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