Customer Reviews

75th

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This document shows the master still had the power to drive his band to groove hard even in the last months of his life. Looking gaunt and somewhat frail, Zawinul led this last incarnation of the Syndicate through its paces in Lugano, Switzerland in July 2007. It was a tight set, marred only by a technical problem with one of his keyboards. His son Tony produced this beautifully shot concert, lavishly caught on multiple cameras including a crane, something you don't see very much in most jazz DVDs. For once, the camera is always where it should be, catching the excitement where the action is, The beauty of the setting is tastefully blended into the detailed capture of this historic performance. Most of the tunes will be very familiar to Zawinul fans-the set is heavily weighted to re-workings of Weather Report tunes and is filled out with a number of Zawinul compositions that have long been the staple of his late Syndicate repertoire.

The sound is gorgeous, giving the listener the choice of an amazing DTS 5.1 surround mix, placing the listener in the center of the band.(Also available in Dolby Digital.) There is also an alternative PCM mix @ 96k. If you were a fan of Mr Z, this is a must have. Included is a very beautiful duet with Wayne Shorter, recorded just two weeks before the master's passing. The love and respect between these two maestros is palpable and this rendition of In a Silent Way is almost cinematic in its far reaching colors and multiple harmonic digressions. Unfortunately the audio is not very good for this bonus track, which is from a television broadcast, but it is still well worth watching. (There is a decent stereo audio only track included, and it;s also on the CD)

Please note that this is only available in PAL, so you must have a region free player to view it. It appears this item is actually being discontinued. Most likely it was a very limited release, put out by Zawinul's own family run label. I note that at the moment it is still available through the amazon sellers at a very good price. My advice it to snap it up. It will be a collector;s item in the not too distant future. But moreover, it is a worthy addition to your collection.

First, I must say that the music and video of the concert are absolutely first rate.

The problem for some folks will be that the DVD will not play in all DVD players. The disc is formatted for Europe - region 2. This means that the North American video standard, NTSC, was not used.
As mentioned in the previous review; you may own a player that reads all regions, however most players are not all region enabled.
The second option for playback is to use second party software to convert from PAL, region 2 standard to NTSC and burn a new DVD.
That is the option I used. The minor drawback with this method is that the Disc Menu will not function.

This recording does merit whatever means are necessary to acquire and view/listen.

Needed to buy this for a friend who has been looking everywhere for it and for a very long time. Ordered it for his birthday and it came just in time! Definitely made him happy!

First, beware that the DVD you purchase is the right region code for your country. I was sent a DVD from the wrong region and had to go through some special efforts to be able to enjoy it. Once through that, this is one amazing DVD. The camera work is as good as it gets, and the sound quality is excellent - but beyond that the performances are nothing short of spectacular. I have seen Joe Zawinul live more than 20 times, starting with Weather Report, and this performance is as good as it gets. I own everything that Zawinul ever recorded - at least everything that I have been able to find, so you are reading a review from a true believer. I had the privilege, in fact, to be at this particular concert in Lugano on 07/07/07 - Joe Zawinul's 75th birthday, and the performance was exceptional. Joe only lived another 3 months after the Lugano concert, but he kept touring almost until the end.
Back to the performance. As always, Joe surrounds himself with the best musicians in the world. The grooves they achieve will not allow you to sit while listening, or keep from laughing out loud with delight - at least if you appreciate talent and feeling like I do. Joe, as usual, uses his subtle cues to conduct and mold the music. While there are times he seems distant (as you would expect from a man who knows his end is near), Joe locks into the groove and takes absolute delight in the directions the music takes. His delight is obvious and infectious. His team of musicians looks at him like a father that they are eager to please, and please him they do. If you are a Zawinul fan, a jazz fan in general, a lover of funk, or a lover of music in general - BUY THIS DVD.