Phenomenal DVD featuring the virtuosity of Jean-Luc Ponty on violin, Stanley Clarke on upright bass, and Al Di Meola on guitar.

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #22480 in DVD
• Released on: 2005-05-03
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Color, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, DVD, Live, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 103 minutes

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Customer Reviews

What a treat!
In their first concert together -- before they went into the studio to record the classic "Rite of Strings" album -- three of the icons of the fusion era shed (well, mostly) their electronics and perform a scintillating set that celebrates their virtuosity.

The show includes several pieces that would later appear on the album, but in extended, looser, occasionally rougher forms that reveal the players still learning the limits of their acoustic-trio format. There are occasional fumbles, and DiMeola was having some tuning issues (perhaps from heat; he has two cooling fans on stage with him). But it's still all good, because what these guys are clearly discovering is how easy and natural it was to play together, and just how magnificent it sounds.

And it does sound magnificent, in well-recorded PCM stereo or your choice of Dolby Digital or DTS 6.1 sound (used mostly for ambience). The 4:3 video looks fine, too, very sanely edited to focus on the right musician at the right time, without losing track of the others during extended solos or resorting to fast cutting to try to cover everything. The camerawork is first-rate.

At 103 minutes the program is satisfying, if not overly generous (and one wonders what music may have been left on the cutting-room floor), and there are no bonus features.

Still, since this trio recorded only the one glorious record, having this additional release is a gift for anyone who, like me, treasures "The Rite of Strings" as one of the most evocative and timeless jazz recordings of the 90s.

Rites done Right
First of all, if you have any of the electric stuff from any of these 3 from the '70s, don't think that this is anything along those lines. This is an acoustic jazz trio. "The Rites of Strings" CD was merely the tip of the iceberg of what these 3 musicians can do. With the "Live at Montreux" DVD we get a full fledged performance from 3 of the greatest virtuosos of this or any era. The mood is the same as the CD, but Clarke, Dimeola and Ponty unveil their full prowess on their instruments and this is an unhitched performance. There is great playing by each member, unison lines, and a great deal of improvisational interplay. All of these were hinted at on the CD and the musicians take their compositions to new heights live. Oddly enough, this DVD was recorded before the CD. The songs are all from the CD and are reworkings of previously recorded songs from each of the 3 musicians. You'll probably recognize all of them from the other recordings, but in a trio setting, they are given a unique twist. Song highlights are "Song For John" and "Renaissance". Both of these contain a great deal of improv and the playing by each member is unbelievable. In addition to the songs, each member of the band is also given a solo spot. All 3 are good if not great, but Stanley Clarke is unreal.
To sum it up, if you like acoustic jazz or like acoustic work by any of these 3, then you'll love this. A DVD that is a must have from the Montreux series.

Pleasantly suprised
I just bought this on a whim being an Al Dimeola fan and was quite suprised. From the first song they have great chemistry playing together. They are playing tight, trading off solo spots well, and smiling when something came off well. The songs are interesting and varied. The addition of Monte Alexander on piano for an encore song was a nice addition to the concert.

Sometimes when you get three virtuosos together you get to the point of just saying "shut up already, we know you can play", but I didn't get that affect with this trio. They tastefully use their chops.

The DVD quality is quite good. The sound is lively and recorded correctly for an audiophile 2 speaker system. The camera work is excellent. They show a good balance of closeup and distance shots, and the fades are nice. For instance, they zoom in on Al's hands when he's playing a solo (now if I only could slow it down to 1/4 speed I could figure out what he just played, man is he fast!). They do that in many instances for each musician.

I think if you like any of these guys playing accoustic jazz you would like this DVD.