Ike Turner & The Kings Of Rhythm – Live In Concert 2002 (MVD Visual/Charly DVD)

 

Picture: C     Sound: C     Extras: C     Concert: C

 

 

Let’s face it, Ike Turner was not a nice person or a good person, but he was still an important pioneer in Rock & Soul Music.  Without Tina Turner, no one would remember him much as he discovered her and as we all know, would spend the rest of his life never being able to let her go.  In 1952, his hit record “Rocket ‘88’” was considered groundbreaking and many consider it the first actual Rock-N-Roll song.

 

In his act, even before Tina gave him an extended career, he had his live act organized and together, knowing how to pick top talent and integrate it.  Ike Turner & The Kings Of Rhythm – Live In Concert 2002 shows him trying to make a comeback, but the energy and spark that put him on the map to begin with is long gone and soon, he would pass on.  The songs include:

 

1)     Chicken Shack

2)     Ike & Pinetop’s Boogie

3)     Mercy, Mercy

4)     I Need A-Nuddin

5)     Caldonia

6)     Five Long Years

7)     Baby’s Got It

8)     Rocket “88”

9)     Tequila

10)  Ike’s Tune

11)  Steel Guitar Rag

12)  I’m The Only One

13)  I’ve Been Loving You So Long

14)  Proud Mary

15)  I Want To Take You Higher

 

 

For the Tina hits, he gets a younger lady who is sort of a look-alike and sound-alike, but it does not work and is honestly quite sloppy in its all around execution.  It runs 69 minutes (is that some kind of bad joke?) and shows a man who has been a shell of himself for a very long time.  It can even be painful to watch, but at least it is here for posterity.

 

The 1.33 X 1 image is soft throughout and a fuzzy analog taping, while the differences between the Dolby Digital 5.1 and 2.0 mixes are very thin and poor all around.  Extras include two concert snippets, bio/discography text, the ironic 2004 Memphis Hero Award and “Early Years” piece.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo