The Best of Sessions at West 54th, Vol. 1
 
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The Best of Sessions at West 54th, Vol. 1 (1997)

Chris Douridas (Actor), Anggun (Actor), Jeb Brien (Director), Jim Gable (Director) | Rated: NR | Format: DVD
4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews) |
Price: $9.98 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details
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Product Details

  • Actors: Chris Douridas, Anggun, David Byrne, Ani Difranco, Emmylou Harris
  • Directors: Jeb Brien, Jim Gable
  • Producers: Jeb Brien, A. Karim Karmi, Ali Gifford, Allen Kelman, Jessica Hodges
  • Format: Color, DVD, NTSC
  • Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo), English (Dolby Digital 5.1)
  • Subtitles: English
  • Region: All Regions
  • Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
  • Number of discs: 1
  • Rated: NR (Not Rated)
  • Studio: Sony
  • DVD Release Date: December 10, 1997
  • Run Time: 78 minutes
  • Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
  • ASIN: 1573300799
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #144,435 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

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  • Learn more about "The Best of Sessions at West 54th, Vol. 1" on IMDb

Special Features

  • Instant Access To Songs

Editorial Reviews

VARIOS INTERPRETES THE BEST OF SESSIONS AT WEST 54TH VOL.1

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
99 of 106 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
So far, this is one of the few DVDs that were recorded live on digital video equipment. Accordingly, this is a must-have for anyone so fortunate as to have a progressive-scan DVD player, which will play the disk in native 480p DTV format on an HD-ready television. The resulting picture is startlingly excellent. The content consists 15 musical acts, each performing one song to a small audience in a recording studio. Most of the acts are of the rock or folk genre, but a little jazz (Wynton Marsalis) and one space music piece (Daniel Lanois) are thrown in. Cellist Yo-Yo Ma sort of falls between genres. There are no hip-hop/rap acts.

There are several things to consider before buying this DVD. First, the song selections are _extremely_ esoteric. I have a fairly broad range of interest in various types of music, but I had heard of only 9 of the 15 acts. Furthermore, I have never before heard _any_ of the 15 songs. This is the antithesis of a pop music collection; it takes a sense of music appreciation bordering on snobbery to love the whole thing.

Using a recording studio for live acts has both positive and negative aspects. On the one hand, the sound is crisp and clear, and every instrument can be heard in detail. On the other, the raw, unprocessed sound does not get the color it would enjoy if recorded at a real concert venue at high sound pressure levels. Drums and bass guitar sound especially weak on this DVD. The acoustic instruments fare the best here, with Marsalis' "Back to Basics" giving us the best mix of the bunch (but the most musically challenging, unfortunately). Another aural treat is Langlois' "Orange Kay" instrumental piece for drum sequencer and highly-processed electric guitar.

Of the other cuts, I would award special kudos for Suzanne Vega's "Caramel," Shawn Colvin's "Diamond in the Rough," Sinead O'Connor's "The Last Day of Our Acquaintance," and Patti Smith's "People Have the Power."

A full list of all the performances follows:

1. Wynton Marsalis with the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra--Back to Basics

2. Suzanne Vega--Caramel

3. Richard Thompson--I Feel So Good

4. Shawn Colvin--Diamond in the Rough

5. Ani DiFranco--32 Flavors

6. Nil Lara--How Was I To Know

7. Rickie Lee Jones--Road Kill

8. Daniel Lanois--Orange Kay

9. Emmylou Harris--Wrecking Ball

10. Ben Folds Five--Smoke

11. Keb' Mo'--Just Like You

12. Sinead O'Connor--The Last Day of Our Acquaintance

13. Yo-Yo Ma--Libertango

14. Patti Smith--People Have the Power

15. Jane Siberry--Love Is Everything

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16 of 16 people found the following review helpful
By JEM
Format:DVD
This DVD alone is worth the investment in a DVD player. Granted, the collection of artists assembled on this disc is eclectic, but all share a level of talent unsurpassed by anyone currently reaping a high level of commercial success. The first season of Sessions at West 54th featured performances by artists ranging from Ani DiFranco to Tricky (both of which I was fortunate to catch), and recent installments continue to showcase unique and innovating music from bands like Cibo Matto to Speech (of Arrested Development). This DVD captures some of the best performances from the first season, and does so with so much audio and visual perfection it's hard to believe you're not actually sitting at the Sony Music Studios on West 54th. In fact, the performances by Shawn Colvin, Ani DiFranco, and Sinead O'Connor almost match what they offer live -- absent are the tall people who usually end up standing in front of you and the lack of intimacy larger music venues tend to present. To be able to experience (over and over again) the raw, emotional energy of performers like DiFranco and O'Connor alone is worth the $25 -- I almost get the same goosebumps. Of course, nothing can ever compare to the actual live performances, but this disc comes as close to it as I'd imagine anything can ever get. Ben Folds Five, Keb' Mo', and Wynton Marsalis provide stand-out performances, as well. I, too, would like to see a continuation of the "volume" series on DVD, and full sets from select artists. Also, the disc could be even better with multi-angle functionality and the original interviews with Chris Douridas. Overall, though, it doesn't get any better than this! It is by far the best DVD I own.
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16 of 18 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:DVD
The most memorable of MTV's Unplugged shows was Eric Clapton's performance, and then, well, the show degenerated from there.

Sony then sponsored Sessions at West 54th Street. All of the off beat and eclectic but really cool stuff I loved in college was given a venue. Jazz, "poetry", rhythms, sounds. I had forgetten what an eclectic collection of music was. That is until Sessions was broadcast on PBS this past year.

The problem was I'd always forget to have a tape in the VCR to catch the shows. And of course the sound would be VHS Hi-Fi (ooh boy, pinch me I must be dreamin').

I'd seen the Sessions DVD listed but never got around to buying it, until now. Why did I wait?!

The performances captured on this disk are the ones I most liked. Rickie Lee Jones "Road Kill" is one of the funkiest spoken word with a groove pieces I've ever heard with some really twisted imagery (Moonlight on the hill -- lights up the road kill, moonlight on the hill -- lights up the future). Daniel Lanois' "Orange Kay" is an apocolyptic piece that amazes me every time I watch it. How can a man with a drum machine, a guitar, and an effects peddle create such dramatic music by himself?

As for the DVD - it's a showcase piece for the technology. The mastered from digital video sources and with a phenomenal Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound track, makes you wish you could watch the broadcast shows with the same clarity and audio.

If you have eclectic tastes in music and want a disc to show off your DVD player and AV setup to yourself and your friends, "Sessions at West 54th" is a must have. END

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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Best of sessions west 54th vol. 1
A very good live dvd with a couple of artists at their top, live. Because I am a big fan of Jane Siberry this dvd came to my attention. Read more
Published on September 24, 2008 by H. M. Coppoolse
Good but also disappointing...
I was a big fan of this show and have fond memories of watching great artist perform great sets. When I saw the line up for this DVD I jumped at the chance to watch these... Read more
Published on August 24, 2008 by John Taylor
AMAZING!
Love the whole DVD but my favorite has to be Sinead O'Connor's "Last Day Of Our Acquaitance". Well worth the money!
Published on July 29, 2007 by Timothy S. Boyce
Fine production; so-so curating.
The video direction is good for the most part. As a musician, I found it frustrating to have to sit through a close-up of Richard Thompson's face while the pyrotechnics ensue on... Read more
Published on April 28, 2002 by Jonathan Feinberg
Great DVD, But Why the Cuts?
Recorded live (with a studio audience) at Sony's New York digs, the sound of this series (originally aired on PBS) is absolutely exceptional in the fully digital format. Read more
Published on November 21, 2001 by Scott Faust
basic review
this is the best of my 20 audio dvd collection. the acoustics are emphasized in this sony studio masterpiece. the best performances are truley special. Read more
Published on January 20, 2001
Sen-Session-al
I think Sessions is probably the best music series on the air. Nothing on the "all-music" cable channels comes close. Read more
Published on January 15, 2001 by WestrnSlpe
OUTSTANDING...PLEASE GIVE US MORE!
I've always been a big fan of "Sessions.." and to have the intimacy of a small venue, combined with some of the most creative artists around today, combined with digital... Read more
Published on September 1, 2000 by "drummindave"
I Loved It!
"I just got a DVD player and home theater system, and this is the first DVD I bought, because I love the series! The 5. Read more
Published on July 27, 2000
Ear Candy
This is a must have for any musician, any audiophile, and any one with 5.1 audio. If you wanna hear 5.1 audio's capabilities... Read more
Published on June 25, 2000 by Chris Kurtis
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