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Category:    Home > Reviews > Concert > Afrobeat > Religion > Soweto Gospel Choir – Blessed Live In Concert (Concert)

Soweto Gospel Choir – Blessed Live In Concert (Concert)

 

Picture: C+     Sound: C+     Extras: C     Concert: B-

 

 

No doubt the Soweto Gospel Choir is very talented and exceptionally effective in their harmonies.  Acorn Media has issued a new DVD of their recent Australian TV concert, running 24 songs and about 90 minutes.  They start off by explaining that some of the concert will be in English, but it is very little and turns out to be the weakest parts of their show.  This includes Khumbaya and Oh Happy Day, the former of which was never a favorite and latter of which the hit record by The Edwin Hawkins Singers is definitive.  Peter Gabriel’s Biko fares a bit better.

 

Of course, one cannot watch and eventually not think of Paul Simon’s Graceland, which along with Steven Spielberg’s original film version of The Color Purple mainstreamed the idea of traditional African culture in a new way.  That did not come without its critics, but is a valid point that extends al the way to Australia and South Africa.  It is a good, if inconsistent concert, but one those who enjoy this music will like.

 

The anamorphically enhanced 1.78 X 1/16 X 9 image has weak Video Black, though is very colorful and was shot in digital High Definition.  The Dolby Digital 5.1 mix is the best here, but is not always making the best use of its surrounds.  Three featurettes about the group are the extras.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo


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