The Crusaders – Live At Montreux 2003 (Eagle DVD)

 

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

 

 

Ray Parker Jr. first burst onto the scene as part of the Soul group Raydio, then launched a solo career that peaked with the theme to the hit film Ghostbusters, though he was also working as a session musician for years as well as writing songs for some of the biggest names in the business before anyone ever heard of him.  Now, he has become part of a band called The Crusaders and their Live At Montreux 2003 concert is now on DVD from Eagle.

 

The songs include:

 

1)     Spiral

2)     Viva De Funk

3)     Creepin’

4)     Way Back Home

5)     Carnival Of The Night

6)     Put It Where You Want It

7)     WITH RANDY CRAWFORD: The Thrill Is Gone

8)     WITH RANDY CRAWFORD: Soul Shadows

9)     WITH RANDY CRAWFORD: Street Life

10)  WITH RANDY CRAWFORD: Imagine

11)  Rural Renewal

12)  Ghostbusters

 

 

If the concert were not enough of a pleasant surprise, Randy Crawford’s vocals are impressive and bring this show up further to the kind of event you would hope for and expect at such a gathering.  Parker Jr. still has his voice and with both a new videogame and third live action film, he may be finding new reasons to sing it to death yet again.  And no, it does not sound that much like I Wanna New Drug by Huey Lewis & The News, but can be as annoying.  All in all, this is a good show.

 

The anamorphically enhanced 1.78 X 1 image is not bad, looking like a late 1080i HD shoot, but is also colorful and not bad in its editing or shot choices.  The DTS 5.1 mix is very clean and clear, with a nice soundfield, dynamic range and is preferred over the Dolby Digital 5.1 and even decent PCM 2.0 Stereo mixes.  There are no extras.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo