A Tribute To Edith Piaf – Live At Montreux 2004 (Eagle DVD)

 

Picture: B-     Sound: B     Extras: D     Concert: B

 

 

Not since Grace Jones had a worldwide hit with her cover version of La Vie En Rose has interest in Edith Piaf been so high.  Now, the film La Vie En Rose has reached the height of critical success and is already out on DVD, Eagle has issued one of their best Live At Montreux titles to date in a 2004 multi-vocalist concert entitled A Tribute To Edith Piaf.

 

One of the few tributes that has the energy and excitement of the subject being saluted, the songs and their artists are as follows:

 

1)     Padam, Padam (instrumental) - Baptiste Trotignon

2)     Sous Le Ciel De Paris - Baptiste Trotignon

3)     Mon Dieu - Michael von der Heide

4)     Amants D'un Jour - Michael von der Heide

5)     Elle Fréquentait La Rue Pigalle - Ute Lemper

6)     Embrasse-Moi - Ute Lemper

7)     Accordéoniste - Ute Lemper

8)     Padam, Padam – Régine

9)     Mon Manège À Moi – Régine

10)  Autumn Leaves - Barbara Morrison

11)  C'est À Hambourg - Catherine Ringer

12)  La Fille Et Le Chien - Catherine Ringer

13)  La Goualante Du Pauvre Jean - Catherine Ringer

14)  Johnny, Tu N'es Pas Un Ange - Angélique Kidjo

15)  Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien - Angélique Kidjo

16)  La Foule - Angélique Kidjo

17)  La Vie En Rose – all vocalists and musicians

 

 

I also very much enjoyed the way the musicians played the music and that we even get an instrumental and usually non-English singing to boot.  Outside of getting a Piaf CD collection, this is a great introduction to her music and the nearly 80 minutes never misses a beat all the way.

 

The anamorphically enhanced 1.78 X 1 image looks very good with nice color and more detail and depth than many HD-shot concerts we have seen on DVD to date.  The DTS 5.1 mix is better than the Dolby Digital 5.1 and a little richer and wider than the PCM 16/48 2.0 Stereo mix, which also works well, but the DTS is a standout and in combination with the picture, is very engrossing.  Can’t wait for the Blu-ray.  The only extra is a paper pullout inside the DVD case with interesting interview text.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo