Customer Reviews

Stan Getz: In Copenhagen 1987

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(0)
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Stan Getz and his quartet...Kenny Barron, Rufus Reid and Victor Lewis...played two sets on a hot night in July of 1987 at the Cafe Montmarte in Copenhagen. Their performance that evening produced two excellent CD's, "Anniversary" and "Serenity". Fortunately, one of the sets was also visually recorded and produced this DVD. It leaves us with a wonderful example of the high level of musicianship these four consistently displayed, as a group and individually. The beauty of this recording is that we are able to not only hear but see the astounding interplay that these gentlemen were capable of when performing together. From a technical standpoint, the visual and audio components are at a very high level even given the fact that the sound is captured monaurally. The selections are a nice blend of jazz standards, both uptempo and ballads. Just four years before his death, Stan was still at the height of his creativity and plays with his usual drive and sensitivity. If you never had an opportunity to see this great artist live, this is the next best thing. One of the iconic figures in jazz tastefully supported by three of the best in the business makes it easy for me to highly recommend this DVD.

I totally agree with people who say that this is some of the finest and most beautiful jazz ever recorded. If you love the music on the CDs then you'll enjoy seeing it performed live, with all the musicians' idiosyncrasies.

Getz fiddles a lot with his saxophone and the sound microphone (sometimes quite aggressively), and loses his cool. No wonder he sounds out of breath at the start of "I can't get started". Listening to the CD I thought it was because he was old/ill - but as the film shows, it's because he'd been having a go at the TV director about one of the TV lights.

Technically, its very instructive to watch Getz play. As he grew older he seemed to find more bite and depth to his solos. He lost some of the lighter, airy lyricism that could (on occasion) make his playing...well..light and airy. Here he's always on top of the music - not drifting around it - and is especially tight at the start and end of his solos. The track "What is this thing called love" genuinely surprised me when I first heard it, for the energy and sustained pace of Getz's solo. Getz was never short of things to say on the saxophone, but here he puts together an exceptional solo full of ideas at a rate that belies his age and health. I especially like the calling sounds he makes as he advances towards the microphone at the start of this solo.

Rufus Reid looks cool in his T-shirt, and plays angelically. The great Kenny Barron and Victor Lewis are also fun to watch in action. Their body language and glances give quite a lot away. You even get to see the hip audience with its syncopated clapping.

There are many famous live concerts I wish were recorded on film. Thank goodness this one was.

I have had the CD of this recording since it was first released in the late 80's, & have always considered it to be one of finest jazz recordings of all time. It doesn't get any better. During the course of Stan's life, I was fortunate to have seen him in both concert and small club venues, and this DVD brings back the fondest of memories. Being a jazz musician myself, I've always preferred a intimate club setting for performance purposes, and this recording is superb. Both video & audio are great. Well worth the buck. Don't hesitate!

The other reviewers were dead on, glad I got this one to add to my concert collection. I like the part where Stan tells the television crew to turn off the bright overhead light. This is another great look at Stan Getz live, and you might be suprised at his rendition of Stella By Starlight. The tune is usually done in slow ballad format, but Stan plays it really fast and uptempo, loved it. That, after all, is what jazz is about, making a tune your own.

Sublime, intoxicating, and astoundingly beautiful performance by Getz with his
trio of the brilliant Kenny Barron, Rufus Reid, and Victor Lewis in Copenhagen
back in 1987. So hard to believe while watching and listening to this gorgeous
set that Stan would be gone from us a few years after this was filmed. How I
would have loved to have seen him in a live setting such as this - SO cool and
brilliant in his technique and ideas. Pure perfection. I was totally blown away
by how great this dvd is. I honestly didn't expect it to be THIS fabulous. Have
been a Getz freak since I first heard the incredible "Focus" album back in the
70's when I was first discovering jazz in college. He was a true genius at his
art, and this concert provides even more evidence why. To watch him as he cooly
lights up a smoke after a solo and then warmly smiles at Kenny Barron during one
of his solo's is priceless as well as watching him play with eyes wide open looking
straight ahead making his magic. The concert is beautifully filmed AND recorded.
A fantastic dvd to see over and over again. Stan makes it VERY clear early on in
the show when he tells the TV folks filming this he wants one of the lights beaming
down on him turned off that whatever STAN WANTS, STAN GETZ! Classic stuff. 10
million stars for this dvd.

If you love great jazz, don't pass on this one. The sound, photography and presentation are all superb. In summation. buy this one and enjoy watching four geniuses in action.

I have had the sound recordings of these songs on disc. I did not know that some of the set was televised.

The quality of the sound and picture are wonderful. I have to say that late Getz is some of my favorite. I have to say that Getz may have been one of the greatest musicians in jazz. He literally had the talent and technique to play virtually any style. I have heard an old JATP recording where he finished Coleman Hawkins solo in Hawkin's style. Some of his early 50's music which emphasized the high end of the tenor showed incredible virtuosity, but less "soul." These later recordings of Getz feature most of the range of the tenor, but he plays with such soul. The virtuosity is there, but it is secondary.

The back up rhythm section is wonderful. This is s must have!!