The Blues Greats (Passport)

 

Picture: C     Sound: C     Extras: D     Main Program: B-

 

 

As a result of the commercial success of the Martin Scorsese-produced PBS Blues series, other companies see this as a time to issue their own DVDs.  Passport has come up with an interesting-but-short DVD called The Blues Greats that is made up sections of two unidentified shows.  The second smaller segment is sandwiched between the longer one.  The songs are:

 

1)     Listen To The Blues – Memphis Slim/Matt “Guitar” Murphy/Willie Dixon

2)     I’m Nervous – Dixon/Slim/Murphy

3)     Matt’s Guitar Boogie – Murphy/Slim/Dixon

4)     Please, Don’t Go – Big Joe Williams

5)     All By Myself – Slim/Murphy/Dixon

6)     Down The Road Apiece – Amos Milburn (second section)

7)     Rocky Mountain - Milburn

8)     Bewildered - Milburn

9)     Bad Bad Whiskey - Milburn

10)  Too Late To Cry – Lonnie Johnson

11)  TB Blues – Victoria Spivey

12)  Keep It To Yourself – Sonny Boy Williamson

13)  Got My Mojo Working - Williamson

14)  Bye Bye Baby – set to stills of Slim, Murphy, Dixon, Williams, Johnson, Spivey, Williamson and Waters.  They are the performers from the longer show without Milburn.

 

This lasts under 50 minutes, but this is all authentic, strong, old school Blues, shot on black and white film in both cases likely no later than the 1950s, but no dates are provided.  Perhaps the footage on the last track was so damaged form the print they had that they decided to supplant it with the stills.  It is for certain that some of these songs are still well known today for all kinds of reasons.  The Blues Greats may not be extensive or comprehensive, but it is not bad and recommended for music fans, whether they usually listen to the Blues or not.

 

The full frame, black and white footage shows its age, whatever age that happens to be.  The pictures are not razor sharp, so this is second or third-generation material, but it has decent Video Black just the same considering.  The Dolby Digital 2.0 mono is limited and scratchy at times, averaging out the presentation.  There are no extras, but it is still not a bad disc.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo