Customer Reviews

A Tribute to Burt Bacharach & Hal David

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I guess I could give this DVD five stars, as other reviewers have done, simply because I am a huge Burt Bacharach fan. But that would do you, the possible buyer of this DVD, a disservice.

This is a truly odd concert, and part of it has to do with the fact that it features mainly British talent. I think just about the only singers American audiences will be familiar with are Dionne Warwick, Petula Clark, Elvis Costello and Leo Sayer(!). The others are of varying renown, generally solely within Britain (and sometimes for good reason).

Some of the younger singers give hope to karaoke singers everywhere. Two, in particular, seem to be doing their best to imitate Christina Aguilera. And some of the male singers display pop singing mannerisms that wouldn't have made the final cut on "American Idol." Britain has to have better singers than this!

Yet, there are some very worthwhile moments. Dionne Warwick certainly provides one of them. I love her 1960s recordings -- even of (or especially of) obscure Bacharach and David songs. But when I saw her perform in the mid-1980s, it was a tremendous disappointment. Her voice seemed shot, and she gave the impression she held the audience in disdain. I either caught her on a bad night or she has mellowed over time, because here, about 15 years later, she gives her all. Sure, the voice is a bit raspy at times, but she puts the songs over and stamps them once again with her definitive style.

To a lesser degree, Petula Clark does the same. Her voice is more problematic -- some notes sound fine, others most certainly do not. But she succeeds thanks to the confidence and affection, earned over decades, that the audience gives her.

Elvis Costello is . . . Elvis Costello. Either you love him or hate him. Some of the other, lesser known singers are worth hearing. Linda Lewis, in particular, has great fun showing off her wide range in "The Look of Love." And Teish O'Day's intense sincerity is very touching in the rarer "I Just Have to Breathe."

So, all in all, there's enough here to enjoy -- although it only adds up to about a third of the DVD. Yet, because there's a sense of occasion -- both Bacharach and David are on hand -- and because the DVD is so inexpensive, I'm giving this three stars.

Growing up in the 1970's, my parents practically raised me on soft pop music such as Burt Bacharach and Engelbert Humperdinck and the likes. It's no surprise that one can get attached to the wonderful music that was created by the team of Bacharach and David for the magic and melody that they've provided for millions over the years. Yes, its that good.

This tribute is a fine collection of their hits brought to the viewer in a great location at London's Royal Albert Hall. A befitting location for such a distinguished list of great performers which include but not limited to Dionne Warwick, Petula Clark, Elvis Costello, and Leo sayer.

There are 25 songs listed as being performed during this concert but actually, there are 30 total as some of the songs are sung but also performed instrumentally and it is just plain outstanding all the way around. As an owner of a home theater system, I was very pleased with the terrific sound of this music in Dolby 5.1 surround. No complaints anywhere. To be accurate in my review here, I also viewed the program in Dolby 2.0 for those who don't have a surround system and it sounds just great in that regard also.

If you're a fan of this genre of music and you enjoy long lived classics created by Burt Bacharach and Hal David and memorialized by the artisits here, you are in for a treat and won't be disappointed. The DVD price is right, the sound and video qualities are amazing, and the enjoyment potential is very high. It is indeed recommended to one and all.

My Mom & Dad were always playing his music and singing his songs. The musical arrangements are wonderful and I am truly glad Mr. Bacharach is receiving the recognition he deserves. As a little kid I enjoyed his music and now again as an adult. This DVD is the most satisfying music collection from a great song-writer.

I was pleasantly surprised by this concert of Bacharach & David songs. Never mind that many of the singers are unknown in the United States. Great songs were presented superbly, backed by a competent orchestra. The host is a dud, but the music is glorious. Oh that today's teens could appreciate pretty tunes and finely crafted lyrics.

great sax solo on opening the show. mostly UK artists. but good renditions of the hitsongs of yesteryears. Love the Alfie rendition of Sumudu Jayatilaka. Lovely girl too. A fitting closing is Dionne Warwick who immortalized numerous of Burt and Hal's songs.

My Mom & Dad were always playing his music and singing his songs. The musical arrangements are wonderful and I am truly glad Mr. Bacharach is receiving the recognition he deserves. As a little kid I enjoyed his music and now again as an adult. This DVD is the most satisfying music collection from a great song-writer.

I know Burt Bacharach's music very well, having listened to it and performed it for 40 years. I purchased this DVD based on the headliners, whose past performances I have enjoyed and respected. This is indeed an odd collection. The arrangements used in this concert ignore the subtle [and considerable] craft that Burt puts into his songs and personal arrangements. Strange chord changes, stiff playing by the band, and an overall feeling that the participants weren't up to task. The 1st 1/3rd of the concert features unknown artists whose voices don't match the demands or style of the songs. In many instances, the singers appear unsure of the melody, the lyrics, or the arrangement, as if they didn't prepare for the gig, and/or didn't rehearse with the band. One of the singers forgets 1/2 the lyrics to the second verse of her song.
Unfortunately, the headliners are also a major disapointment. I have tremendous respect for Petula Clark, and have loved her performances thru the years, but her voice at this time in her life couldn't handle the songs assigned to her. Elvis C has a moving and emotion-filled voice, but he was struggling with his range at this concert. Dionne has found it necessary to lower the pitch of her songs in recent years, and even with the revised keys she sang her tunes with smoke and mirrors.
She gave a visually polished performance, but the vocals just weren't there. To the positive, the arrangements Dionne used were probably from her own show, and were considerably better written.
If you are looking for an accurate display of the genius for Bacharach, buy the "One Amazing Night" DVD. It features superior arrangements, much better voice casting, better musicians, and places the focus on Bacharach's talents.

Here is a concert filmed in beautiful Royal Albert Hall, with a superb orchestra and top-of-the-line sound system, featuring every major (and even a few lesser-known) Bacharach-David song. That being said, many of the performances are sub-standard, sung by little-known performers (outside the UK). Even the big-name stars such as Petula Clark and Dionne Warwicke, are quite frankly well past their primes, and their voices (particularly Petula's) are shamefully wobbly, tired and painful to listen to. This concert would have been a first-class event with an A-list roster of performers. Still, the setting, orchestrations and choice of songs makes it a must for any serious Bacharach-David fan.

The timeless music of Burt and Hal deserves tribute, however this concert was just o.k. Some of the singers did not measure up. Others seems to not care. The great thing about a Bacharach/David song is that they have within them the power for the singer to make them their own. Most of the singers here failed to do this and sang simply "buy the book". All need to take a lesson from Wynonna on the other Bacharach tribute DVD (A Night to Remember). Wynonna sings Anyone Who Has A Heart with such power and forces she steals the night from everyone. Now THAT's what I'm talking about.

A nice retrospective. Do I like all of the guest vocalists? No, but overall this is the best tribute I've ever seen on their body of work, the band is excellent and Dionne is the cherry on top at the end. It belongs in any fans collection.