVD is essential to anyone who ever felt the magic of those early years of Rock and Roll. This is a performance that we are not likely to ever see again.Movie Review: Great Show
Summary: 5 Stars
For those of you out there who enjoy the sounds of Doo Wop this DVD is for you and is certainly a keepsake for anyone who remembers that period of time or who just enjoys listening to good music. I found this musical presentation to be very good in it's own way and it seemed to have captured some fine musical moments in here worth watching such as Gene Chandler's vocal on "Duke Of Earl" and Jerry Buttler's soulfull rendering on "Your Precious Love" which were the two exciting highlights for me on this disc. This is one video presentation I think worth buying because it gathers together some of the finest performances ever assembled in one place and that it is truly a concert event that may never happen again in our lifetime. Or in any future lifetime. I found the sound quality of this DVD to be very good and the visual quality not to bad eather. So what are you waiting for? Go out and buy this.