Product Details

• Actors: Kimiko Itoh, Steve Gadd, Will Lee, John Tropea, Ralph MacDonald
• Format: Color, Dolby, DVD, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Image Entertainment
• DVD Release Date: August 8, 2000
• Run Time: 87 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6305943680
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #193,023 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Calling Kimiko Itoh the best female jazz vocalist in Japan may seem a bit like naming someone the best sumo wrestler in America--faint praise, in other words. But Itoh is more than a big fish in a small pond; she has shown herself to be utterly at ease with the medium of Western popular song. For this concert appearance, recorded in 1994 at the Japan Society in New York, she is joined by a band of crack session musicians, led by drummer Steve Gadd and featuring saxophonist Ronnie Cuber, guitarist John Tropea, percussionist Ralph MacDonald, bass player Will Lee, and keyboardist Soichi Noriki. In the hands of players of this caliber, Itoh's repertoire (ranging from pop/jazz standards like "All of Me" and "Old Devil Moon" to more contemporary fare like John Lennon's "Love" and Billy Joel's "New York State of Mind," along with tunes by Antonio Carlos Jobim and even a vocal adaptation of Rodrigo's "Concerto de Aranjuez") is never less than impeccably played, beautifully arranged, and an ideal showcase for the singer.

While occasional mispronunciations ("am" comes out more like "ahm") reveal that English isn't Itoh's first language, she has a genuine feel for this music; and if she isn't strictly a jazz singer, she can definitely swing. Perhaps most important, Itoh is a mature artist who knows how to use her instrument. She can sing with considerable power, even revealing the occasional soulful, gutsy growl. But unlike the Celine Dion school of so-called divas, who wrench the melismatic excess out of every note, Itoh doesn't overdo it. One minor complaint: the DVD sound is typically superb, but some bonus features, such as a bio, would have been nice. --Sam Graham

Product Description

Japan's finest female jazz vocalist recorded live in New York, featuring Steve Gadd, Will Lee, John Tropea, Ralph MacDonald, Ronnie Cuber and Soichi Noriki. Set list: Just in Time, New York State of Mind, And Here You Are, You've Got a Friend, Love Me Where I Live, The Moment, Love, Skylark, All of Me, Dindi, Old Devil Moon, Meet Me on the Moon, Follow Me, No More Blues, Bridge Over Troubled Waters. 87 minutes.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Give this DVD a chance, August 12, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Kimiko Itoh: An Evening with Kimiko Itoh (DVD)

It sounds strange, a Japanese singer doing great Jazz songs, but it WORKS. Great voice, great songs. The experience is certainly enhanced on this excellent DVD. Great quality sound, good picture, and a few obligatory DVD extras thrown in make this a wise choice for music lovers.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This Girl can really sing......, August 6, 2009

By 

Steve Johr "Billy Bop Jazzman" (Philadelphia, Pa) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Kimiko Itoh: An Evening with Kimiko Itoh (DVD)

Kimiko Itoh is a hidden Japanese jazz treasure........This girl can really sing. With an able Japanese/american trio she makes beautiful music. Buying this Dvd will not disappoint if you are a lover of jazz vocalizing like this writer..........

5.0 out of 5 stars The Enchantress of Japanese Jazz!, July 21, 2010

By 

Starr S. (Portland, Maine) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Kimiko Itoh: An Evening with Kimiko Itoh (DVD)

I LOVE Kimiko! I wrote to her in Japan and got an autographed picture back in 1994! She's awesome and has such a creamy and beautiful voice! I first discovered her on an old Columbia Jazz sampler from 1987. Her version of Jobim's "Dindi" appears on that compilation. I was so blown away by the beauty of her voice that I bought her first two American releases on CBS/Sony, "For Lovers Only" and "Follow Me." After that, she disappeared but resurfaced again in 1994 with "Sophisticated Lady." She is billed as the "#1 Female Jazz Vocalist in Japan," but I suspect she's probably the ONLY ONE, which is a GOOD THING! After watching this DVD, I feel that much more connected to the face/voice behind the music that touched my heart twenty years ago. She reminds me of Barbra Steisand meets Nancy Wilson. She's great and I can't believe she's 62 years old! THAT does NOT seem possible at ALL! She's stunningly beautiful!