Product Description

Studio: Sony Music Release Date: 03/30/2004 Run time: 86 minutes Rating: Nr

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #20604 in DVD
• Brand: Sony
• Released on: 2004-03-23
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Color, DVD, Live, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 86 minutes

Amazon.com
It should come as no shock that a collection of Luther Vandross videos is entitled From Luther with Love, for this is a pop singer so unabashedly romantic that he makes other soul crooners (the late Barry White, for instance) seem like monks in comparison. The 15 videos collected here span some 20 years of Vandross' career, starting with 1981's "Never Too Much." The quality varies; the earlier items, like "Stop to Love," are fairly primitive by today's standards, while more recent videos ("Your Secret Love") are beautifully shot, with the kind of moody lighting and sophisticated vibe that perfectly suit the singer's lush, sensuous style. But whether he's in concert ("Always and Forever," "Superstar"), on his own, or dueting with another singer ("There's Nothing Better than Love" with Gregory Hines; "Endless Love" with a typically over-the-top Mariah Carey), Luther Vandross is lost in love--even the one tune where things appear to go wrong ("It's Over Now") is nothing but a bad dream. Bonus material includes the usual bio, discography, and photos, along with interviews (though not with Vandross himself), a couple of extra songs, and more. --Sam Graham

Customer Reviews

Befitting of The Crooner...Crank It Up on 'Superstar'
...I've written of Luther for years in this Amazon Customer Review forum. And always those reviews have been some kind of praise to his approach to R and Bee ballardry. The tunes starting from the 80s' Never Too Much to his most recent grammy winner Dance with My Father all reflected the singer's overall approach to love, life and even the blues. That approach was positive. The glass was half full rather than half empty even when he was telling his no good, man chasin' woman, it's over now...(but be on the lowdown cuz my nosy neighbors are lookin'). His approach was talking about love in all that satiny vocalisation. That means a lot to people even if--especially if--all the other singers of the time are talking the gutter and whatever backwards type attention getting effluvia.

This presentation shows the videos telling the listener what's he's about. They show his various incarnations and size fluctuations, his ongoing love/hate affair with visually stunning Lisa Fischer ('Va-va voom' Luther and I both have said about her), his forages in spirituality and philosophy...even when gas was under a dollar a gallon.

In the extras on the DVD is the David Ritz (of Marvin Gaye's biographical "Divided Soul") biographical Luther piece. Take time to go thru it. It is superb. Then there are interviews with his partners in crime these many years--bassist Marcus Miller tells of years with the Roberta Flack entourage, how Luther songs are made and his fond memories. Engineer Ray Bardani relates how Luther was more interested some days in how people liked his hair than putting the tracks down and composer/arranger Nate Adderly Jr. talks about working with Luther.

The best tribute is the hidden bonus feature--Luther doing his signature version of A House is Not a Home to one of his idols Dionne Warrick, who, of course sang one of the original versions. In retrospect, now, that was a historic performance. In another bonus feature Luther sings The Impossible Dream reminding us listeners that it sadly, simply all must've been an impossible dream in one sense or another. And all that greatness to come from Luther can never be....So, if you love Luther, this would be the product to get in my opinion. And when you *do* get it, do me a favor. Turn it up on maximum volume when you get to Superstar.

Luther Vandross A Musical Genious
Watching this video almost bought me to tears. I feel so blessed to be a fan of Luthers. I miss him and continue to mourn for the music we didn't get a chance to hear from him, this will make me treasure what he did give us all the more. The video bought back many old memories and like many other, Luthers music has gotten me through many lonely times. He was and will always be a true musical treasure.

A STUNNING PERFORMACE OF ALL HIS TOP 40 VIDEOS AND MORE
WHAT CAN I SAY. THE LOVE SONGS,AAA+ SPEND A ROMANTIC EVENING,LISTENING TO SOME OF THE MOST SOULFUL SONGS AROUND.ALL OF THESE SONGS ARE THE ORIGINAL VIDEOS...THE PICTURE AND SOUND IS STUNNING.A PERFECT WAY TO SPEND AN EVENING,ROMANTICALLY,OR TO JUST CHILL OUT... A MUST FOR YOUR VIDEO COLLECTION.