Al Di Meola, Jean-Luc Ponty, Stanley Clarke - Rite of Strings [Live at Montreux] (1994)
DVD-Rip | DivX 5 | 720 x 544 | MP3 48 Khz, 224 Kbps avg. | 25 fps | Runtime ~ 102 minutes, 34 seconds | ~ 1631 Mb
Genre: Jazz Fusion, Instrumental
The Montreux Jazz Festival is notorious for bringing out the best performances from even the most seasoned pros, but the 1994 performance of Al DiMeola (guitars), Jean-Luc Ponty (violin), and Stanley Clarke (bass), is by far one for the ages. An impressive performance is made even more so upon the confession of DiMeola, who states these 3 virtuosos have not performed the material together yet. The trio performs 7 songs together and each has their own solo in the middle, making this performance a must-have for any jazz aficionado.
In their first concert together -- before they went into the studio to record the classic "Rite of Strings" album -- three of the icons of the fusion era shed (well, mostly) their electronics and perform a scintillating set that celebrates their virtuosity.
The show includes several pieces that would later appear on the album, but in extended, looser, occasionally rougher forms that reveal the players still learning the limits of their acoustic-trio format. What these guys are clearly discovering is how easy and natural it was to play together, and just how magnificent it sounds.
And it does sound magnificent, in well-recorded PCM stereo or your choice of Dolby Digital or DTS 6.1 sound (used mostly for ambience). The 4:3 video looks fine, too, very sanely edited to focus on the right musician at the right time, without losing track of the others during extended solos or resorting to fast cutting to try to cover everything. The camerawork is first-rate.
First of all, if you have any of the electric stuff from any of these 3 from the '70s, don't think that this is anything along those lines. This is an acoustic jazz trio. "The Rite of Strings" CD was merely the tip of the iceberg of what these 3 musicians can do. With the "Live at Montreux" DVD we get a full fledged performance from 3 of the greatest virtuosos of this or any era. The mood is the same as the CD, but Clarke, Dimeola and Ponty unveil their full prowess on their instruments and this is an unhitched performance. There is great playing by each member, unison lines, and a great deal of improvisational interplay. All of these were hinted at on the CD and the musicians take their compositions to new heights live. Oddly enough, this DVD was recorded before the CD. The songs are all from the CD and are reworkings of previously recorded songs from each of the 3 musicians. You'll probably recognize all of them from the other recordings, but in a trio setting, they are given a unique twist. Song highlights are "Song For John" and "Renaissance". Both of these contain a great deal of improv and the playing by each member is unbelievable. In addition to the songs, each member of the band is also given a solo spot. All 3 are good if not great, but Stanley Clarke is unreal.
Sometimes when you get three virtuosos together you get to the point of just saying "shut up already, we know you can play", but I didn't get that affect with this trio. They tastefully use their chops.
At 103 minutes the program is satisfying, if not overly generous (and one wonders what music may have been left on the cutting-room floor), and there are no bonus features.
Still, since this trio recorded only the one glorious record, having this additional release is a gift for anyone who, like me, treasures "The Rite of Strings" as one of the most evocative and timeless jazz recordings of the 90s. ~
Amazon.comSet List:
1. Song to John
2. Memory Canyon
3. Cancion Sofia
4. Summer country - solo DiMeola
5. School dazs - solo Clarke
6. Eulogy to Oscar Romero - solo Ponty
7. Renaissance
8. The Chilean Pipe Song
9. Song to John (featuring Monty Alexander)
10. Indigo
