Customer Reviews

Dave Grusin Presents West Side Story

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Just in case you did not know, this is Dave Grusin’s version of some of the music themes of West Side Story original film with music by Leonard Bernstein (a masterpiece)....I like Dave Grusin. I have heard that some pure jazz fans do not have him in there grater esteem (perhaps they see him as a kind of modern Glen Miller), but I find most of his music and arrangements tasteful, balanced, adequate and easy to listen to (that is maybe why some don’t like him, but he manages to make his jazz style accessible to most audiences). He made for example a very good job with his interpretations of Duke Ellington and Henry Mancini’s music. He also has a delicate, distinctive and personal way of playing the piano (which I like) that makes his performances very recognizable. Well, his adaptation of West Side Story’s music is not an exception. It lacks the strength and vitality of the original but many might prefer it and consider it up to modern standards (or fashion). Even if your personal musical taste is such that you might not be very fond of the original score (I love it), I bet you will like this version which I suppose must be reachable and enjoyable by almost everybody. If you like Jon Secada, Gloria Stefan and Jonathan Butler, well, they sing some themes. Also, many other great and renown musicians participate. But be aware, the music is OK but the visual scenes going with it are mostly disappointing and seem out of place. I would have expected to see more of the musicians playing, maybe more of the film’s steady pictures (they use a few), why not some bits of the film, or even some sort of video clips matching the rhythm (the kind you can normally see nowadays on TV going together with almost any song). Instead, although you get some glances of the musicians while recording or of Dave Grusin conducting or playing the piano, there are two musical themes which go with a made up visual story that has to do with absolutely nothing, in most themes you constantly get flashing images of kind of psychedelic (and disturbing) lightings of what I guess might be the graphical representation of the sound waves, and with the “I Love to be in America” song you get different pictures of representative sceneries and buildings of America and Dave Grusin walking around and smiling in a country environment (which I suppose is his way of saying that he also loves America). I must warn you, at times it gets even annoying. Perhaps you just ought to go for the CD version (just the music). Anyway, the music and its interpretation are OK and I think you will like them. I, by all means, would recommend the original movie DVD (but you’d better check the reviews first, before you make up your mind)....

Don't bother with this DVD, buy the CD instead. I expected cool shots of all the musicians, Brecker, Weckl etc. Instead I got silly 60's style stoned out graphics & boring USA city pictures. There are all to infrequent shots of the amazing musos recording the album, That's what I wanted, the music is amazing but the video footage is a disgrace. As I said buy the CD & just try to imagine how fantastic it would of been to be there, because this DVD will never tell you. SORRY!!!!!!!!!

I too expected to see more shots of the incredible New York studio musicians who recorded this music. Instead, I saw boring, out-of-date, psychedelic graphics... ho-hum! 5 stars for the musicians and Dave Grusin's burnin' big band charts, 1 star for the DVD. What a waste!

I must admit, Dave Grusin is one of my favourite musicians. I alway liked the "original" two-channel recording. But this DTS recording gives you even more excitement! Once you are addicted to multi-channel music you will hardly accept/like conventional recordings anymore.
With this album high quality music goes together with high quality recording...

I want all of my music DVDs to be presented in this manner because the music is primary and the video is secondary here. I listened and watched everything on it, and read every page. All record companies should view and listen to this disc because it reminded me of vinyl LP days when we could sit and listen to the music while reading the record jacket. If you don't have a good 5.1 surround system, get one and impress your friends by toggling the Audio Change feature between the stereo and 5.1 mix. After you listen to the 5.1 mix, then flip to the stereo, you'll never want to listen to stereo again!

A fanantastic album, a sensational interpretation of Bernsteins music, excellent for listening to if you know the origional music well.

The big band / horn arrangements are excellent and the tracks just totally jump. DTS version is worth every penny, so just buy it! (If you don't have a DTS setup yet, what are you waiting for?)

I have owned this DVD for many years, and decided to look for more like it. When I saw some of the negative reviews, I just had to write mine. These people generally do NOT understand jazz, or the basis for it. Jazz transforms the normal into something special when done well. I never liked West Side Story until I saw and heard this interpretation. I originally bought it as a gift for my wife, not because of any interest by me. It has become one of my favorite DVD's, and I kept it.

This is a must have for real jazz enthusiasts! Grusin hits the center of the bullseye with this.

Contrary to one of the other reviewers, I am probably least impressed by (but I still thoroughly enjoy) the pop-singer vocal cuts on this CD. (For several other great vocal interpretations, check out David Pack's "The Songs of West Side Story" (1996), on BMG Music #09026-62707-2.)

I've never owned any of the original soundtrack recordings of West Side Story, but I've always loved the instrumental music -- I must have listened to the Buddy Rich Band's "West Side Story Medley" literally hundreds of times, for example.

I think that the instrumental arrangements on this CD have definitely kicked it all up a notch, and that Buddy Rich (and his fans) would certainly approve!

After playing this CD several dozen times, the cut that keeps commanding my complete attention, every single time I hear it, is "Something's Coming." My other favorite cuts include the "Prologue" and "America."

If you really enjoy listening to driving, intricate, melodic jazz, you just can't go wrong with this CD.

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WARNING: the streaming audio samples which are available here online do NOT do justice to the impeccable quality of this state-of-the-art recording!

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When I first listened to a track I'd downloading using Napster from this album I absoluted hated it. A friend encouraged me to go into my music store and listen to the album in full. The verdict was this is a MUST HAVE Dave Grusin album - I was greatly relieved my initial feelings of this album were incorrect. I was so impressed with the album I bought it last Friday and haven't been able to stop playing it yet.

Dave Grusin has come up with a richly innovative interpretation of Leonard Bernstein's "West Side Story" arranged in jazz big band format. My favourite tracks on this album were: "Somewhere" sung wonderfully by Jon Secada, and I like the classical arranged version of "I Feel Pretty" (this is perhaps my favourite piece); the syncopated sounds on "America" sound good too.

Conclusion: IMHO one of Dave Grusin's best albums. Grusin always seems to pull of a winner of a jazz album with every record he produces :)