Jeff Beck – performing
this week… live at Ronnie Scott’s
(Eagle Blu-ray + DVD) + Blow By Blow
(Sony 5.1 SA-CD)
Picture: B/C+
Sound: B/B-/A- Concert Extras: C+ Album: B+ Concert: B-
Jeff Beck
is one of the greatest, most amazing, most consistent, most talented guitarists
of all time. After his legendary stint
in The Yardbirds, his name was strong enough that he has used it in one way or
another to announce that it is he who is ready to amaze with his uncompromised
and ever stunning abilities. Serious
music fans (especially Rock, Soul and Blues) have enjoyed him for years and
now, he has his first Blu-ray on the market and is also being issued on
DVD. Save vinyl records, there are now
two ways to encounter Beck’s work in the digital realm that is superior to past
CD releases.
Jeff
Beck – performing this week… live at Ronnie Scott’s was taped in November 2007 with
guest appearances by Joss Stone, Imogen Heap and none other than Eric Clapton
on some of the 22 performances here on Blu-ray and DVD. Beck’s band includes Vinnie Colaiuta on
drums, Jason Rebello on keyboards and the amazing Tai Wilkenfeld on bass. It is a show filled with great energy and
though I was not a fan of all the actual songs, the performances often go
beyond them. It is a concert where the
band is great and the audience is enjoying it as much as they are at playing
it.
The 1080i
1.78 X 1 digital High Definition image on the Blu-ray is a bit weak and noisy
at times, with slight Video Black troubles that are more so on the
anamorphically enhanced DVD, but color, editing and camera angle choices are a
plus. The DTS-HD MA 5.1 mix on the
Blu-ray is better than the Dolby Digital 5.1 and PCM 2.0 Stereo options, though
the PCM is not bad, but it can be more bass heavy than it should be and the
soundfield suffers a bit as a result. Extras
in both formats include interviews with the band and Beck, plus an illustrated
booklet with text about beck and the concert.
If you
are not totally satisfied with the DTS on that disc, you will find it much
harder to argue again the multi-channel 5.1 Super Audio CD edition of his 1975
hit album Blow By Blow. Produced by George Martin (The Beatles) and
recorded to perfection obsessively by Beck, it remains his biggest hit album
and the 5.1 DSD soundmix on this SA-CD only edition (no CD track) is terrific,
better than the fine DSD 2.0 Stereo mix and captures his early peak as one of
the greatest guitarists ever. In either
mix, it is hard to believe the recording is nearly 35 years old, but the master
tape was kept in great shape in the Epic Records’ vaults. Even vinyl fans will be impressed by the 5.1
mix here and along with the DVD-Audio of The
Beatles – Love represents the best playback of George Martin’s work in the
digital realm to date.
Catch
both!
- Nicholas Sheffo