Bob Berg + Randy Brecker – The Geneva Concert New Morning & Niels Lan Doky Trio (Inakustik/DVD-Video Concerts)

 

Picture: C     Sound: B-/B     Extras: C     Concerts: B-

 

 

In the continuing New Morning DVD concert series, more of the Geneva shows are finally arriving and two great musicians are featured in separate DVDs and in prime form.  From 1994, Bob Berg & Niels Lan Doky Trio plus Randy Brecker & Niels Lan Doky Trio are being offered by Inakustik at the same time.

 

Berg (1951 -2002) joins The Niels Lan Doky Trio for five extended jams including:

 

1)     Summer Nights

2)     Forever Frank

3)     When I Fall In Love

4)     No Moe

5)     Straight No Chaser

 

 

Brecker joins The Niels Lan Doky Trio for seven nearly extended jams including:

 

1)     On Green Dolphin Street

2)     Star Eyes

3)     The Target

4)     Softly As In A Morning

5)     Talma

6)     That’s It

7)     Blue Moon

 

 

Both are good discs, but the musicianship in both cases is often more interesting than the actual material.  I was hoping the shows would take off, but they never really do, despite still being decent.  Jazz fans and fans of the musicians specifically will enjoy, but others might find the limited material a little disappointing.

 

Both 1.33 X 1 images are surprisingly soft, lacking in detail, have plugged up color and are hazy throughout.  Both offer DTS 5.1 and Dolby Digital 5.1 & 2.0, but the DTS is preferred, though the Berg concert (despite happen less than a month after the Brecker show) sounds more compressed, limited and lacks good soundstage.  Both offer interviews as extras, with the Berg disc adding a 1994 music clip.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo